MangoWave

Picture Credit: Chris Ord   Crux - Death at the Cash Machine Release Date: October 08, 2021 (Vinyl Release: December 10, 2021) Label: selfrelease Format: Vinyl / Digital Length: 25:54 Genre: Post Punk / Punk Rock Origin: Newcastle upon Tyne , England It is a weird world we're living in, isn't it? And from time to time it almost appears as if we get used to all the chaos and all the desparation that defines the lives of most people. Fortunately, Newcastle's Crux have recently released their first EP "Death at the Cash Machine" which is a six-track status report of life on Earth anno 2021. The current situation including the battle against the pandemic, lockdowns, short time work, and further COVID-related aspects have found their way into the themes of course. But Crux go way further and include the issue of sexism and sexual violence, the rise of the incel culture, every-day madness, and the urge to drink and dance away one's problems. On the A-Side, Crux pre...

Picture Credit: LULL   LULL - Refuge Release Date: June 25, 2021 Length: 02:48 Genre: Post Hardcore / Post Grunge Origin: Newcastle upon Tyne , England LULL from Newcastle upon Tyne are apparently working on a new full-length release. Looking at their Bandcamp profile, you can see that both their latest single "Refuge" and the previous single " Violence brings no End " are ornated with the same cover artwork. Maybe, with the upcoming release of "Can't take the Weight", we will receive further knowledge on what to expect from the English band. "Refuge" is a sober aftermath of a toxic relationship. The first-person narration looks back on the time with an ex partner who turned out not to be the "Refuge", the protagonist was looking for. There is no sadness in watching the ex-partner leave. There is only melancholy, and a bit of hope in the narrator's realization that their pursuit for happiness has not ended, yet. The soundscapes...

Picture Credit: Bad Blood   Bad Blood - Muzzle Training Release Date: May 28, 2021 Length: 02:27 Genre: Independent Post Punk Origin: Newcastle upon Tyne , England In the German language, there is a saying "Jeder ist seines eigen' Glückes Schmied" which literally translates to "Everyone is their own luck's smith". In English, one would say "Life is what you make it" or "Every person is the architect of their own fortune". With these proto-liberal thoughts in mind, let's dive into Bad Blood's single "Muzzle Training". The artist from Newcastle questions the assumption that self-optimizing and constant ambitions for self-improvement will result in happiness. The sound, this autochthonous message is carried by, is a colourful mix of Indie Rock, Post Punk, and Garage Punk. Bad Blood provides us with thrilling verses that slowly raise tension which then discharges in the dynamic chorus. "Muzzle Training" is a powerf...

Picture Credit: Abnorm   Abnorm - Everything Temporary Release Date: March 26, 2021 Length: 02:44 Genre: Alternative Rock Origin: Newcastly upon Tyne , England After their debut single "Citrus" helped Abnorm getting nominated for local artist of the year and was supported by BBC North East, the quintet from Newcastle is back with their sophomore release "Everything Temporary". The song refers to that undescribable feeling that something you are about to experience will not last for long. You can try to shake and dance it away, but like a rolly-poly doll, it will always come back, reminding you of the temporality. Different to the previous single, the boppy Indie Rock impact is not as strong with "Evertyhing Temporary". Instead, the English quintet has produced a silken, gloomy, and yet warming Alterative Rock anthem. The various moods in the song musick the rollercoaster of emotions you experience when realizing something is about to be over soon. "Ev...

Picture Credit: The John Michie Collective The John Michie Collective - High Vibrations Release Date: February 12, 2021 Label: Shabby Road Records Format: CD / Digital Length: 48:33 Genre: Alternative Rock / Psychedelic Rock Origin: Newcastle upon Tyne , England "High Vibrations" is the debut album by Newcastle's one-person band The John Michie Collective. Sole member John Michie  has prepared a fantastic journey through the human mind, truth, joy, life, and the beauty of it all. According to the artist, John Michie  has lost his mind and recorded this album. Whether there is causality or dependency between those two happenings, one can only guess. On "High Vibrations", The John Michie Collective is merging influences from several decades of soothing and yet moving rock music. The mesmerizing psychedelia of the 60s is a steady companion of this sonc journey. But 80s Hard Rock and folky Americana tunes have found their way into the soundscape as well, and after ...