Swedish emo band I Love Your Lifestyle have announced a new album, Summerland (Torpa Or Nothing). It’s out August 2 via Counter Intuitive, and the first single ‘Plot Twist’ is out now. Check it out below.
Summerland (Torpa Or Nothing) Cover Artwork:
Summerland (Torpa Or Nothing) Tracklist:
1. Torpa
2. Givet
3. Barnarpsgatan
4. Dunkehalla
5. Lucking Out
6. Fickle Minds
7. Plot Twist
Sister. – the New York trio composed of Hannah Pruzinsky (aka h. pruz), Ceci Sturman, and James Chrisman – have unveiled a new single, ‘Colorado’. It marks the band’s first new music since their 2023 debut LP Abundance. Check out its V Haddad-directed video below.
“We wrote ‘Colorado’ together,” the band explained in a statement. “Hannah started with the chords and the line ‘You drive to Colorado and I get emotional,’ and we built it all from there. The idea sprawled from the kind of spiraling out that can take over in the early days of a new relationship where so much is still unsaid and inaccessible. Similarly to putting up a front that you’re okay and not over-thinking something, we wanted the song to initially feel gentle, hiding those feelings of circling uncertainty in the drawn out instrumental sections within layered acoustic guitars, a piano spilling over, glitches in a system. The softness never quite breaks, until it erupts in the outro, when we spiral three vocals around the phrase: ‘Despite what you thought you knew. I’m in your corner. I get emotional.’”
Los Bitchos have announced their sophomore album, Talkie Talkie, which will arrive on August 30 via City Slang. The London band laid down the follow-up to 2022’s Let the Festivities Begin! with producer Oli Barton-Wood (Wet Leg, Nilüfer Yanya) and engineer Giles Barrett (Shabaka Hutchings, Ezra Collective). It includes the previously unveiled single ‘La Bomba’, as well as a new track, ‘Don’t Change’. Check out Tom Mitchell’s video for it below.
“’Don’t Change’ is a pure bliss track; think holiday vibes with ice creams, beach balls, sunsets and margaritas,” the band shared in a statement. “It’s feel good, with sun soaked melodies, vibrant arpeggiator synth bass, and layers of percussion. We had such a fun time making the video, making up little dances and frolicking about in the sand and sea!”
Revisit our Artist Spotlight interview with Los Bitchos.
Talkie Talkie Cover Artwork:
Talkie Talkie Tracklist:
1. Hi!
2. Talkie Talkie, Charlie Charlie
3. Don’t Change
4. Kiki, You Complete Me
5. Road
6. 1K!
8. La Bomba
9. Open The Bunny, Wasting My Time
10. It’s About Time
11. Naughty Little Clove
12. Tango & Twirl
13. Let Me Cook You
Ela Minus has returned with a new single called ‘COMBAT’. It marks the Colombian producer and singer’s first solo track since her debut album, 2020’s acts of rebellion. Check it out via the Losmose-directed video below.
“The foundation of ‘COMBAT’ comes from a recorded performance I did a few years ago,” Minus explained in a statement.” It was then that I improvised the chord progression that became the soul of the song. Jesse Scheinin did a beautiful performance of the woodwinds I wrote for it. It’s about the intensity of feelings and emotions that it hopefully evokes. You come out the other end of the struggle stronger. I hope the music speaks for itself.”
Check out our inspirations interview with Ela Minus and DJ Python around their 2022 collaborative EP ♡.
Mercury Rev have announced Born Horses, their first album of original music in nine years. It follows 2015’s The Light in You as well as their 2019 covers album Bobbie Gentry’s the Delta Sweete Revisited. The 8-track LP is due for release on September 6 via Bella Union. Check out the new single ‘Patterns’ below.
“When we gaze up at the stars in the sky at night, the flickering lights seem random,” Mercury Rev said of the new song in a statement. “If we could zoom out and see all of the galaxies revolving around each other, we would see the order in it. There are only Patterns on top of Patterns….”
Speaking about the album, bandleader Jonathan Donahue explained: “Since our beginning in the mid 80’s with David Baker through the recording of Born Horses with new permanent members, Woodstock native (pianist) Jesse Chandler and Austrian born (keyboardist) Marion Genser, we’ve celebrated this unspoken trust in the ‘statue already inside the marble’. We didn’t make Born Horses by throwing clay on top of clay; we allowed Time to reveal what was always there.”
Grasshopper added: “When Jonathan and I first met, one thing we bonded over was Blade Runner, both Ridley Scott’s film and Vangelis’ soundtrack: that feel of the past and the future, the haunting noir mood and the romance of the future…Born Horses taps into some of that. Looking back to childhood, to Broadway tunes, to lonesome blues, Chet Baker, Miles Davis’ Sketches Of Spain, records that our parents listened to, but we put a twist into the future. From the beginning, Mercury Rev were on a cusp, between analogue and digital, hi-fi and lo-fi at the same time. It was like Brecht or Weill, the words suggesting visuals, and the visuals suggesting moods. We also thought a lot about the desert on this record, and the urban desert.”
