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/

St. Vincent Announces 'MASSEDUCTION' LP, Drops Second Single "Los Ageless"

"Before we go further, a brief tutorial on the title: It's 'Mass Seduction,' not 'Mass Education,' St. Vincent informed at the start of the mock press conference that announced her forthcoming album on Facebook Live this morning. "You're probably wondering, and the answer is yes, I did toy with calling the record 'Ass Education,' but it seemed to me that was much better suited to be the title of the sequel."

Teased through a series of clever bits co-produced with Carrie Brownstein, Annie Clark's 5th solo record under her holy moniker is due out October 13th via Loma Vista Recordings. (There are more than a few gems in that announcement video if you watch all the way through, including an penalty saving anecdote from her soccer days and something about a giantism fetish.)

With the news comes new song "Los Ageless." Debuted live in Tokyo a few weeks ago, this companion track and bicoastal foil to stunning lead single "New York" dispels any concerns fans may have had with the previous lack of guitar. Wildly distorted, St. Vincent's signature Ernie Ball axe slinks devilishly over an electronic beat more unabashedly dancey that anything she's done before. Lyrically, a liquid chorus of "How can anybody have you and lose you / And not lose their minds?" shows a rare glimpse of vulnerability as the hushed outro "I try to write you a love song but it comes out a lament" explains its origins.

Clark finished her Facebook Live speech with about as straight forward of a conclusion as one could expect: "The record's about love. At its best and at its core, it's about love. That's it. That's all. That is literally the only point. And I do mean literally to mean literally." In the press release she elaborates, “Every record I make has an archetype. Strange Mercy was Housewives on Pills. St. Vincent was Near-Future Cult Leader. MASSEDUCTION is different, it’s pretty first person. You can’t fact-check it, but if you want to know about my life, listen to this record.”

St. Vincent seemingly aims for pop power with the loudly neon rollout backed by production from Jack Antonoff (Bleachers, fun.), who's recently worked with Lorde and Taylor Swift. Notable features include saxophonist Kamasi Washington (John Legend, Kendrick Lamar), singer Jenny Lewis, pianist Thomas Bartlett (The National, Sufjan Stevens), and even vocals from ex and likely lyrical subject Cara Delevingne (credited as Kid Monkey).

Listen to "Los Ageless" below and scroll down to see MASSEDUCTION's cover art, tracklist, and tour dates (which will be "dominatrix at the mental institution kind of bonkers").

MASSEDUCTION

1. Hang On Me
2. Pills
3. Masseduction
4. Sugarboy
5. Los Ageless
6. Happy Birthday, Johnny
7. Savior
8. New York
9. Fear The Future
10. Young Lover
11. Dancing with a Ghost
12. Slow Disco
13. Smoking Section

Mister Heavenly Returns with New LP and Tour, Listen to First Single "Beat Down"

6 long years after their "doom-wop" debut, supergroup Mister Heavenly has reared its three heads once again. Consisting of Honus Honus (Man Man), Nick Diamonds (The Unicorns, Islands), Joe Plummer (Modest Mouse, The Shins, Cold War Kids, Coromandelles), and at one point even Michael Cera as a touring member, the group has announced a forthcoming follow-up, Boxing the Moonlight, due out October 6 via Polyvinyl.

Lead single "Beat Down" explores the breaking point of restlessness conflicting with self-preservation as Diamond and Honus trade verses over a jaunty tune set to the crackling VHS of a classic bar brawl.

“I don’t know if it’s cliché or not these days to have an L.A. record, but this feels like an L.A. record,” Plummer explains in the press release. Coming off a Cold War Kids album cycle for L.A. Divine and after assisting with Honus' "apocalyptic L.A. pop” solo record last year, the SoCal identity seems more embedded in their sound than ever.

Check out the official lyrics video for "Beat Down" below, as well as dates for their North American tour and Boxing the Moonlight's album art and tracklist. You can also read our interview with Honus of Mister Heavenly here.

Boxing the Moonlight:

1. Beat Down
2. Blue Lines
3. Makin’ Excuses
4. Hammer Drop
5. George’s Garden
6. No Floor
7. Magic Is Gone
8. Pink Cloud Compression
9. Crazy Love, Vol. III
10. Dead Duck
11. Out Of Time

St. Vincent Signals Return with Melancholic Single "New York," New Tour Dates

Following St. Vincent taking the music world (and a Grammy) by storm three years ago, the queen herself has returned with a tour and new single, more than hinting at a 5th LP to come later this year.

