Leith Records

THE WAY by THE FUSILIERS (@pvtcvincent) Pure brutal beef pop...

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:11:01 +0000

THE WAY by THE FUSILIERS (@pvtcvincent)

Pure brutal beef pop from Leith. Nuff said.

More curious types can seek out the lowdown on their rock n roll antics by stalking them on Facebook, Twitter, MySpace. And if you’re feeling flushed, dig out your pocket money for their wares on iTunes and for other releases on Never Too Early Records.

Then have a wee snigger at their early band look:

Record Covers Mix and Match : A sound find by @phil_adams....

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:30:17 +0000

Record Covers Mix and Match :

A sound find by @phil_adams. More over at DesignInspiration.com

Hello Night Crow by Sanso-Xtro (via @sweetworldtv) A bit of a...

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:03:00 +0000

Hello Night Crow by Sanso-Xtro (via @sweetworldtv)

A bit of a departure from new Scottish talent, but this piece of animation is too good to pass by. Crafted by the talented Mr Fergal Brennan for the ethereal Sanso-Xtro, it’ll send shivers down your timbers.

CULANN - SWEET RELEASE Cowbells and three songs rolled in to...

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:20:00 +0000

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...

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:29:21 +0000

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...

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 16:15:55 +0000

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...

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:36:00 +0000

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...

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:05:31 +0000

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...

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:01:00 +0000

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...

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:11:19 +0000

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.

Yeah Yeah Yeah, Yaw Yaw Yaw A rare departure from brand new...

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 12:34:51 +0000

Yeah Yeah Yeah, Yaw Yaw Yaw

A rare departure from brand new Scottish music we know, but this guy just had to get featured. And yes, we are currently in touch with his people to see if we can’t get him down to MC at our launch party this Friday.

Got any other international talents we should feature here?

ENDOR - ALL YOUR MORE BUOYANT THOUGHTS Endor are a four piece...

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:49:00 +0000

ENDOR - ALL YOUR MORE BUOYANT THOUGHTS

Endor are a four piece from Edinburgh/Glasgow, who have garnered much critical praise over the five years they’ve been around. The level of exposure reached by their friends; Frightened Rabbit and We Were Promised Jetpacks, has been notable, but with a fully independant album in the pipe line, we’re sure to hear more from the quartet.

All Your More Buoyant Thoughts is the first track to be previewed from the forthcoming record and harks more towards their live sound than previous offerings. With it’s varying degrees of tempo, a little yelping and a cacophony of instrumentation, the track proves it is more than just a little two minute ditty.

If you’d like to hear more, pop along to Facebook and MySpace.

BLUNDERGROUND by TANGO IN THE ATTIC On a first listen,...

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:49:00 +0000

BLUNDERGROUND by TANGO IN THE ATTIC

On a first listen, you’d be forgiven for thinking that these young chaps were peddling their wares from the distant indie garage hotbed of New York. Well we wouldn’t forgive you, we’d send you to bed without any dinner, because you’d clearly not been listening to a word we said when we told you they were from Glenrothes. Yes, Glenrothes. Home of Fife’s largest indoor shopping centre, and now a band who’ve got the singalong appeal of The Vampire Weekend and the edginess of The Strokes at their finest. Point an ear in their direction at http://www.myspace.com/tangointheattic

GAY UNICORN by GAY AGAINST YOU “Gay Against...

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 16:42:00 +0000

GAY UNICORN by GAY AGAINST YOU

“Gay Against You.”

“Who? Me?”

“Yes you.”

Dazed and Confused described these two mates as a ‘cacophonous sound being let loose on the bonny city of Glasgow’. And we agree, it’s crazy. But crazy in a Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka way, not in a Fred West way. This track is called Gay Unicorn (Anyone else picturing a horse with a phallus as horn? No? Just me then). Anyway check it out and be charmed and intrigued by the 8bit sounds of Pixel Poppiness.

http://www.dazeddigital.com/Music/article/4116/1/Gay_Against_You_Sends_Out_Righteous_Signals

http://www.last.fm/music/gay+against+you

http://www.myspace.com/gayagainstyou

EPIC NEW SONG by FUTURISTIC RETRO CHAMPIONS It’s not...

Sat, 20 Feb 2010 11:03:00 +0000

EPIC NEW SONG by FUTURISTIC RETRO CHAMPIONS

It’s not often you find good stuff on the floor in Leith. It’s usually a discarded bag of rain sodden chips or if you’re lucky a 50 pence piece.

But Leith Records found this band on a handwritten cd lying on the ground next to the Burns statue in Leith. It read LOLLIPOPTASTIC BY FUTURISTIC RETRO CHAMPIONS.

It was swiftly taken home, played and vigorously researched…this is what was learned:

“Futuristic Retro Champions formed in 2006 after the collision of two small stars caused a mass expulsion of electron particles. They never use photoshop. In fact they exist in a highly saturated world of colour and lens flares.”