Born Horses Cover Artwork:
Born Horses Tracklist:
1. Mood Swings
2. Ancient Love
3. Your Hammer, My Heart
4. Patterns
5. A Bird Of No Address
6. Born Horses
7. Everything I Thought I Had Lost
8. There’s Always Been A Bird In Me
Friko have shared a rendition of Radiohead’s In Rainbows track ‘Weird Fishes/Arpeggi’. It comes alongside the announcement of a run of tour dates, which you can check out along with the cover below.
Friko released their debut album, Where we’ve been, Where we go from here. Read our Artist Spotlight interview with Friko.
Friko 2024 Tour Dates:
Jun 14 Chicago, IL – Taste of Randolph Festival
Jul 9 Evanston, IL – Space
Jul 18 Indianapolis, IN – Rock the Ruins
Jul 26 Niigata, Japan – Fuji Rock Festival
Jul 28 Newport, RI – Newport Folk Festival
Aug 3 Chicago, IL – Lollapalooza
Aug 4 Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
Aug 8 Nashville, TN – Bobby Nashville
Aug 28 Louisville, KY – WFPK Waterfront Wednesday
Sep 9 Columbus, OH – Newport Music Hall %
Sep 11 Rochester, NY – Essex Music Hall %
Sep 12 Toronto, Ontario – History %
Sep 13 Detroit, MI – Majestic Theatre %
Sep 14 Madison, WI – The Sylvee %
Sep 15 Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue %
Sep 19 Urbana, IL – The Canopy Club at Pygmalion Fest
Sep 24 Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer %
Sep 25 Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel %
Sep 26 Brooklyn, NY – Brooklyn Steel %
Sep 27 Washington, D.C. – 9:30 Club %
Sep 28 Boston, MA – House of Blues %
Sep 30 Atlanta, GA – The Eastern %
Oct 1 Nashville, TN – Brooklyn Bowl %
Oct 8 Denver, CO – Ogden Theatre %
Oct 9 Lawrence, KS – The Granada %
Oct 14 Los Angeles, CA – The Bellwether %
Oct 15 Los Angeles, CA – The Bellwether %
Oct 16 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore %
Oct 17 San Francisco, CA – The Fillmore %
Oct 18 Sacramento, CA – Ace of Spades %
Oct 20 Portland, OR – McMenamins Crystal Ballroom %
Oct 21 Seattle, WA – Moore Theatre %
Oct 22 Vancouver, British Columbia – PNE Forum %
Nov 2 Amsterdam, Netherlands – Bitterzoet
Nov 3 Brussels, Belgium – Les Nuits Weekender
Nov 5 Rennes, France – Antipode
Nov 7 Paris, France – Pitchfork Music Festival
Nov 9 London, England – Pitchfork Music Festival
Nov 10 Bristol, England – Louisiana
Nov 12 Manchester, England – Yes
Nov 13 Glasgow, Scotland – King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut
Nov 14 Dublin, Ireland – The Workman’s Club
% = with Royel Otis
In Hanlin’s works, memory is akin to a whimsical seamstress, weaving threads of recollections into a rich and complex tapestry. Each creation stitches together memories’ transient and unpredictable nature, constructing a visual narrative that echoes the depth and subtlety of human experience. The artist seeks to unveil the profound interplay between the remembered and the present, creating a harmonious blend of reality and the ethereal.
The exhibition has included numerous significant works by the artist. One of the more thought-provoking pieces in the exhibition confronts the concept of the “Elephant in the Room,” utilizing a compelling mix of balloons, mirrors, and acrylics. This artwork delves into the often ignored yet glaring issues that permeate both society and personal life. The reflective surfaces of the mirrors juxtaposed with the playful yet fragile balloons symbolize the tension between visibility and denial, urging audiences to introspective confrontation with the hidden complexities and uncomfortable truths that are often avoided.
Another work, Pool Party, painted directly onto a mirror, powerfully captures the essence of loneliness with bold and vivid expression. The composition features the feet of an individual precariously standing atop a tumultuous, swirling body of water, symbolizing instability and vulnerability. This visual metaphor reflects the precarious balance one must maintain in life’s overwhelming tides, embodying deep insecurity. The title, Pool Party, introduces irony, suggesting a surreal and solitary celebration. This contrast between the festive title and somber imagery underscores the poignancy of the human condition, where profound solitude often overshadows joy.
Mirrors, as recurring elements in this exhibition, imbue the artist’s works with a profound sense of introspection and self-reflection. As observers gaze into the mirrors, they are confronted with their own reflections, compelled to explore the depths of their own loneliness and vulnerability. This engagement transforms each piece into a personal journey, where the viewer’s presence and perception become integral to the narrative. The mirrors transcend their physical form, becoming portals to inner contemplation and emotional resonance, seamlessly blending the viewer’s reality with Hanlin’s artistic vision.
In this space, reality merged with the delicate layers of memory. Artworks no longer act as mere reflections of the past but dialogues with it, inviting viewers to delve into their own memories and emotions. The artist creates a sanctuary where the fragility of memories is both acknowledged and celebrated, offering a glimpse into the intricate tapestry of life that we all weave, thread by delicate thread.
