JAY SOM Releases 7-inch Today, Shares B-Side "O.K. Meet Me Underwater"

Jay Som - singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and producer Melina Duterte - released her breakout debut album Everybody Works to critical acclaim last year. Today she releases a 7-inch entitled Pirouette, featuring two songs from the Everybody Works sessions that Melina felt were "out of place" on the album. Listen to the b-side "O.K., Meet Me Underwater" now and buy Pirouette HERE.

Jay Som on "O.K., Meet Me Underwater":

"I wrote 'O.K., Meet Me Underwater' entirely around one of my favorite drum grooves - there's just something so funky and special about that beat. The general theme of the song is about the pain and acceptance of change within interpersonal relationships."

Jay Som has more tour dates coming up, including a West Coast co-headline tour with Japanese Breakfast. See below to find a show near you, watch Jay Som's NPR Tiny Desk for a sneak peek of what to expect live, and get your tickets HERE.

Jay Som's remarkable debut album Everybody Works is out now, and received "Best of 2017" round-up nods from the likes of NPR Music, Village Voice's Pazz & Jop, Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Billboard, Stereogum, Paste, Consequence of Sound, Entertainment Weekly, Esquire, SPIN, Newsweek, Exclaim!, Under The Radar and many more. Purchase it on vinyl, CD, cassette or digitally HERE via Polyvinyl Records (N.A.)/Double Denim (EU/UK/Japan)/Inertia (AUS).

Pirouette cover art

Tour Dates:
02/04 - Los Angeles, CA @ Bootleg Theater @ GIRLSCHOOL
02/15 - Seattle, WA @ Neumos #% [SOLD OUT]
02/16 - Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore Cabaret #% [SOLD OUT]
02/17 - Portland, OR @ Crystal Ballroom @ Sabertooth
02/19 - Reno, NV @ The Holland Project #% 
02/21 - San Jose, CA @ The Ritz #% 
02/22 - San Francisco, CA @ Gray Area Art & Technology Theater @ Noise Pop #% [SOLD OUT]
02/23 - Fresno, CA @ Strummer's #% 
02/24 - Pomona, CA @ The Glass House #% [SOLD OUT]
06/15 - Dublin, Ireland @ Donnybrook Stadium $
# w/ Japanese Breakfast
% w/ Hand Habits
$ w/ The National  

Praise for Jay Som:

"She is a nimble, honest songwriter in a variety of modes - synth-pop, shoegaze, garage rock - and never sacrifices grooves or hooks for some forced idea of lo-fi intimacy... among a growing cadre of women of color who are reorienting the power center of indie rock from the inside with skill, conviction and personality." - New York Times

"emotive indie pop that sticks" - The New Yorker

"some of the year's most memorable hooks, gritty guitar noise and thoughtful reflections on coming of age." - NPR Music (#21 - Best Albums of 2017)

"Everybody Works, from 23-year-old Melina Duterte, can restore your faith in the future of indie rock." - Pitchfork (#26 - Albums of 2017)

"[Jay Som] sets a high bar for introverted pop...Everybody Works glows with warmth and goodwill for her fellow humans" - Rolling Stone (#29 - Best Albums of 2017)

"An indie-pop breakthrough that feels like the first step on a long, winding road...Everybody Works not only sparkles, but suggests a songwriter with a lot to say, and many more engrossing projects ahead of her.." - Billboard (#46 - Best Albums of 2017)

"Everybody Works is a sparkling testament to self-sufficiency."- Stereogum (#23 - Best Albums Of 2017)

"The result feels personal and vulnerable and, above all, beautiful. And it's our favorite album of 2017." - Paste (#1 - Best Albums of 2017)

"exquisitely crafted tunes fall somewhere between Carly Rae Jepsen and Built to Spill, dabbling in riffy squall and synth-pop alike.Duterte's gifted songwriting unites her stylistic breadth" - Entertainment Weekly (#20 - Best Albums of 2017)

"a rising indie star." - SPIN (#21 - The 50 Best Albums of 2017 So Far)

"In what can only be described as bedroom maximalism, Duterte dug her lyrics into the granular, banalities of existence and aimed her production at expansive soundscapes." - Consequence of Sound (#48 - Top Albums of 2017)