Hmmmm…Interesting.

If you want to see them, they are launching their ep in Glasgow on the 27th of feb at the 13th Note (kings street), with special guests Skitten & Ace City Racers, and they come east to Edinburgh at sneaky petes on the 17th of april.

Visit their myspace here: http://www.myspace.com/retrochamps

and their lastfm page here: http://www.last.fm/music/Futuristic+Retro+Champions

TWISTED MILE by WOODENBOX AND A FISTFUL OF FIVERS This band...

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:00:23 +0000

TWISTED MILE by WOODENBOX AND A FISTFUL OF FIVERS

This band came highly reccommended to me by a legend of the modern music game, (who’d heard their superb session on the Marc Riley show) so I had to dig them out of the interweb. Their music is as charming as their name, think a more up beat version of Noah and the Whale’s recent noises.

I feel if I was a bear who enjoyed dancing, then this is definitely the song I’d choose for my tehnicoloured debut in the circus. Unsure what this means, but it’s a good thing for sure.

Their album launch is happening on the 4th of April in Glasgow, so get yourselves there. Unsurprisingly, more details here http://www.myspace.com/awoodenbox

TAPE & TYPE TYPE A 2 for 1 offer here. A band - TYPE TYPE ...

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:26:00 +0000

TAPE & TYPE TYPE

A 2 for 1 offer here. A band - TYPE TYPE and an innovative (yet retro?) music production studio. - TAPE.

“Tape is the attitude of modern recording colliding with the golden era of studio technology “
The aggressive mix engineering and daily abuse of rare vintage audio equipment is exactly why they are sought-after by ‘those in the know’.
Thriving in this era of artistic control, Tape works with local and international acts alike. Since launching in January 2010 the studio has fiddled local underground heroes Dead Boy Robotics, Curators, & Young Huntingand is working with New York NME favourites The Virgins, and fellow compatriots Black Angels - not to mention remixes for London loversNew Young Pony Club and Chew Lips.

A hybrid studio, Tape has over 50 individual compressors, 1960s Telefunken preamps , and a myriad of freaky 70s and 80s processors, along with 3 multitrack analog tape machines and a large format 1980’s automated console.Tape will take your mix files and pin them to the wall. So if you’re in need of some old school recording expertise you can contact them at http://www.tapestudio.com/

And after all that, the good people of TAPE still have time to do their own stuff under the guise of band TYPE TYPE. This song surely has a name but it has been lost in the internet ether. So it will remain as Track 1 until someone tells us otherwise. (They have just emailed us and it’s Called “Fear Party” - scary.)

BRIGHTSIDE – THE GIRL WITH THE RED LIPSTICK Brightside are...

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:40:00 +0000

BRIGHTSIDE – THE GIRL WITH THE RED LIPSTICK

Brightside are barely a year old, but have already gathered a solid fan base, released a self produced album and provide us with a post Valentines-gone-wrong track; ‘The Girl With the Red Lipstick On’. The girl in question clearly didn’t receive her bunch of roses this year. The 3 minute ditty is most palatable, with rippling bass, pop harmonies and an almost sea shanty slant.

The Edinburgh quintet are celebrating their first birthday, whilst simultaneously saying a fond farewell to their Keyboardist, at Whistlebinkies on Thursday 18^th February. You can find more details on facebook and Myspace .

DEATH OF CITIES by THE WINTERGREENS How an Icelandic, a Pole...

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 15:05:00 +0000

DEATH OF CITIES by THE WINTERGREENS

How an Icelandic, a Pole and a Czech ended up in a bedroom in Barony Street we’ll probably never know - but it’s here where they meticulously crafted the sound that’s making a few people sit up and take notice today, including us. The sound’s a bit of a strange beast. It’s ethereal and melodic in the same way as Mogwai, but this feels more foreboding. It’s definitely an acquired taste, but it’s definitely worth acquiring. Why not enquire about acquiring (yesss) at their Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/thewintergreens

SLEEPTIDE by EAGLEOWL Eagleowl are simply full of good ideas....

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:52:43 +0000

SLEEPTIDE by EAGLEOWL

Eagleowl are simply full of good ideas. Sleep through the Winter? Yes please, wake me up when the snowdrops are in bloom though, becuase I wouldn’t want to miss them. Thanks.

Sleeptide is an excellent description of how I often feel after a hearty lunch at about 3pm, but is an equally good title for this song. The vocals wash coaxingly in and out, with strong influences of the Fleet Foxes (if one underwent a sex change). The rest of the album is equally as gorgeous, and layers up some cello with other lovely instruments.

Leith’s very own Elvis Shakespeare is going to be graced with their presence on Valentine’s Day, well worth a listen with someone you like. Alternatively, if you find all that 14th Feb stuff nauseating, Eagleowl will definitely sooth your contempt. Or your stomach.

http://www.myspace.com/eagleowlattack