Expectation versus reality arises from the realization that what one thinks of something doesn’t match its tangible expression. It can happen in publicity materials being put on various media platforms. But it shouldn’t be that way.
Marketing materials, from websites to social media posts and print advertisements, are the face of a company, and their impact relies heavily on the quality and appeal of the visuals used. One effective way to enhance your brand’s visual appeal and create high-impact marketing materials is by removing backgrounds from images, a process that can be achieved with the help of a background remover tool.
Visual elements are important in attracting attention and communicating the intended message of any brand to likely buyers. Eye-catching pictures that are easily remembered enhance the attraction of marketing materials. Nonetheless, in modern times with excess loads of information, visually appealing and top-notch images could make your brand exceed that which others offer.
The process of cutting out images involves separating the main subject or element of an image from its original background. It enables companies to create clear and precise visual content that can be added to different promotional materials including product catalogs, social media posts, website banners, mockups for client presentations, and many others.
Benefits of Using a Background Remover
Using a background remover is an aspect of the Swiss Army knife of tools you should have at your disposal. This is just a supplementary for the procedures you’re already doing with your images. Nonetheless, this magic trick is enough to provide the following benefits:
Clean, focused visuals are more likely to capture the viewer’s attention and encourage engagement with your brand’s marketing content.
With numerous background remover tools available, it’s important to select one that aligns with your brand’s needs and objectives. Look for a tool with a user-friendly interface that simplifies the background removal process, even for those with limited photo editing experience. The tool should effectively and precisely separate the subject from the background, preserving intricate details and minimizing manual touch-ups.
Ensure that the tool supports a wide range of image file formats and can seamlessly integrate with your existing design software or platforms. For businesses dealing with large volumes of images, a tool that offers batch processing capabilities can significantly streamline the background removal process.
Once you have a collection of visually striking images with their backgrounds removed, it’s time to incorporate them into your marketing strategy. Here are some effective ways to leverage these visuals:
Capture the attention of people with appealing visuals that feature clean, focused product images or promotional visuals.
Start with high-quality images, as the quality of the original image plays a crucial role in the effectiveness of the background removal process. Use high-resolution, well-lit images for the best results. Establish a consistent visual style for your background-removed images to maintain a cohesive brand identity across all marketing materials.
Look out for the contrast when you’re deleting backgrounds. Check how it suits the final image’s entire composition.
Humans are inherently visual creatures, and our brains process visual information far more efficiently than text. Well-designed visuals not only catch the eye but also evoke emotions, create lasting impressions, and ultimately influence purchasing decisions. From the experienced marketer to the beginner entrepreneur, taking a chance on image background removal can be a boon for your visual merchandising blueprint.
IAN SWEET and Porridge Radio have joined forces for a new single, ‘Everyone’s a Superstar’. The collaborative track arrives as part of Abbey Road Studios’ annual Amplify x Pitchfork London series. Check it out below.
Discussing the new single, IAN SWEET’s Jilian Medford said: “We all went into this day with no expectations but also wide eyes and a lot of excitement! To be at Abbey Road was a dream, and to be reunited with Porridge Radio was also a dream, so it was so fun to see our old friends again in a totally new context and to make something special together. We all clicked in a really magical way right off the bat. Everyone sort of took their places and fit in where they had to. We came out of it with something I feel so proud of, and something I never knew would exist. Writing with Dana and seeing her process as a lyricist was really enlightening as well. It had been a long time since I’d written lyrics with someone else…I was excited to see where her mind went and how our two styles found one unique voice together.”
Porridge Radio added: “It was amazing to come into a room of 7 musicians with absolutely no idea what was going to happen and lock-in together to write and record a song that we actually all love in one day. Creatively it was so exciting and such a fun process and we’re so proud of what we made.”
IAN SWEET’s most recent album was last year’s SUCKER. Porridge Radio dropped their latest LP, Waterslide, Diving Board, Ladder to the Sky, in 2022.
Cassandra Jenkins has released ‘Petco’, the latest offering from her forthcoming album My Light, My Destroyer. It follows previous cuts ‘Only One’ and ‘Delphinium Blue’, and it comes with a video directed by Jenkins herself. Check it out below.
In a press release, Jenkins explained:
Petco is about looking for connection & coming up a little short. Writing from a pointedly angsty and existential place allowed me to be more playful with songwriting. I needed a space to explore the lizard brain, and deep down the song stems from the sincere belief that we are wired, on the most basic instinctual level, to love and to be loved.
I wanted to capture the sense of uncanny malaise inherent to a place that puts a price tag on nature – simultaneously granting us access to the natural world while distancing us from it, all with the promise of companionship.
I come back to the same ideas again and again in my songs, and Petco throws a new lens on a familiar thought: the further we distance ourselves from the natural world, the harder it is to find our way back. It’s easy to wonder if we’ve gone too far, and despite my anxieties, I can’t help but see the humanity in all of it.
Of the video, she added: “The video is staged in three distinct locations: an NYC apartment with a window to the outside world, a pet store, and lastly, the dance floor– where the video provides a sense of closure that the song never gives us.”
My Light, My Destroyer arrives July 12 on Dead Oceans.
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