"The music is hooky and uptempo, the lyrics honest and endearing." - Newsweek (#4 - The 17 Best Albums of 2017)

"With its many different styles, ranging from guitar-heavy indie-rock to dance-oriented R&B to spacey ambient soundscapes, Everybody Works plays like a mixtape of new music that seems instantly familiar and welcoming." - Uproxx (#28 - The 50 Best Albums Of 2017 So Far)

"Stylistically moving between indie pop and dream pop and acoustic pop, painting purples and oranges with ease, the record is, along withAlvvays, more proof that women are doing the best and most creative work in the indie rock scene right now." - Pretty Much Amazing (#20 - Best Albums of 2017)

"It takes courage to create an album that possesses sonic flourishes reminiscent of My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive only to combine the sound with pointed sincerity and heartfelt wonder" - Under The Radar (#25 - Top Albums of 2017)

"For her official debut, Melina Duterte shows that her do-it-herself, quirky bedroom-pop is ready for the world to hear" - Newsday (#20 - Best albums of 2017 so far)

"it would be an understatement to say that she's on a hell of a roll." - Buzzfeed

"Everybody Works has the mark of maturity far beyond the years that Jay Som has existed." - She Shreds

"Everybody Works is Duterte's most cohesive work but also her most expansive." - The AV Club

Cornelius Shares Video for "Dear Future Person", US Tour Starts 3/7, Limited Edition Physical Release out 1/26

Praise for Mellow Waves: 

"...truly visual music, and a rare case in which one enhances the other..." - NPR

"Many of the details [of Mellow Waves] pick up where Sensuous left off, from the warm synthesizer notes to the soft drum clips, to his love of accentuating his lyrics with, instrumentals that mimic their meaning..." - Pitchfork

"Keigo Oyamada; a.k.a. the ORIGINAL sound-collage-maestro and top-shelf orchestrator of playful, electro-acoustic music, a.k.a...uh, well, CORNELIUS, man! — is back." - Tiny Mix Tapes

Japanese innovator, producer and musician Cornelius reveals the next in the series of black and white animated videos for his album Mellow Waves. The video for "Dear Future Person" was directed by groovisions and features an adorable cat exploring an apartment. The lyrics for the song were written by Shintaro Sakamoto from cult 90s Japanese band Yura Yura Teikoku.

Cornelius will tour the US beginning March 7th in Washington, DC and will include a stop in New York City, which has not seen a Cornelius live set for more than 10 years, on March 9th. The tour will conclude in Los Angeles at the Fonda Theater on March 20th. Full dates below.

Cornelius will also be heading to Europe in 2018, with a slot at Barcelona's Sonar festival confirmed and more dates to be announced.

Mellow Waves, Cornelius's first album in over 11 years, will be available in a limited deluxe edition pop-up gatefold vinyl (including phenakistoscope animation insert), standard package on 180g, CD and cassette format on January 26 2018 via Rostrum Records. The album was previously released digitally in July 2017. Mixing eastern avant-electronica and krautrock with jazz and bossa nova, Mellow Waves is Cornelius's most personal work to date, focusing on melody and the tremolo sound.

US Tour Dates:

March 7 – 9:30 Club – Washington, DC

March 9 – Irving Plaza – New York City

March 10 – The Warhol at Carnegie Lecture Hall – Pittsburgh, PA

March 13 – The Showbox – Seattle, WA

March 14 – Revolution Hall – Portland, OR

March 16 – The Independent – San Francisco, CA – SOLD OUT

March 17 – The Independent – San Francisco, CA

March 20 – Fonda Theater – Los Angeles, CA

Cornelius made his name in the 90s as "the Japanese Beck" with cult albums such as the genre defying Fantasma (1997), which mixed the 60s harmonies of The Beach Boys with krautrock and French pop, and the precise found-sounds glitch electronica of Point (2002) and Sensuous (2006). As Patrick St. Michael from Stereogum explains, he created; "a genre-skipping and time-traveling take on pop that defined 'cool' to many in Japan over the decade (not to mention get him critical love and a label deal abroad [with Matador Records])."

