Fightmilk - No Souvenirs [12"/CD]

Artist: Fightmilk
Title: No Souvenirs
Format: 12” vinyl on paddling pool blue | digifile CD
Cat#: Fika104
Release date: 15th November 2024
Bandcamp | Spotify

Following the runaway success of their critically acclaimed 2021 second album Contender, the question for fast-rising London four-piece Fightmilk was always going to be “what next?” With a tight indie-pop sound that defined their early recordings, the answer was obvious to a band who seem hellbent on the notion of evolve or die…

The band originally formed in 2015 in a Brixton pub garden by Lily and Alex, who had both, separately, just been dumped and thought being in an angry punk band would cheer them up. Then they found Nick and Healey to hold the rhythm down and make them sound good. With three albums under their belt, they’ve perfected their chaotic, melodic brand of joy and rage-filled pop with full-throated yelling and sparkling guitar riffs as their trademark. They’ve graduated from angsty whippersnappers in their mid-twenties to overgrown teenage 30-somethings with mild ongoing back and shoulder pain.

Their previous two albums Not With That Attitude (2018) and Contender (2021) marked them out as an ambitious and rising prospect, and now on their forthcoming new album No Souvenirs the band eschew their former Britpop ties and edge further into DIY punk and heavier rock influences to reveal a leaner, meaner, more abrasive side to their cathartic lo-fi anthems.

Whilst collectively diving into their passion for Jimmy Eat World, frontwoman Lily Rae made a conscious decision to strengthen her “big loud yell” with influence from Alicia Bognanno (Bully), Nat Foster (Press Club), and Missy Dabice (Mannequin Pussy). “My voice is the biggest it’s ever been and I’m constantly thrilled when people are surprised at how loud I am, considering I’m so small in stature,” she grins. “Lyrically I always look to Bruce Springsteen for inspiration but I also really enjoyed the angsty candour of Sour by Olivia Rodrigo, and Kacey Musgraves’ impeccable one-liners.”

There are a few genre experiments on the record—Yo La Tengo in ‘Paddling Pool’, ‘Canines’ is part The Strokes and part Neu!, and ‘Back From Tour’ was heavily influenced by long term friends Johnny Foreigner. “You could probably make a case for ‘Inferno’ having a bit of Counting Crows to it, but we were never writing to emulate,” explains guitarist Alex. “The references and touchstones just happened along the way. As far as we’re concerned, they just sound like Fightmilk - and that’s a really nice place to be nearly a decade in.”

“As a songwriter, I’ve disciplined myself to keep to ‘first thought best thought’ more, and not overwork lyrics and melodies into the ground - the line that needs to be there is usually the most obvious one,” says Lily of the process for this record. “As we’ve become more collaborative as writers, you can hear Healey’s DIY punk influence come in more, and Nick’s heavier rock influences. We’re more secure in keeping weird sh*t in, and not adding or cutting things because it feels like we’re supposed to.”

“That said, we’ve also been REALLY picky with the songs that made it onto the album - there’s probably another album’s worth of songs that didn’t feel right, even if we loved them. We got really good at finding the “magic thing” in each song that made it work.”

Spilling over with candid lyrics about death, doomed love, and dog bites, framed by endless punk energy and the kind of full-throated riff-rock that sounds just at home in a giant stadium as it does in a sticky-floored toilet bar, No Souvenirs is a triumphant return from the band, who are equally enthused by the album.

“It’s easily our best one yet,” says Lily of the record. “I want every track on it to be a Sunfly Karaoke song one day. It’s a big growly, grungy album with a healthy amount of yelling - but there’s lots of humour in it, too. Ideally it’s played very loudly with the bass turned up, three beers deep, and singing along to all the choruses.”

With the quartet about 75% finished making their previous album Contender when Covid hit, a lot of their grand plans required a rethink. A heavily produced record, when the band were finally allowed to start playing shows again they found that some of the more elaborate songs ended up falling by the wayside. “On the plus side, it reminded us how much joy and catharsis we found in making a screaming racket in front of people,” says Alex on the genesis of the new album. “No Souvenirs was written with that joy and catharsis as a starting point.”

