London 5 piece PORTASOUND are fucking awesome! They fuse soaring melodies, driving rhythms and wonky riffs they’ve created a genre bending soundtrack of instrumental electronica to accompany their own fictional narrative. Influenced by folk legends, classic novels and film narratives, they create a sense of filmic purpose in each of their songs.
The Second Renaissance EP is the band’s attempt to bring these narrative influences to life. It contains the story of a great cataclysm, the ensuing battle between light and dark forces, the creation of a rebellion and the birth of the hero.Brace yourselves for a high-speed 22 minute sonic journey atop a giant synth with the legs of a horse and head of a Minotaur!
I have worked closely with the band to try and tell this story though the 4 main pieces of artwork acompanying the artwork. 4 images for the four songs.
Portasound - The Second Renaissance I. Dreadnought II. Messerschmitt III. To the Colours IV. Polaris
I will post a full blog post of the making of, development and theory of the artwork when the record comes out.
A Video has been put together for the First single form the EP - Dreadnought:
Last week I wrapped up this cover for The Welcome Committee. Lovely guys to work with they seemed pretty pleased with outcome - always great to have a satisfied customer.
Below is an alternative option i sent them that i thought you might be interested in seeing. I actually like the composition of this one but the darker night scene seems to capture the new record pretty well. I dont always send an alternative over but sometimes its just hard to pick!
So the Listening post has been left to me this week so im gonna post a few things....
Been Listening to Titus Andronicus quite a bit of late.. good for powering through the afternoon.
I found this song thanks to Dan over at Young Jerks. I know NOTHING about Bob Seger other than the comments on youtube seem to refer to him being the unsung hero of the soft rock.
Ezelder says: Very true. And also proves that talent is not always recognized by the industry because, the industry is about a profit, not the music. Hence the reason Prince left the mainstream. he got tired of people getting rich off his work. . .
So there you have it the music industry stinks.. Prince is clever and bob Seger RULES.
Heavy estate beats, smashed cars, prams with dead babies, police, chicken shop, needles, gold chains, dogs that rip your arms off, people that hate you and want all the stuff you bought from working hard for it. Mine's a chicken burger and chips mate.
CHRIS
Im best at being 90’s, skating alot, drawing and listening to shit excuses for punk (lazily peppered with rap). Thats why when i want some nostalgia i listening all 3 MCM albums in a row and wish I was born in Tokyo wishing I could move to London. This Friday I offer, Mad Capsule Markets – Good Girl
Bobby
Someithing a little differant this week. After ignoring every possible advert put to me by Spotify i had to be tipped off to this GEM by the more attentive ears of Holly Wales .
Interactive audio novel from Hurts.
This is a band i know nothing of other than a few posters around Shorditch. But this is pretty special...
The first people to utilize Spotify in a whole new fun way., Manchester band Hurts have put together a whole interactive novel simular to the old create your own story books I used to obsess over as a geeky child, pretending to be the protagonist of a far away sci fi adventure, choosing the right path to escape danger or falling in to a worm hole to certain death. collaberating with author, Joe StretchHurt have made the legitimate grown up version.
Hosted by Spotify, the project allows fans to control a central character. Removing any stable tracklisting, the plot will unravel as the user sees fit allowing for any number of possible solutions.
A user led experience, the project is narrated by Anna Friel. Titled 'Don't Let Go' the audio novel is a ground breaking experience, utilising the Spotify programming in an entirely unique way.
Each chapter of the novel has been published as a track on Spotify, and can be located by typing a unique code into the search field. After listening to a chapter online the user is offered a choice on what to do next.
The plot is a typically grandiose affair, given the track records of bothHurts and Performance. Your mission - should you choose to accept it - is to stop arch villain Guy Lockhart from distributing his heartbreak cocktail and condemning humankind forever to a loveless, empty existence.
The two groups are close friends, with Joe Stretch using his alternative career as a novelist for 'Don't Let Go'.
Ok So i know we missed last weeks LP, but we were a little busy taking orders and packaging up all the prints you guys bought for the Calavera series - a fair excuse i think?
so on with this weeks choices...
CHRIS
Such a big song - need to get one of those in the VIP t shirts
For some reason i hadnt really got in to sky larkin before - no excuse, ive been aware of them for a long while...i had listened to them, the first two albums are right there on spotify... sometimes you need a bit of time and to be in the right moood. this week was that time. this song is off Antibodies. I posted this cos the video was slightly better than the excellent new single Still Windmills. they just seemed to sounds better and better!
Also check out the new wonderful art work and packaging for the new album here.
Hi Folks, its been a week of mixed projects, LOTS of writing of proposals, articles and plans. With all this concentrating on words, we have had the studio stereo turned down...although only a little, have no fear. There is a Slight theme running through this weeks musical choices, maybe its the heatwave making a comeback or excitement for our weekend bike ride to the beach (60Km to brighton? no probs). vintage feeling/Surfy/hipster/washed out/punk rock has been a real trend at the moment but still feels pretty good to float you through summer.
Chris
Wavves -
Their new single King of the Beach, is out on the 3rd of august, they are playing down the road at cargo TONIGHT talk about an up to the minuet blog!
Listen here to the first Album: Wavves – Wavvves and bath in washes of poppy distortion.
Check out the New Slightly more crisply produced single on their myspace.
BOBBY
This song has been around for what seems like forever but this is the first time ive seen the video, it made me chuckle in places and the song is still rad... more wav(v)es of washy fuzzzzzz to sweep you off your inflatable dolphin.
JAMES
James has been away in Italy listening to his own music made with his band PORTASOUND so im (bobby) gonna steal his go aswell.
I have been listening to the Soft pack self titled album all summer its so warm and mega upbeat. BON BON!
Listen to the Album here Bit of a short post as im off to investigate the new studios roof and have a well earn t beer.
HI GUYS, welcome to a new little item on our Blog, Telegramme listening post. At the end of every week We will choose some things that we have been listening to here in the studio. New bands we have come across, music videos that inspire, cover artwork to admire or just something to sountrack your friday afternoon. So heres whats been floating out of the studios windows on the warm hazey breeze ...
JAMES
On the back of news that my beloved Bombay Bicycle Club are releasing a new album this month, I have made a playlist of a few of their more unknown, folky tracks. Some of these tracks are actually featured on the new album and the track 'Ivy & Gold' is a perfect sunny accompaniment to a picnic with a beautiful French maiden in luscious corn fields. Hot.
Well this Weeks been a real mix, with a real battle between lazy summer loveliness from Wild Nothing and BIG guitars to power me through an ever growing to do list! The guitars have it this week. Poster Roast Favourites and all round good chaps Pulled Apart by horses' Album came out a couple of weeks ago and has been my studio accomplice this week. Stupidly fun, mega fast and multiple mentions of Hi-fives can only be brilliant thing to work/party to. ULTIMATE POWER!!!
A new(ish) Big scary monsters signing. Somthing of a slight departure from the norm for BSM, Tall Ships Ep is wonderfully complex and poppy at the same time. I cant stop listening to 'Books'!
They are playing a whole shedload of dates look here.
Let us know what you think of this lot / your lot.
We'll get back to putting work up here super soon aswell...
I am one half of a two part Telegramme. Living in an Old Peanut Factory in Hackney Wick and working At Telegramme Studios this blog is a collection of work that didnt make the cut and work that did, thoughts and feelings and ideas floating around my head.Why not leave a comment with your thoughts or get in contact With me : Robert@telegramme.co.uk.