In the intervening years between his last Cornelius album Sensuous in 2006 and now, Oyamada has been busy working on a variety of projects. Notably appearing in Yoko Ono's Plastic Ono Band, who appeared at the Meltown Festival in 2013 (the band also featured Sean Lennon and Yuka Honda of Cibo Matto). He has played with Yellow Magic Orchestra and collaborated with J-pop artist Salyu to create the project salyu x salyu. He has also worked on several film scores including Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and the anime mega-film Ghost in the Shell Arise, which helped inspire the Mellow Waves album track "Surfing On Mindwave Pt. 2.", which is a song about a continuous wave.

The album Mellow Waves sees Cornelius in a contemplative mood with themes around getting older and his childhood idols dying off (Prince, Michael Jackson, David Bowie). The track "The Spell Of A Vanishing Loneliness?" has guest vocals from Miki Berenyi of Lush, after realising 10 years ago they are distant relatives.

The design aspect has always been hugely important to Cornelius and this is demonstrated through the artwork and visuals for Mellow Waves. He works closely with video directors to create visual masterpieces, including the two videos released so far for the album, "If You're Here" directed by Koichiro Tsujikawa, "Sometime / Someplace" directed by Yugo Nakamura, who is the visual designer for the project, as well as and the stunning "In A Dream".

LAPALUX Announces US Tour | 'Ruinism' and 'The End of Industry' out now via Brainfeeder

Praise for 'Ruinism' & 'The End of Industry EP':
“With Ruinism, Lapalux has succeeded in achieving something genuinely unique”
- PopMatters, Best Electronic Albums of 2017
“a bold reinvention of Lapalux’s sound, and is undoubtedly his best work to date”
- All Music, Favorite Electronic Albums of 2017
“Howard’s attention to detail, now strikingly and undeniably apparent from start to finish.”
- Pitchfork
“bleakly beautiful and intriguingly brittle, in a way that Howard’s usual gauzy touch hasn’t allowed before”
- AV Club
“a sleek electronic-pop sheen, but beneath the veneer there was something more chaotic going on”
- Resident Advisor
“distorted vapors and bulky bounces that emit from Lapalux's hardware and stick in your head like fragments of a memorable dream”
- The FADER

Following the release of his third full-length album Ruinism in June 2017, the follow-up The End Of Industry EP just four months later, and an expansive European tour, Stuart Howard, aka British experimental electronic producer Lapalux today announces a rare North American Tour set for this April, marking his first multi-show trip stateside in two years, and the first opportunity for North American audiences to experience the music from the his critically acclaimed 2017 output live. Tour dates, flyer, and more information below.

Ruinism and The End Of Industry EP are both out now via Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder imprint and are available to stream and purchase here and here respectively.

Lapalux NA Tour:
04/18 Denver, CO - Cervantes
04/19 Montreal, QB - Newspeak
04/20 Washington, DC - DC9
04/21 Miami, FL - Floyd
04/22 Tallahassee, FL - Club Down Under
04/24 Springfield MO - Outland Ballroom
04/25 Oakland CA - New Parish
04/26 Seattle WA - The Crocodile
04/27 Los Angeles, CA - Union
04/28 Brooklyn, NY - Elsewhere
Lapalux’s previous album Lustmore (2015) was partially inspired by the concept of hypnagogia, a suspension of consciousness occurring between wakefulness and sleep. Throughout Ruinism the British producer takes this exploration further, journeying onward to the more ominous limbo space between life and death. In this liminal space where the finite and infinite intermingle, Lapalux (aka Stuart Howard) sounds more at home than ever. Ruinism is all sonic wreckage and rubble created using only hardware and real instruments. The sound simultaneously destroys and redeems itself across a tight and formidable forty-eight minutes.

“‘Ruinism’ is a made-up term I use to describe the way in which blended sound palettes and inspirations interact with one another to form this album,” Lapalux explained of his process. “I would record synths and drum hits and re-sample, re-pitch, twist and blend the sound until it was ‘ruined’ and then salvage it again in an attempt to make something coherent.”

Following the release of Ruinism in June, Lapalux quickly returned with new music in the shape of The End of Industry EP - the premise of this EP was to make something that resembled the current automated world we’re now living in. “Computerised machines are now taking over a vast majority of industrial tasks and this EP is a window into that transitioning world,” he elaborated.