On "New York" she trades out her signature shock-inducing shredding with some melancholic ivory keys, showing a vulnerable side that feels more Annie Clark than St. Vincent. Despite (at least momentarily) shedding the larger than life persona from 2014's self-titled cycle to show a more delicate, vulnerable side, the bite is still there: "And if I call you from First Avenue / Where you're the only motherfucker in the city / Who can handle me."

Listen and see tour dates below.

Tickets: http://ilovestvincent.com Apple: http://found.ee/StVincent_NewYorkApple-i Spotify: http://found.ee/StVincent_NewYorkSpotify-i Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/St.Vincent Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/st_vincent Twitter: https://twitter.com/st_vincent

Arcade Fire Are Back with a New Album & Tour: Watch the Music Video for Title Track "Everything Now"

Arcade Fire have announced their major label debut with “Everything Now,” the title track from their forthcoming 5th record due out July 28 via Columbia Records.

Everything Now follows their one-off with Mavis Staples earlier this year and 2013’s Reflektor as Arcade Fire joins LCD Soundsystem and Grizzly Bear in announcing a debut album for Sony Music this year as the major seems intent to absorb every 2000s indie darling. All of this was, naturally, rolled out through a Twitter account disguised as a Russian bot.

Immediately launching into an ABBA style swing and sway, the piano led single is relatively straightforward pop for an Arcade Fire song accented by a crowd-sung chorus from their VooDoo Festival set last year and production from Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter.

Lyrically “Everything Now” targets the obsessive hyperactivity of modern life. “There’s sort of an everything-nowness to life. I feel like almost every event and everything that happens surrounds you on all sides,” Win Butler explained to BBC Radio 1. “It’s trying to capture some of the experiences of being alive now in all its flaws and all its glory.

The cover art, which you can see below, will have 20 different variants in 20 different languages over the LP's vinyl, CD, and cassette sales. The 13 track record is accompanied by an extensive tour, the details of which you can see below as well.

Arcade Fire - Everything Now (Official Video) Listen to or download 'Everything Now': http://smarturl.it/EverythingNowSingle?IQid=yt From the upcoming album 'Everything Now', available for pre-order now: http://smarturl.it/EverythingNow?IQid=yt Directed by: The Sacred Egg Follow Arcade Fire: Website: http://smarturl.it/ArcadeFireSite?IQid=yt Facebook: http://smarturl.it/AFFacebook?IQid=yt Twitter: http://smarturl.it/AFTwitter?IQid=yt Instagram: http://smarturl.it/AFInstagram?IQid=yt

Watch Fallow Land's New Music Video for First 'Pinscher' Single, "Faux"

"There is no god waiting for us," warns Fallow Land's Whitaker Fineberg over "Faux"'s reverb bed. "We're all alone and we're all corrupt."

The lead single is quite a dark harbinger for Pinscher, the Ann Arbor-based duo's debut EP due to be self-released June 30, especially following the comparatively sunny "Are All My Bad Decisions Rock And Roll?", which Transverso premiered back in 2015.

What inspired this heavier turn? As Fineberg tells Transverso, "Faux" was born out of a desire to strip oneself down and rebuild in someone else's image and the subsequent realization such a tactic was failed from the start. 

“
I wrote ‘Pinscher’ while making sense of a recent breakup. “Faux” was a failed last-ditch effort to make the relationship work. As we drifted apart, the term “incompatible” was frequently used as we discussed the relationship. “Faux” expresses my desperate desire to conform to someone else’s needs and the realization that the only way to do that was to change some of the characteristics that made me “me.” This, of course, proved to be impossible. Relationships that are predicated on a false understanding of self are ultimately doomed.”

"Faux" sees Fineberg's haunting vocals deftly combined with bandmate Evan Veasey's searching guitar, set to a droning haze, and interspersed math rock-tinged bass and percussion fits and starts. 

Check out the accompanying grim video directed by Stephen Levy and Jordan Anstatt, as well as Pinscher's cover art shot by Andrea Calvetti, below.

Directed by: Stephen Levy and Jordan Anstatt Color by: Jacob McKee