Mint Julep - In A Deep and Dreamless Sleep

New album from husband-wife duo Mint Julep, In a Deep and Dreamless Sleep out 19th March from Western Vinyl

Following on from 2019's sumptuous release Stray Fantasies, the duo of Hollie and Keith Kenniff return with a kaleidoscopic and dreamy shoegaze pop venture that is at times an extension of the previous album and a progression of the creative partnership.

From the album opener 'A Rising Sun' this is not merely an album but a mood piece of contemplation - the sun of the track is breaking through the fuzzy fog we as a listener may find ourselves in as we cope with the mounting pressures of a global pandemic and the stresses upon a person's mental health.

The rich harmonies between the two are on display on track two, 'Black Maps' with its pulsing underlying bassline and gorgeous vocals by Hollie. This track is perhaps the most familiar song structure from the pair, yet as Keith Kenniff explains, 'Our previous material tended to be structured largely in a verse/chorus setting, but these songs are more free flowing and through-composed with a focus on mood and texture.'

The ability to alter your songwriting structure from one means to another allowing the moment or feeling to navigate the song is expressed throughout the album as a shape-shifting quality rarely seen amongst groups. Yet if pandemic has taught us anything, it is that we have to learn to adapt to thrive or move forward in the post-Covid world.

The whole album seems and definitely feels like a construct of work from an alternative dimension or perhaps five minutes into the future; from the ethereal album cover featuring a multi-coloured mysterious shape dwelling near a cave - is it escaping or entering? - to the dreamy mood of psychedelia and imagination which runs the full gamut of spectrums available.

At times sparse but at other times highly emotive, this album has something for everyone and covers a range of mysticism through the use of synthesizers and guitars creating an absorbing ambient collection of romantic dream pop.

In A Deep and Dreamless Sleep is out 19th March from Western Vinyl 

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My thanks to One Beat PR for the review opportunity.

Nightshift - Zoe

 

Debut album 'ZOE' from Glaswegian five-piece Nightshift out 26th February by Trouble in Mind Records.

The group formed in 2019 through the plethora of the Glasgow indie scene, a fertile ground for creativity and the many forms of indie music from DIY to punk with a sprinkle of experimentation.

The band consists of members from former bands Spinning Coin, 2 Ply and Robert Sotelo. They comprise of co-founders David Campbell (guitar) and Andrew Doig (bass), Eothen Stearn (keyboards/vocals) and Chris White (drums) joined to become an early Sonic Youth-esque group and the sound evolved once guitarist/vocalist Georgia Harris joined whilst the band was writing the album that would become ZOE.

Following hot on the footsteps of Black Country, New Road's debut album the sound of the best music in recent times is one of strength in numbers. Gone are the days of four member band (singer, guitar, bass, drums) and now it is a multitude of mult-instrumentalists, vocal duties shared amongst the group, the sound of community and coming together to form as one.

The group began recording the album in early 2020 and then the sound of pubs, restaurants and recording studios shutting their doors was heard across the nation and the world as the grip of Covid-19 took hold. Nightshift though took the lockdown in their stride, recording elements remotely and sharing the finds together. This meant the compositions were pieced together and producing an improvised feel to proceedings, one member adding to an idea and passing it on.

The album has a wealth of influences ranging from Brian Eno's seminal Oblique Strategies to the role of literature and philosophy, especially Rosi Bradiotti's 'The Posthuman'; this is a work that is willing to ask the key questions about self-worth, reflection and growth in the individual; whilst being aware of the surroundings that same individual is in with the importance of self, friendship and hope being paramount in this self-awareness.

While the argument can be made that all art is political, primary lyricist Stearn views the album as 'a re-claiming of public property, and a striving for social and environmental justice', the power of passing on the work and adding the next layer was a response to the loneliness an imposed lockdown may have on each person.

There is a majesty and mystery to the album from opening track 'Piece Together' and single 'Make Kin', yet the album builds up the crescendo and wonder that is 'Power Cut' the seven minute track that is full of experimentation and expression in equal measure.

This is truly a great album full of little nuggets of joy and pleasure, a miracle of community and togetherness.

Nightshift will be streaming a live concert on 27th February, the day after the album release, hosted by UK promoter, Upset the Rhythm, tickets available here.

ZOE is out from Trouble in Mind on 26th February in all formats.

Before You Were Gone

 

Third book in the series out from Canelo on 28th February

FFO: Marion Todd, Fiona Barton

Sheila Bugler returns with the third book in her Dee Doran series, Dee the intrepid reporter based in Eastbourne, who following the conclusion of the second book is now writing the non-fiction account of that escapade yet a family problem is coming to her attention.