The End Of Industry EP’s sonic palette comes from, in part, self-modulating and self-generative modular patches and from played in, recorded motifs and instrumentation as well as heavy editing. “Having this human touch and adding a human aesthetic shows that human interaction is still necessary in the process of creation and manipulation. This EP is my take on the idea of the Human vs the Machine.”

Toronto's FRIGS Share Politically Charged New Single, US Tour Starts This March, Debut LP out 2/23 via Arts & Crafts

Early praise for FRIGS:

“sludgy, scuzzed-out post-punk awash in psychedelic feedback and the grunge-hewn emotional ferocity of singer Bri Salmena. It's visceral. It spits.” – Noisey

“this post punk gem hits a sweet spot” – Nylon (Best Releases of The Week)

“Salmena's vocal emphasis flips between gruff and sweet, and the pace moves from militant, atonal power rock to a woozy, notably powerless standstill” – The FADER

“Vicious slabs of noise are offset against open-ended guitar notes reminiscent of Deerhunter and Preoccupations” – DIY

“led by vocalist Bria Salmena, whose affecting brood places FRIGS in the same canon as other emotive, female-led indie outfits—think Angel Olsen, Torres, Weyes Blood, et al. And they’re of that same caliber, too.” – Nerdist

Rising Toronto post-punks FRIGS today share new single “II” - a politically inspired cut from their forthcoming debut LP Basic Bahaviour, set for release Feb 23 via Arts & Crafts.

Speaking on “II”, frontwoman Bria Salmena says: “‘II’ was written shortly after a catastrophic political event that took place about a year ago. However, it does not solely reflect that one event but everything leading up that has allowed for it to happen, and everything that is to come because of it. I truly hate that I even wasted energy thinking about this person let alone wrote a song about it.

“Has anything ever happened that made you wish the reality we live in is a simulation? Wouldn't it kind of be a relief to know it’s just the doings of some disgusting internet troll in some alternate universe? That’s what this song is about.”

LISTEN: FRIGS - “II”
https://youtu.be/ZLhpqD8uenI

Basic Behaviour, FRIGS’ debut, self-produced full-length, was written and recorded over a 16-month period, split between two locations: the band’s home studio and Union Sound Company in the east end of Toronto. As much as the lyrical subject matter within the record reflects personal experiences of frontwoman Bria Salmena, the album is a product of years of self discovery as a unit. Recording at home allowed the band to take the time to explore their sound, experimenting with sonic textures and production, and meticulously re-working their material. These sessions proved to be invaluable in creating a sound unique to FRIGS. However, a degree of positive urgency was deemed necessary in order to finalize the process. Working with engineer Ian Gomes, FRIGS embraced the limitations of third-party studio time and completed the record with a sense of immediacy. The resulting contrast between these two approaches in recording creates an end product that is at once stark, chaotic, reflective, and manic, ultimately forming the core of Basic Behaviour’s identity.

FRIGS is made up of Bria, Duncan, Lucas, and Kris. The band pairs the raw, emotional grunge of PJ Harvey with the immersive, psychedelic post-punk of early Sonic Youth. With each member bringing a unique set of influences, FRIGS create a sound that is hard to pin down and an impression that’s unshakable. Led by the force of Bria’s vocals, the band has earned a reputation for putting on a hypnotic and visceral live performance. Embracing the mercurial and experimental, their shows are built upon instinct; a vocal growl can unexpectedly give way to a hushed whisper; languid drones boil over into guttural and searing tones.

Starting in March, FRIGS hit the road for an expansive North American tour, which includes dates in Brooklyn, DC, Chicago, Seattle, SXSW, and more. All dates below.

