Alternative Friday

helping to spread the word about impressive new & under the radar musicians

Emerging… Plastic Mermaids

bigjimcambo

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October 8, 2019

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I could have posted this months ago, such has been the impact of this five-piece band from the Isle of Wight on my ears this year. I decided to wait until I’d seen them though, as I was intrigued to see if their live performance could match the stunning array of sounds on their debut album – Suddenly Everyone Explodes. I’ve now had that experience as I caught the final date of their recent UK tour in London, when five became fifteen, with brass, strings, & choral support. And wow, just WOW!!
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Mixtape – Oct 19

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October 2, 2019

Getting this month’s mixtape down to just 10 tracks was an even bigger challenge than usual, which is always a great sign that new and under the radar artists are continuing to create some amazing music. So dive in and enjoy an impressive array of tracks, which take in not just alt rock & indie, but also tropical pop, soulful RnB, folk, blues, and more. Enjoy…

 

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Mixtape – Sep 19

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September 2, 2019

If we generally assume that music releases go a little quiet in the summer holiday season, then we probably need to have a rethink as the past month or two hasn’t seen a let-up in impressive new tracks. So press play, and take in the regular blast of alt rock & indie, plus some dream pop, baggy surf, psychedelic synth, & more. Enjoy…

 

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School’s Out! (18/19)

bigjimcambo

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August 3, 2019

The Fresh on the Net school year has come to an end again and we’re now on our summer break, however I’ve been through my little black book for the past 11 months and, as always, there’s been a huge array of excellent music submitted to us during that time.

So, from the 5,000 – 6,000 tracks I’ve personally heard, I’ve created a playlist with 10 of my favourites for you to browse. So press play, and take in some alt rock & indie, troubadour rap, electronica, drum ‘n’ bass, and more. Enjoy…

 

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Mixtape – Jul 19

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July 8, 2019

As some of us look to head off into the sunshine & relax, others have remained hard at work creating some impressive new music for our enjoyment. So press play and enjoy the ten tracks in the latest mixtape, which take us through some indie pop, alt rock, tropical folk, experimental electronica, & more. Enjoy…

 


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Q & A – Michael Jablonka

bigjimcambo

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July 3, 2019

Photo by Dan Bridge

Michael Jablonka is a London based singer, songwriter, and guitarist. I first saw him perform live a few years ago when he was with his previous band The Dark Tides, and went home raving about his mesmerising guitar skills. In recent years he’s released a few singles and EPs under his own name, the latest being the fuzzy lo-fi blues rock EP Go-Go, which came out in May. I’m obviously not the only person to have been hugely impressed by his guitar work though, as in recent years he’s also been part of Michael Kiwanuka’s band, and so it was a real treat to meet Michael and see him perform again last weekend at Glastonbury. Before he headed for the festival however, he took part in this Q&A, so read on to find out more about the EP, drum machines, and banana cake! Continue reading

Q & A – Motel Carnation

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May 15, 2019

Photos by Cameron Craggs

Newcastle Upon Tyne 3-piece Motel Carnation are a new band, with just one track released to date. Dig deeper though, and you find it’s collective of some of the finest CV’s from the local music scene as, from left to right (above), we have Austin Tweddle (vox, guitar, & Scalesia), Conor McBride (drums, Deep.Sleep, & Casual Threats), and Alexander Soper (vox, guitar, & Coquin Migale). That teaser track, Saul, hints at both a moody-psychedelic and indie-dance sound for the band, so read on as we chat to Alex about the formation of the trio, their first release, Ozzy Osbourne’s driving potential, and chicken wings!
 
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Mixtape – May 19

bigjimcambo

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May 1, 2019

I hate reducing the monthly mixtape longlist down to 10 tracks, as the quality of outstanding music from under-the-radar artists never dips or disappoints. So here’s May’s 10, and it’s another eclectic array, so I hope you enjoy browsing a bit of grunge rock, indie pop, alt-folk, orchestral drum n bass, psych & dream pop… & er, some burning zips!

 

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Plastic Mermaids – I Still Like Kelis

bigjimcambo

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April 23, 2019

Plastic Mermaids are a 5-piece experimental & indie synthpop band from the Isle of Wight, comprising of brothers Jamie and Douglas Richards (vocals, synths & samples), Chris Newnham (guitar), Tom Farren (bass), and Chris Jones (drums). They’ve already released a few EPs but their first full LP, the self-produced Suddenly Everyone Explodes, is released on May 24th.

The outstanding 1996 was the first taster of a hugely promising album, but the release of I Still Like Kelis takes the anticipation to a whole new level. It’s a superbly produced 3 1/2 minutes of distorted dancefloor shoegaze brilliance, while the self-made video must have taken light years to make, given that it mixes quantum theory and plasticine!

 

I’ll spin the same as you…

 

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Do also check this Emerging article on the band.

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