Chime School – Wandering Song (video and single premiere)

With his 2021 self-titled debut, Andy Pastalaniec’s Chime School became one of the defining acts of the seemingly never-ending, prolific and multifaceted Bay Area pop scene. His sophomore LP, The Boy Who Ran the Paisley Hotel, is set for release on August 23 on Slumberland Records. Recorded by Pastalaniec himself, in his home studio on the foggy southern edge of San Francisco, Paisley Hotel sets a moodier tone; slowed and patiently unfolding in moments that highlight an evolution in songcraft, production and arrangement–while still bouncing along with the jangling drive Chime School fans have come to adore.
As its title implies, 30-plus years of UK indie pop’s deeper cuts are voraciously mined and refined on the 11-song release that fans of East Village, later Teenage Fanclub, and maybe even Northern Picture Library’s Alaska will devour. “The Girl Who Runs The Beat Hotel was certainly a main influence for the album title, along with The Boy With the Paisley Shirt (TVPs), The Boy With the Arab Strap (B&S), the Boy With Perpetual Nervousness (Feelies), Paisley Underground generally, and my friends in Bay Area DIY, Paisley Shirt records. So many things; a real mish-mash. Kind of like Chime School in general, it seemed fitting“.

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(Make Me A) TRISTE© Mixtape Episode 161: Slipper

Slipper (©Jonathan Jarzyna & Rachel Taylor)

The duo consisting of Sean Armstrong and Rachel Taylor -both former members of Spinning Coin, a Scottish band formed in Glasgow and signed to the Domino Records imprint Geographic Music, run by Stephen Pastel- moved to Berlin in 2019 and started a new project called Slipper, joined by Jakub Tyro-Niezgoda in 2020. Using guitar, bass, drums, and vocal harmonies, they conjure a sound of their own that is simple and true. They record, mix, and release their music independently, between Berlin and Warsaw. Slipper self titled first record was recorded in Wedding in 2020. Their second album, What Time Is It? was recorded between Berlin and Warsaw and was out in 2021. On June 21st A Tiny Rose Made Out Of Clay, recorded between Berlin and Stanisławów, in the spring and summer of 2023, was available to stream via the Rehberge Records website, and to purchase on limited edition chrome cassette. The title of the first song on their new third record is Sensitive People Fall In Love. We, at TRISTE© love those kind of titles and sounds that remind us of the gentle psychedelia of Galaxie 500 and Damon & Naomi, as well as 60s psychedelic folk coming out of Laurel Canyon. We are really impressed, like we haven’t been in a while. And we’re sure you’ll be as impressed as we are.

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La Prima Estate Shame, Kasabian, Fontaines D.C. @BussolaDomani – Lido di Camaiore, 23/7/2024

Sono stata alla Prima Estate e non era quello che mi aspettavo.
Il 23 Giugno si sono esibiti, , nel parco BussolaDomani a Lido di Camaiore per il festival La Prima Estate, quattro artisti: Wu-Lu, Shame, Kasabian e Fontaines DC.
La cornice è spaziosa ma non dispersiva, l’organizzazione più ambiziosa rispetto all’ultima volta in cui ci sono stata, nel Giugno 2022, per la prima edizione: abbiamo un secondo palco per gli artisti e i dj emergenti che accompagnano tutta l’esperienza, ci sono gadget degli sponsor e file per cibo e bevande. Insomma, è un vero e proprio festival.

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Keeley Forsyth – The Hollow

Da quando ha trovato la sua prima formulazione in uno splendido album d’esordio la musica di Keeley Forsyth si è distinta per la sua enfasi dolente ed un trasporto derivante da capacità interpretative fuori dal comune. 
Una cifra stilistica fin da subito centrata e dai connotati chiari che si è abilmente coniugata alla costante voglia di trovare soluzioni differenti disegnando un orizzonte espressivo sempre più ampio. Non stupisce quindi che la terza prova sulla lunga distanza si inserisca in piena continuità con quanto fin qui proposto e al tempo stesso presenti ulteriori elementi di novità.

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(Make Me A) TRISTE© Mixtape Episode 160: Ora Cogan

Ora Cogan (@ Journey Mayeroff)

Raised by a photojournalist and a musician on the islands of Canada’s Pacific coast, Canadian experimental singer-songwriter Ora Cogan shaped her approach to music far from big-city scenes. Her childhood home played host to a constant stream of artists as it served as a professional recording studio. Cogan absorbed a myriad of influences growing up, from Ladino and Rumbetico to American country blues and outsider art all feeding into her glacial and cinematic yet tinglingly intimate sound. Cogan has been crafting critically acclaimed records for years, earning her festival slots throughout Europe and North America, residencies in Italy and France, and shows with Mazzy Star and Grouper. Prolific and experimental, she’s collaborated with the likes of Frazey Ford, Skeena Reece and members of Big Brave. Her latest record, Formless, out in august 2023, took form in the abyss of grief and pandemic isolation. The result is an outpouring of ruminations on awkward love, pain, internal struggles, and a fight to find ways to feel good when everything goes bad. Formless finds beauty, absurdity, humour, and unlikely joy in the bleakest of times. Cogan’s smoky, psychedelic approach to gothic country and hazy folk merges with post-punk, groove, psych rock, and traditional balladry. With a singular voice as much sensation as sound, Ora Cogan seeks out new realities within the smoke-and-mirrors labyrinth of our cruel society. Cogan and her close-knit band are supporting Formless with stateside touring as well as EU and UK dates in 2024. Her performances offer a vital antidote to the dystopian alienation of modern life, drawing overlapping audiences of folk, goth, pop, experimental, and even noise and punk fans together.

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