When Benjamin Franklin wrote “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes,” he had never seen a musicOMH unsigned guide.
It’s not that we’re particularly deathly or – we hope – taxing, but we are certain the unsigned talent we’ve unearthed, from England, Ireland, Scotland and, erm, Germany, is worthy of your ears.
If you’re an unsigned or own label artist, why not let us know about you for the next edition, on 24th July?
unsigned@musicOMH.com
The Olympus Mons
Frantic nervy post Libertines indie rock is the stock and trade of London based The Olympus Mons. Aaron’s vocals are a nervous twitch, a starchy skinny neck tie, his guitar riffs itch like a healing wound. The guitars on Too Much Too Soon collapse in a filthy smear of noise, imagine Test Icicles on speed induced come down.
The delicate strum of Late Again showcases the strength of the rhythm section. Nobert and Moran lock down a groove that allows Aaron to expand on his saucy tales of the capitals’ street life. The YouTube clip on their MySpace page showcases what a great live band they are. Get out there and see them strut their stuff.
Pilotlight
Pilotlight originally hail from Dublin but have relocated to London in order to chase their dreams of musical stardom. On the strength of these demos it shouldn’t be in vain. The band create a celestial noise that is emotional without being overwrought.
There are strong echoes of the epic strain of indie that pulls in the likes of Snow Patrol and (whisper it) even Coldplay. The sharp twists and turns of the arrangements and an ache in the vocals mark these boys out as something special in such circles. If you locked the band in the studio with Garrett ‘Jackknife’ Lee, the results would deserve to top the charts. Pilotlight are, quite simply, the gas.
We Yes You No
If you are missing your dose of Radiohead and are not thrilled with Thom Yorke‘s solo electronica then you should check out We Yes You No. The modulating synth tones and treated bass that open I Must Destroy are pop filtered through fevered imaginations. It’s a nuclear winter funk with a twisted lullaby vocal. The guitars and bleeping keyboards of True False spin a beguiling melody that would make Bjork smile.
Suppressed anger adds a snarling undercurrent of intellectual violence to the material, leaving an impression of a band that would explode in glory when placed on a stage. So, I say yes!
Biont
Biont deal in danceable pop music with dark undercurrents. Their history is shrouded in secrecy. They comprise of a studio based musician and singer for a famous German electronic act. That’s the sum total of what we know.
Dirty synths and grainy basslines are off set by smart dynamics and strong hooks. They have some of the menace of Depeche Mode, a little of the A-Ha‘s epic melodic sweep. The Dortmund based duo are unashamedly pop, but their music is a shadowy take on the kind of stuff that Lorraine are currently being rightly praised for. These boys should be blaring from a radio and pounding from the bass bins on sweaty dance floors.
Fram
Glasgow based Fram are first class practitioners of romantic alt.country with added ambient flourishes. Motion is constructed around a circling chord progression that is enlivened by starbursts of guitar noise. There is something of Talk Talk‘s later grace in its ebb and flow.
The echoing guitar riff that anchors Dream is perfectly judged, it reels you in and then the vocals and piano have you hooked. This is clever, heartfelt and arranged with a connoisseur’s touch. Something in the fragile beauty of the songs reminds me of Palace Music and the creeping melancholy of Madder Rose.
Fallen View
There is a wonderful simplicity to the music of Bristol-based FallenView, stripped of posture and overproduction. Mainlyacoustic based but little sparks of electricity add flashes ofcolour. Didier Rochard and Suzanne Lambert’s vocals are a perfectblend.
Shapes is a brilliantly odd kind of acoustic based ambient rock,a sound swirling like a fairground waltz in slow motion. The bitingguitars of I’ll Keep My Watch show that the band can master a range ofsounds and emotions. I’ve fallen and I am sure you will too.
And so ends another dive into the world of the unsigned. If you have any suggestions for future editions, use the email address below to tell us. Until next time…