Dee Doran is from an extended Irish family, her cousin Emer Doran's life was turned upside down by drowning of her sister Kitty. Yet twenty years later, Emer swears to have seen her on the London Underground - and believes her sister to be alive.

Dee jumps at the chance to help her cousin help locate this mysterious person; yet it is not the happy family reunion she was hoping for. Emer's family, her stepfather Robert O'Brien a prominent politician in the Irish Republic with aspirations of gaining the Presidency, endears to help and yet as always there is more than meets the eye.

As Dee attempts to untangle the elements of lies around her, she has to combat an old beau in the police force an amour she cannot shake, and the departure of her neighbours meaning the young Jake who will be leaving for Canada with her Mum, pastures new await them there while Dee must while away on the Sussex coast with worries of work and menopause.

There are elements of this work this reader enjoyed, the knowing nods to the difficulty of writing that Dee has is Bugler putting herself on the page for example and it is so rare to see a middle-aged woman be present in the centre of a narrative with all her worries there to help define her and not be defined by them.

However, unfortunately the narrative and plot was too convoluted and confusing on occasion and when reading on the kindle found it hard to grasp who was who, and who was telling the truth.

Not as strong an entry in the series as previous releases especially When The Dead Speak, yet Bugler has so much nous at her disposal as well as the ever interesting Dee that another book cannot be too far away.

Before You Were Gone is out from Canelo on 28th February on all formats.

Robbie and Mona 'EW'

The dreampop duo Robbie and Mona release their debut album, EW, out on January 29th via Spinny Nights. 

The partnership of William Carkeet and Eleanor Gray, Robbie & Mona have found a vessel for their eclectic and atmospheric pop, combining hazy shimmering synths matched with Mona’s understated vocals.

The project began when William offered to produce Eleanor’s second album; that collaboration quickly transcended into the genesis of what is now Robbie & Mona. The majority of EW was recorded in the cellar of Bristol’s legendary The Louisiana, with additional bedroom recordings.

The album as a whole is a mystical and hypnotic collection of tracks for the alternative soundtrack to a film you have never seen before, or perhaps the greatest film David Lynch has never made.

Yet there was a far odder inspiration for this track, as Mona explains: “It’s about feeling quite passive and ghost-like, like you’re in the wrong realm, just an observer. The intro vocals were delivered without any thought in a bit of a daze.

“I think the tightness of the music was weirdly inspired by Napoleon Dynamite. We were watching it and really enjoyed how all the songs towards the end were just so deadpan.”

As members of that Bristolian collective Pet Shimmers, there is a fearlessness of combining sonic textures with familiar song structures, yet the songs carry that vibe of lo-fi indie. The album explores emotional complication and the feeling of alienation – it rewards multiple listens.

While Pet Shimmers are prolific, this wave of collectivism and collaboration is rife currently in British music - from that band to Black Country, New Road to the Glaswegian Nightshift - seemingly there is nothing wrong with having strength in numbers and in this currently mad world, the case for community and togetherness is more apparent and necessary.

This minimalist approach to composition helps create an atmospheric aura of work for this duo who embrace harmony and theatricality to wonderful effect.

From 'Queen Celine' a short nugget of fragmentation, a short story over a short running time with this beautiful clash of angry guitars by Robbie yet soulful vocals by Mona.

EW is out on January 29th from Spinny Nights records

Shiver - Allie Reynolds

 

Debut novel by Allie Reynolds out from Headline on January 21st

Allie Reynolds was a former professional snowboarder, her love for the pistes and the sport is perfect for the old adage of write what you know.

She tells the tale of Milla, who reunites with old friends in the Alps and from there we have a dual-narrative occuring as we go back to an incident that involved the disappearance of the mysterious Saskia. Ten years have passed since this event, and her brother Curtis has asked them all to return - some reluctantly and some have altered drastically since then.

Reynolds writes with a confidence and also does well to convey the changing of people's psyche and how influential people can become on your lives no matter how briefly there time in your life.

Milla is a hardworking individual eager to excel at snowboarding, but she does not have the natural talent of Saskia and her European rivals - she cannot make certain tricks and this frustrates her. Saskia is the Queen Bee of the group, loved by men but hated by women and this duality of the two main females is honed well by the debut author.

When I encountered this novel on my NetGalley TBR pile, I had just finished The Chalet by Catherine Cooper, and unfortunately that Christie style murder-mystery was more successful of dealing with character aspirations and arc effectively; while Shiver sadly faded by the end of the book. 

