EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Take a Starlit Walk with Fripp on Debut EP 'Body Work'

Photos by Kevin Russell Poole, Watercolor by Lydia Campbell, Design by Eliana Mullins

“Come walk with me,” beckons E.B. Hinnant in the opening line of “Orion,” the first song on his debut EP, Body Work. Its warbling synth feels as if the constellation’s stars have come down to swirl around you as they guide.

Appropriately, Hinnant’s moniker Fripp is shared with the surname of a girl said to haunt another navigational aid, a lighthouse in his native South Carolina. (And Orion isn’t the only Greek influence at work, with more than one nod to Mike Hadreas.)

Body Work was written over several years between there and his current home of Brooklyn, where he recorded the tracks alongside Ron Shalom who handled engineering, mixing, and mastering.

Hinnant tells Transverso,

“This record is about queer love, romantic and platonic bonds, body dysmorphia, and my relationship with myself. These are diary entries from the past few years, initially written just for myself to process the joys and turmoils in my mind. They’re all yours, now. I hope you enjoy them.”

Wandering again, we’re brought to the tranquil breath of the sea and the woodwind flurry of the title track before highlight “Cypress” closes. If its hopeful nature calls are any indication, the journey was never about finding your way out of the forest, but rather making peace with the vessel you’ve been given, even if it takes a “fresh coat of paint.”

Then, as fleeting as the love it pines after, Body Work fades gently back into the starlit night.

Body Work is out today (a Bandcamp Friday!), with a cassette release featuring an additional single and two stripped versions coming soon via Garden Kiln. Listen and browse through additional photos below.

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EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Edward Knocks Opens a New Door With Debut Single "My Energy"

“Hello world / Hello friends / Here I am again,” opens “My Energy,” the debut single from Edward Kramer-Griggs’ new project Edward Knocks. It’s appropriate, as the British lo-fi pop musician and producer, who formerly released music as Ted Zed, comes out the other side of an artistic rebirth.

Despite landing a major label deal at just 19 and quickly earning critical acclaim from The Guardian to BBC's Zane Lowe, who called him the "next hype,” Edward still didn't feel creatively fulfilled. He went independent, moved to Sweden, and decided to start over. Inspired by his hero David Bowie, Edward then returned to London where he’s since created a new genre he light-heartedly calls "insecure pop.”

Locked down by both the pandemic and a case of writer’s block, Edward sat in his studio reading Jia Tolentino's Trick Mirror until inspiration struck. Equal parts boastful, sincere, and insecure at the same time, “My Energy” spins and pulses across dancefloor memories with his own expression of 21st-century youth.

Edward tells Transverso,

“I was binging off videos on Youtube and ended up watching an interview by LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy talking about failure. It was like a crushing wave of relief poured over me. From then on it was 'fuck it’ and with my favourite synthesizers and old MPC I composed ‘My Energy.’ The Edward Knocks project is a celebration of all the things I love about making music and the things that fascinate me about being human."

With the original music video plans scrapped by Covid-19, Edward shot the below with his partner alone in a field in Somerset, UK, resulting in perhaps the most genuine capture of his energy there could be.

Listen to 'My Energy' out now https://ditto.fm/my-energy Follow Edward Knocks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edwardknocksmusic/ Instagram: https://www.in...

Follow Edward Knocks on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Sundown Club Is on the Rise With Cinematic Self-Titled Debut

Photos by Andrea Calvetti, Marina Le Barthe, Monika Oliver, and Austin Smith

If there was ever a time to long for the exhilarating freedom of a spaghetti western dreamland, it’s now. Sundown Club’s self-titled debut is a spirited cinematic experience that provides that welcome escape from our dreary indoor isolation.

Sundown Club encapsulates a westward trek in more ways than one - after recording straight to tape at Chicago’s Treehouse Records, the band’s songwriter, producer, and frontman Brandon Reed rode off to Los Angeles where he now resides. From its catchy hooks and pocket grooves to multi-dimensional string arrangements, the record is saturated with the warm, rich tones developed through this analog process.

“Living in uncertain times right now has a lot of people scared, and rightfully so,” Reed tells Transverso. “However, there is always a silver lining, and I think people will realize how detached we’ve become because of this. Sharing your love is crucial to progression and there could always be more. This record and future works are my little love letters in hopes to inspire someone to do the same.”

Alongside Reed, fellow players Miles Malin and Ryan Fields flesh out full-bodied layers of electric, acoustic, baritone, and 12-string guitars, while Nick Tuminello’s drums and Colleen Fazio’s bass complete the sun-baked sonic landscapes throughout.

First track and lead single “Sweet Rose” immediately launches us headfirst into a galloping rampage as we embark on this quest. Steadily guided by Reed’s smooth, assured vocals, album highlight “Boy Child”’s ominous jaunt follows close behind.

The instantly iconic auditory equivalents of a somber ride at dusk on horseback, “Showdown”’s Pt. 1 and 2 provide a bold turning point in the record. Powered on by the fuzzed out heat wave of a guitar groan and carried off by a string section (Macie Stewart (Ohmme), Mallory Linehan, and Joshua Shepard) swirling up from the rolling hills, the scene is brought to a climax just as it’s time to flip the record.

