This Week’s Top 5 Indie Music Tracks: “Fastracks” 31

Astonishing live techno trio Elektro Guzzi have released their latest single, ‘Prototyp’ on the 26th of November. The single is taken from their upcoming LP, Triangle, slated for release on the 18th of March 2022 via their own imprint, Palazzo.

The trio have received written support from renowned publications Resident Advisor, The Quietus and Electronic Beats to name a few as well as airplay from Worldwide FM’s Gilles Peterson and BBC 3’s Chris Elcombe. Recognised for their skills, Elektro Guzzi have won an EBBA Award in 2012 for their LP, Parquet and performed on stages around the world, including festivals such as Sonar Festival in Barcelona, Eurosonic in Groningen, Netherlands and Mutek in Montreal as well as the prestigious Fabric nightclub in London and Berghain, Berlin. Elektro Guzzi are currently looking forward to touring Europe in the upcoming months.

Hailing from and currently based in Vienna Austria, Elektro Guzzi is comprised of three crucial members: Bernhard Hammer on the Guitar, Jakob Schneidewind on the bass and Bernhard Breuer on drums. The trio overcome the boundaries between analogue and digital, as they perform techno live with the drive of a machine and the sonic detail of an instrument – without any computers or loopers.

While the trio were originally introduced to the joys of music through social situations, embracing the world of punk, hip hop and electronic music, they would eventually turn their minds to learning their own instruments to become more deeply involved with the experience. While creating their current unique techno style, they call upon the likes of Jeff Mills, Basic Channel, James Holden and Underground Resistance. In turn, Elektro Guzzi’s sound calls to mind the likes of Surgeon, Octave One and Richie Hawtin.

Now there’s beauty to be found in life: especially in the symmetry of precision and a driving beat. Take the instrumentation of a rock band and the driving, machine-like force of a machine and you’ll create Elektro Guzzi. ‘Prototyp’ is the first single to be revealed from the trio’s upcoming album, painting a picture of vivid audio and the deeply innovative faux electronic sounds to be found within.

Speaking of the single, Elektro Guzzi tell us: “‘Prototype’ was the centrepiece of a live set that we recorded in our studio in Vienna (while working on the Triangle album). For us it represents the energy and drive that we always aim for when we improvise together” all sounds happened spontaneously but blend together so well.”

Mirroring the breathless post/punk score of “Stuck In The City” with visuals of a heart-stopping intensity and searing performance footage, it offers further credence to McGee’s claim that The Gulps are “the best band I’ve signed since Oasis”.

Speaking about the video and the decision to film in Soho, The Gulps say:

“We wanted to show a bit of the life in the city, so we thought Soho was a great place as there are so many different contrasts around there. At night especially is when you can see many different and extravagant people. We love that aspect of London but we also think that’s where there is a lot of inequality between people’s lifestyles, with an omnipresent capitalism that they can forget by getting drunk and taking drugs, diving into a digital life. That’s when you start feeling stuck, the idea of your life and the continuous bombardment with advertisement, that sells you an empty stimulus of happiness.”

A visceral punk/rock track for our times, “Stuck In The City” is a song about the slow death of a society crumbling before our very eyes. A wake-up call like an atomic bomb, it’s a track that finds The Gulps railing against the powers-that-be while swinging at the docile public sleepwalking into its demise. As frontman and songwriter, Harry All explains of the single:

“These days we’re living I feel society is falling on a deep clean sweep without getting us in torture labs. Our today’s torture labs are advertisement, consuming, social media… Becoming a sleepy society, advocated to consume drugs, to get likes, to buy online, everyday we see how mental health becomes a bigger issue in our daily lives.”

With the country going down the sh*tter at an accelerating pace, it’s just as well The Gulps are going places fast. Identified by the legendary Steve Strange as his latest and last discovery before his untimely passing, the band were then signed by Creation Records legend Alan McGee and signed to his It’s Creation Baby label for this 2021 release. Cutting their teeth in some major UK venues on tour with ASH since the return of live shows, the band also managed to catch the ear of Steve Lamacq who has already been championing them on BBC 6 Music recently.

Owning a shared philosophy that “music is everything”, The Gulps are a band who are unafraid of a grand statement or to speak their minds. With a defiant sense of belief in their creations and cause, from their limited shows and releases so far the band have earned a reputation for making insurgent alt/rock masterclasses that rage against the injustices of our corrupt and ailing society, while flying the flag for a new era of rock’n’roll.

Hailing from all four corners of Europe and the Middle East, they are frontman Harry All and guitarist Charlie Green (both from a small town in La Rioja, Spain), bassist Simon Mouchard (from Nantes, France), rhythm guitarist Francesco Buffone (from Calabria in southern Italy) and drummer Raoul Khayat (from Beirut, Lebanon). Attracted to the UK like moths to its creative flame, the quintet arrived in Camden from their separate corners of the globe and magnetised to one another with one electrifying vision: “We came here to be f**king rock stars” says Harry.