Tour Dates:
03/01 - Montreal, QC - Bar le Ritz
03/02 - Boston, MA - O'Brien's Pub
03/03 - Brooklyn, NY - Alphaville
03/04 - Philadelphia, PA - Kung Fu Necktie - Upstairs
03/05 - Lancaster, PA - Lizard Lounge
03/06 - Washington, DC - Black Cat
03/07 - Durham, NC - The Pinhook
03/08 - Savannah, GA - Savannah Stopover Festival
03/12 - Atlanta, GA - Masquerade
03/14 - New Orleans, LA - Gasa Gasa
03/15 - Austin, TX - SXSW
03/16 - Austin, TX - SXSW
03/17 - Hot Springs, AR - Valley of the Vapors Festival
03/19 - Kansas City, MO - miniBar
03/21 - Denver, CO - Streets of London
03/22 - Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge
03/23 - Boise, ID - Treefort Music Fest
03/24 - Portland, OR - Tonic Lounge
03/25 - Victoria, BC - Logan’s Pub
03/26 - Seattle, WA - The Funhouse
03/27 - Vancouver, BC - The Cobalt
03/29 - Calgary, AB - Broken City
03/30 - Edmonton, AB - Bohemia
03/31 - Saskatoon, SK - Amigo's Cantina
04/01 - Winnipeg, MB - The Good Will
04/04 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
04/06 - London, ON - Rum Runners
04/07 - Toronto, ON - Garrison

Joji Shares Video For "Window", Announces Deluxe Version of 'In Tongues' EP

Today Japanese artist Joji shares his latest video for "Window" off his acclaimed In Tongues EP that dropped late last year. Directed by BRTHRS (The Weeknd, Travis Scott, Charli XCX), the video depicts a duel between two female foes that almost feels anime-like in the way that it is shot. Along with the video, Joji is excited to announce the deluxe version of his In Tongues EP which is being released Valentine’s Day, Wednesday, February 14 via label/creative collective 88rising.

Watch "Window" Here

https://youtu.be/_hzhLRVyMl8

While the original In Tongues EP reached #8 on the overall iTunes charts and #1 on the iTunes R&B charts with single "Will He" reaching #1 on Global & US Spoity Viral 50 charts, the new Deluxe version of In Tongues adds 2 additional original tracks ("Plastic Taste" and "I Don’t Wanna Waste My Time") that were previously Soundcloud/YouTube-only and 8 new remixes from some of electronic music’s finest producers of the moment. More details to follow.

Watch The Video for “Will He”

https://youtu.be/R2zXxQHBpd8

Watch Video for “Demons”

https://youtu.be/Yw1tCJ1y34o

Osaka, Japan-born singer and producer Joji is the multi-talented visionary, capturing a following from every corner of the internet. The Osaka, Japan-born musician defies convention - his songs are characterized by down tempo, melancholic themes and soulful vocals, layered over lush grimy textures, blending elements of trap, folk, electronic, and R&B. Named a Best New Artist of 2017 by Pigeons & Planes, Joji is one of the most interesting and promising artists living in the digital age. 

A master of multiple mediums, Joji commands a massive and almost fanatical fan base, with over 600 million views on YouTube alone.

His loyal following has carried over into Joji’s music career.  Although yet to release anything commercially, Joji's few tracks have millions of plays across Soundcloud and YouTube. His only two 2017 songs thus far - "I Don’t Wanna Waste My Time" and "Rain On Me" - have already been lauded for their “beautiful, captivating, understated quality” (Pigeons & Planes) and “lush emotion and thoughtful execution” (Earmilk). 

In Tongues is the first full project from Joji and it is supported with beautiful and moving visuals for “Will He” - directed by Matthew Dillon Cohen (Goldlink) - and "Window" - directed by critically acclaimed duo BRTHR (Travis Scott, The Weeknd). Joji's live experience will see the stage in early 2018. 

Joji is signed to 88rising - the team behind Internet-breaking sensations Rich Chigga, Keith Ape, and Higher Brothers. 88rising is the pioneering media platform representing the most forward-thinking artists and creators from Asia. Bridging East and West, 88rising is known for its "slew of massive viral video hits and collaborations with established American artists" (CNN). Led by an award-winning team of creative visionaries all over the world, 88rising is "clearly filling a void," (Forbes) by celebrating the unique cultural landscapes of Asia and beyond.

Joji Assets are available HERE.

Joji will also embark on a 3-date run of shows in NYC, LA and SF next month alongside the 88rising crew. Full details below. Please contact ben@motormouthmedia.com if you are interested in attending.

Lineup:

Rich Chigga

Joji

Keith Ape*

Higher Brothers

Tour dates:

2/7 - San Francisco - The Warfield

2/10 - Los Angeles - Shrine Auditorium

2/20 - New York - Terminal 5

*LA and NYC only