However, it should still be recommended for those in need of a good murder-mystery set on the luxurious Alps and the glamorous lifestyle that comes with it. For a debut it also smacks of rich potential for this young author. 

Shiver is out from Headline on 21st January on all formats.

What They Knew - Marion Todd

 

Fourth instalment of DI Clare Mackay series from Scottish based novelist Marion Todd via Canelo Crime.

Over the last two years of reviewing I have been fortunate to fall into via the NetGalley website the opportunity to review crime thrillers, one of my favourite genres. When liking publishers, you get familiar with a publishers writers and genres in terms of conventions and trends. This reader particularly likes MJ Lee and his Manchester noir novels, while also falling for the work of Marion Todd and her DI Clare Mackay series. It is the fourth book of the series, but Todd is not slowing down.

It is Hogmanay, Clare Mackay is set to return to work at her St. Andrews constabulary following the Christmas festivities, yet her return to work normality is ruptured by the death of a woman at her home alone with no signs of breaking in, instead she has been strangled and left for dead in her bathtub.

After initial enquiries, investigations lead to the discovery of another body in the Kinness Burn, this linkage of water in the killings leads Mackay and her partner Chris (engaged to Sara) to believe a serial killer is on the loose in the fair city.

What this reader likes in particular about Todd's writing is that the author clearly loves her main character, some writers can get a bit resentful of a famous character, yet Todd loves to spend time with her protagonist and her friends. The banter or dialogue between Clare and Chris is so winning, the slight joshing of Chris' new teeth whitening experience and the camaraderie in her workforce springs off the page. We are so familiar of television depictions of maverick cops and rogue policemen, it is always refreshing to see a positive workplace environment, a trait she shares with MJ Lee.

  

The plotting within this novel is sprightly, light and clever in its deliberate pacing - she allows Mackay moments of levity and time to herself in the pursuit of love and even the opportunity of a haircut, time to herself despite working fourteen straight days in pursuit of the killer.

Personally, I feared that Todd may have run out of steam and this book took a while to get going but once the second body is found in the burn, this novel took off and as per her first three novels it was devoured in three sittings over my own Hogmanay celebrations.

What They Knew is published from Canelo on 11th February 2021 on all formats 

The House with 46 Chimneys - Ken Lussey

 

The new original story by Scottish based writer/novelist, Ken Lussey, tells the story of three children enraptured by the history of their surroundings during an enforced seclusion away from the city whilst the Coronavirus pandemic takes hold.

The story starts in late March and ends by the first week of April - a short period of time but incorporates the children's Easter holidays. The three children - Kaleb, Jude and Quoia (short for Sequoia) - are moved from their home in Edinburgh to a relative's home not far from Stirling in the countryside, Aunt Fliss, faraway from the bustling throngs of the city to the quietness of the rural landscape.

The children naturally do not like the new surroundings, but whereas in other favourites of children literature, boredom can be avoided by the use of Wi-Fi to be entertained and a diligent aunt who would like to help the children appreciate the nature that surrounds them more. Fliss is an artist with commissions ongoing, and for one hour a day she asks her nephews and nieces to draw and reflect.

The children still love to explore, and with the ruins surrounding them of long ago Scottish kingdoms with castles ready to be explored so long as government guidelines allow them to be entered. The children explore through actual haunts such as Dunmore Park including the iconic Dunmore Pineapple as well as the aforementioned House with 46 Chimneys where the dramatic action in the final third of the book takes place.

The children become friendly with contemporaries of the same age next door, whilst maintaining social distancing of course. Lussey does well to convey a changing world for all the characters, from the three children's parents who are key workers to the sanitising of badminton rackets ahead of a garden party.

Lussey is more known for his two Bob Sutherland novels - Eyes Turned Skywards and The Danger of Life incorporating a rich love of World War 2 history and warfare here in the United Kingdom specifically the untold story of Scottish branch of the RAF - a third book in the series is coming soon.

 

Yet here Lussey shows his versatility as a writer, harking back to books of his youth from Enid Blyton's Famous Five to the Railway Children - incorporating familiar tropes such as children evacuated from a major city, familiarising themselves with new surroundings and unfamiliar family members and making friendships and moments that will stay with them forever.

Taking a deliberate but fantastical detour in the third act focusing on family trees and lineage, Lussey never loses our attention and keeps us gripped as the children become embroiled in the tribulations of a ghost story.

The House with 46 Chimneys is out now from Arachnid Press on all formats.