Forming in 2019 and finding a natural chemistry, The Gulps gained an instant notoriety on the live stage, with riotous early shows at the likes of The Alleycat in Denmark Street and Camden’s The Monarch, and later performances at major festivals like Truck Festival and Mad Cool in Madrid; each hallmarked with their own insanities, from stage invasions and fights with security, to stories of almost scalping a fan whose hair got caught in a flailing bass guitar.

Spending the past 18 months intensively writing and rehearsing in their shared Camden apartment (dubbed “The King’s House”), The Gulps have emerged from lockdown with a bristling, brilliant batch of songs that will form the backbone of a planned LP. With early recordings already impressing a certain Noel Gallagher, expect songs about love and darkness, technology and Warhol to line a debut album produced by the legendary Youth Martin.

Abji George, is a multifaceted self taught soul Singer- songwriter from Pune, he has been performing from the age of 16 and over the years has performed in various venues in Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore and Mysore. He was featured on couple of Sofar Sessions in Pune which was streamed Live across the global, He is currently recording for the EP which will be out soon. He believes in the mantra of singing from his soul and to spread the love via his Music.

London’s Jessica Wilde is proving one of the UK’s hottest new talents right now, with a string of sizzling singles that have lit up BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music and gained serious press praise from the likes of Complex, Clash, The Independent and many more. Her eager Instagram following has also been expanding rapidly and lapping up Wilde’s regular ‘P*ssy PWR’ playlists and IG Live series, with which she showcases her favourite female artists as her comedic alter-ego; ‘Ya gurl Charlene’.

Wilde’s style ranges from chilled and thoughtful spoken word gems to bouncy in-your-face bangers that are woven with her gritty real-life experiences and poetic observations. The combination of her candid hazy diary entry interludes and huge soaring pop-soul choruses packs a real and lasting musical punch.

New cut ‘LA Boy’ has a glittering laid back trip-hop style. With the repeating refrain ‘Back To LA’ washing over again and again, the track feels like a dreamy beach day sipping cocktails but laced with the darker undertones of break-up pain. A fleeting romantic encounter, when the dream is over Jessica’s ‘LA Boy’ is gone and she’s left wondering. And likewise, when the track winds up, Jessica leaves us wanting more.

‘LA Boy’ is the next single to be taken from Jessica Wilde’s forthcoming album which charts her journey from addiction and toxic relationships to self-empowerment and living sober. Like previous single from the album, it’s a snapshot of a moment of realization which helped her move forward with this transformation. Wilde says, “I had a whirlwind relationship with a guy from LA, only here for a two week stay and he swept me up as quick as he dropped me down. A short-lived romance but had a pivotal part in my journey to living sober. The song tells all…”

With ‘LA Boy’ being Jessica Wilde’s 7th single of 2021, it’s a testament to her raw and special songwriting and vocal talents that she has yet again delivered another complete tune.

Following the single release, Jessica Wilde will hit the iconic Hootananny stage in her home area Brixton on 1st December, for her first Headline show of 2021, along with a full force female line up of incredible guest artists supporting her. But this night has a twist…

Wilde’s pink wigged, biro smoking, p*ssy powered alter ego ‘Ya gurl Charlene’ will be making her debut appearance and hosting the evening. From what started as a ‘P*ssY PWR’ Spotify playlist of all Wilde’s fave female artists and fronted by Charlene, has expanded into an Instagram live series where Charlene interviews her fave female artists, a ‘P*ssY PWR’ merch line drop, in collaboration with FAME Magazine, and now Charlene hosting a real life live show featuring Wilde herself and some of the most exciting female acts coming up on the scene!

Jessica Wilde is signed to Sony ATV and has collaborated with artists including Rudimental, Emeli Sande, Tough Love, Kizzo and renowned K Pop Label SM Entertainment.

Providing immersive, magnetic and captivating atmosphere through its enthralling essence, “Maybe It’s Just Me” is the latest installment (following the expressive “Calm”) of Insolace’s notable creativity, which continues to establish the formation’s undeniable talent to present emotionally-charged and engaging compositions.

Embracing musical influences outside any specific immediate genre, this single overflows with masterfully and tastefully composed music elements, interesting grooves and developments throughout its entirety, keeping the movement intriguing and enticing by utilizing atmospherically layered guitar work and emotionally charged and imposing vocal lines, all polished with an impeccable production.

“Maybe It’s Just Me” clearly brings a certain poignancy establishing Insolace’s sound by raising, channeling and maintaining an impressive amount of significant approach and truly manages to certify Insolace’s talent as a factor that will be definitely strongly considered in the alternative scene.