Amidst this desert journey is an oasis, and “Volcano Song” transports us to a more tropical setting. Like a cold beverage on a calm vista, the sultry acoustic tones are met with lustful lyrics and a breezy groove, all topped off with Malin’s vocal harmonies.

By this point you’re likely to have poured yourself a drink of your own. Sit back and relax as Sundown Club takes you through the cactus-dotted sands to a steamy, palm-laced paradise, before riding off into a chromatic sunset over the hills. It’s furthest you’ll feel from your house for a while.

Follow Sundown Club and Brandon Reed.

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EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Enter 'The Fairy House' with Indigo Daze’s Debut EP

Not to be confused with Purple Haze, which is both a cannabis strain and a Jimi Hendrix song inspired by a dream in which he walked under the sea, Indigo Daze is a similarly colorful project self-described as “kitchen pop” (the best kind of K-Pop?). Transverso is proud to exclusively premiere their debut EP, The Fairy House.

The shoebox art project cover image is appropriate, as Indigo Daze is self-released by students who, after meeting in grade school in the Chicago suburbs, are now scattered across the country: Jack Maiolo in Boston (Guitar, Vocals, Songwriting, Production), Connor Teske in Nashville (Guitar, Vocals, Songwriting, Production), Rafa Swerdlin in Brooklyn (Vocals, Songwriting), Austin McGreevy in Miami (Vocals, Songwriting), and Will Johnson in Lansing, Michigan (Vocals). The Fairy House was written in just two weeks and recorded in Teske’s parents’ basement over summer break.

With Maiolo and Teske enrolled in Berklee College of Music and Belmont University, respectively, the playful Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared aesthetic and ironic detachment do little to belie a seriousness for the craft that comes with such trained musicians. With no true frontman, songwriting and vocal duties are split almost evenly, culminating in a diverse yet cohesive collection of tunes spanning from psychedelia to elements of chill/vaporwave and R&B.

“Turquoise Yawn,” the glittering lead single and first track ever released by the band, first peeks over the horizon, driven by the obscured incantation of a chorus swirling just out of reach. With lush hints of Tame Impala and the entrancing synthetic creep of Yeasayer, the EP goes on to maturely flesh out a sound that nods to indie canon through the smoke while still carving out a unique voice of its own.

Its supremely listenable softened edges and non sequiturs feel neither vapid nor self-serious, comfortably occupying a dreamy yet stimulating trajectory held together by steady drum machine locomotion. “Life’s one strange game / Surprises arise / It’s never mundane” it offers, matter-of-factly.

When the haze eventually lifts after just under 20 minutes, you’re left wondering just how long you’ve been suspended in The Fairy House. With the end of the final track wrapping nearly perfectly into the start of the first, you never really have to leave at all.

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: All Of The Lights Announce Self-Titled Debut, Drop Soaring First Single, "Fading"

London-based pop outfit All Of The Lights have finally announced themselves with debut track, “Fading,” the lead single from a forthcoming self-titled EP three years in the making.

With members hailing from the UK, Sweden, and Estonia, the group combined to self-produce, mix, and master all of All Of The Lights, allowing for complete creative control. “Fading” layers a hopeful synth melody over an atmospheric soar, guided by a lyrical reconciliation between regret and acceptance. “Why waste our time / Running for our lives?” vocalist Raven Alexander asks. With “Fading,” we’re given more than enough reason to pause for something more.

Alexander explains,

“It’s about acknowledging the darkness in yourself through a never-ending battle in your mind, and a false sense of victory over your emotions, while actually coming to terms with what you are and accepting it to be able to move on. ‘We’re fading’ refers to the duality of the protagonist. The two verses are a conversation between the negative and positive sides and the chorus is an agreement between them.”

Transverso is proud to premiere the music video for All Of The Lights' debut single, "Fading." Watch and listen below.

ALL OF THE LIGHTS official music video for 'Fading'. Directed by Linden Nieto. Follow ALL OF THE LIGHTS: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aotlofficial Twitter: https://twitter.com/AOTL_official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aotlofficial/

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Norway's Martinus Shares Jangly Love Story on New 'Holly' EP

Martinus, the Stavanger-bred, Leeds-based project fronted by its Norwegian namesake Martinus Bjerga, has self-released a second EP titled Holly, and Transverso is proud to premiere it here.

Holly's jangly, nimble guitar can easily evoke Mac DeMarco comparisons, though Martinus' softer side is also reminiscent of Norwegian compatriots Kings of Convenience. Sweetly melodic but with a capable rock punch, the four tracks delightfully combine some sunlit hooks and subtle vocal harmonies with odds and ends like a vintage cigarette ad sample.

Bjerga explains,

“I try to write approachable indie pop - the kinda music you can put on in your backyard with your friends. Chill and easy to like, but with catchy melodies that sneak their way into your brain. The EP we just released, ‘Holly,’ is essentially about this girl. It’s a love story. But isn’t all music?

I think the greatest thing about this EP is that I found this tiny 4 watt Vox amplifier from the ‘70s that sound so rad. The recording process was so much fun. It’s partly recorded in Norway in three different locations, and the rest we did in Leeds after I moved to the UK. In other words, I have tons of friends on this record, all doing their part. It’s been a ride.”

You can buy Holly digitally here, on tape cassette if you're lucky enough to catch the band in person, or stream below.

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: TÂNZI Create "Imaginary Sounds" on Debut Single

Feeling restrained by the traditional rock band setup, Los Angeles natives Hypnotic Hyena (Samuel Duffey) and Chris Jaxon (Chris Jackson) joined forces to start a project where they have total control. Named after Jaxon’s sister’s first name and his mother’s maiden name, TÂNZI has become a pop rock duo with heavy electronic influence, and Transverso is proud to debut their first single, "Imaginary Sounds."

A steadily marching dance beat transforms into some sunny guitar work as the track opens with, "My love for you is driving on the freeway," a fitting metaphor for what undoubtedly makes a great summer driving song. Complete with an informational voice sample appropriately reminiscent of the secretary at the end of Pink Floyd's "Young Lust," "Imaginary Sounds" tells the story of an unsuccessful sexual encounter.

Jaxon tells Transverso, "'Imaginary Sounds' symbolizes our first step as true pop artists. It's the first thing we have written that we believe can be played on the radio, and that is something we are really proud of."

Check out "Imaginary Sounds below," and catch TÂNZI at LOVEFEST this August 5-7.

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Strange Heights Set out For "Home" in Second Single

Following debut single "Believe Me," Chicago-based newcomers Strange Heights are revealing the second track from their forthcoming self-titled EP, "Home" through Transverso Media.

Soft strings and xylophone plinks beckon you in, swirling around gentle vocal harmonies grappling lyrically with setting out against adversity and, ultimately, finding home. Flirting with the boundaries between folk and rock, Strange Heights fit the puzzle of their six-piece together to uplifting results.

Keyboardist and backing vocalist Nic Ten Grotenhuis tells Transverso, "'Home' is about perseverance in the face of resistance and about how passionate we are about music."

Formed last September, Strange Heights finished recording a four song EP just two months later, with Strange Heights due out May 15.

FREE Download: strangeheights.bandcamp.com/ Produced by: N. Rivera Mixed and Mastered by: Trevor Buckingham Artwork by: Miles August © 2016 Strange Heights

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Victor Perry Guides Us to New Sounds On "Lighthouse"

The grounds of Atlanta's Morehouse College are full of musicians; to rap or sing R&B is the living and breathing culture that dwells within the gates of this institution, but hearing an artist that stands out with a rhythm different from the rest can be rare. 

Victor Perry, an emerging artist with a vocal range that surpasses that of many of his peers, is one such voice. His second single “Lighthouse,” a pop ballad, shows exactly what kind of artist he is: one without limits and always looking for a different sound. He paints an eloquent picture of what it means to have a relationship in turmoil, and what it’s like to feel the struggle of finding the path to stability, trust, and loyalty as he declares, “I’ll steer her to grace.”

Perry uses mid-tempo snare beats and a soothing piano and guitar intertwinement to supplement his image of a man desperately treading above the waves in a futile attempt to save a love, telling Transverso, “It’s not always about calling out their mistakes, it’s about being there to support them.”

With an EP titled 4 A.M. Nostalgia slated for release in the near future, "Lighthouse" is just a beacon of what's still to come. Stream it below, and buy it here.

Delivered by a voice with harmonic lyrical phrasing and contemporary crooning, Perry’s lyrical capabilities range from metaphoric calls for love and poetic searches of self-expression. His newest single, “Lighthouse,” off his upcoming EP – 4 A.M. Nostalgia, establishes a narrative that reveals a delicate perspective on the complicated nature of both being in love and what love is in itself.  In what seems to be a display of vulnerability to some, his music reiterates the timeless battle between love’s beauty and toxicity.

EXCLUSIVE PREMIERE: Explore the Dark Side of Veneto in Zebra's "Blanco" Video

Venice-based trio Zebra have premiered a beautiful new music video to accompany "Blanco," the single from their debut EP Homo Habilis released late last year.

Opening with a steady firecracker of driving percussion the track then layers on some gentle harmonizations before delving into crunching guitar jabs as the lens flares over an odd dream sequence of events shot across Italy's Veneto region. Flirting with some math rock and grunge elements, Zebra prove sometimes the most dynamic developments in independent music don't always come from the most predictable of places.

The video itself, directed by Italian cinematographer Andrea Calvetti, was shot entirely on 16mm film with only available light and two neon bars. Combining a series of seemingly disjointed experiences from a lonely fairground jaunt to an eerie cave with strange inhabitants, the visuals form a captivating story companion to frontman Luca Zambelli's longing to "Turn this gray into gold."

Zambelli told Transverso,

“The video portrays our character as artists, emptied from creativity and lost in a world where time has no dimensionality, a world of passion and art, but also futility and melancholy.”

Check it out below.

You can buy Homo Habilis here.