Recorded at Dean Street Studios in Soho, London over 2 or 3 manic weekends in 2022/23, new album No Souvenirs was produced by Keith TOTP, engineered by Sam Hogg and Tom Quigley, and mixed and mastered by Adrian Hall.

With no label and no plan, Fightmilk agreed they would just make the best album they could and worry about the logistics after the fact. “That took quite a lot of pressure off, and allowed us to relax in the studio and be a bit more creative on the day,” remembers Lily. “We’ve never finished writing songs whilst in the studio before, and similarly never had so many songs finished that we could shelve the ones we weren’t 100% sure on, so we had the shared experience of two albums behind us and a lot of hard work and discipline when it came to making sure the songs were exactly what they needed to be.”

“I only realised after we put the songs together how personal to me this album was,” explains Lily. “Not just because I’m writing about extremely specific sitcom episodes in my life (getting fired from bridesmaid duty, being bitten on the arse by a dog, being relentlessly asked when I’m going to have kids), but because whilst we were making it, I turned 30. It’s a significant age for women, especially in music, because aside from being something called a ‘geriatric millennial’, there’s an unspoken rule that there’s a cut-off point for you to have ‘made it’ and after that you have to settle down and be normal.”

“The music industry is freakishly obsessed with women’s youth and anyone older than 25 is considered ancient. (I’m maybe the world’s biggest Japanese Breakfast fan and there’s an interview with Michelle Zauner where she talks about this way more eloquently.) But when I hit 30, I felt like I was only just starting to have anything interesting to say, and had so much more curiosity and enthusiasm for everything!”

For Lily, writing for the album also aligned with the tenth anniversary of the death of a close friend, with the resulting track ‘No Souvenirs’ lending its title to the album as a whole. “It had taken me that long to write about it in a way I felt ok with. But I realised that I couldn’t have written it before,” she explains. “I needed that distance, and that maturity, to be able to articulate those feelings. It feels to me now like the album is about scorched earth, moving on, taking nothing with you for the next ‘thing’ - and realising that getting older is a privilege.”

When it comes to personal favourite tracks, Lily earmarks ‘Paddling Pool’ as her highlight. “It’s a step away from our usual big grungy pop fare, and we got to experiment with some really floaty, quieter sounds. It was nice to do Lucy Dacus singing instead of Courtney Love singing. ‘That Thing You Did’ has my favourite chorus, though. I never thought we’d write an earworm.”

The album’s artwork is, as ever for Fightmilk, meticulously crafted and filled with meaning. A framed display case full of…well, souvenirs…there’s one for each of the songs, and a bunch that aren’t.

“We’re very into visual metaphors here at Fightmilk,” laughs Lily. “No Souvenirs means exactly that—you can’t take it with you. I’m a really sentimental keepsake-hoarder and I’ve got letters, birthday cards, empty perfume bottles, button badges, and all sorts from years ago. I can’t bring myself to say goodbye to them but, without being morbs about it, even if I hold onto these physical memories my whole life, someone’s probably going to put them in the bin when I die. There’s also a bit of that being a hangover from my 20s and trying not to bring any of that angst and self-doubt and uncertainty with me into the next part of my life.”

Bringing a huge amount of energy and joy with them whenever and wherever they hit a stage, interacting with the audience is a vital part of the Fightmilk live experience. “Without people singing and dancing at us we wouldn’t have gigs at all, so we want everyone to get involved!” says Lily of the band’s future tour plans. “I love hopping offstage and wandering through the crowd with a microphone, demanding people name a famous dog, so whatever happens there will always be crowd participation… oh, and bring earplugs. We’re really loud.”

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Fightmilk is Lily, Alex, Healey and Nick - a London-based four-piece who write sweaty, loud, shouty pop songs. Formed in the beer gardens of South London in 2015, the band quickly drew attention with their debut album Not With That Attitude (Reckless Yes, 2018) - singled out by Drowned In Sound for its “package of massive, Godzilla-heft hooks” and “crack–like melodies.” Gaining support from 6Music and Radio X, the band swiftly hopped in the van to play shows with the likes of Art Brut, Desperate Journalist and Nova Twins, as well as touring Germany.

Not letting a seismic global clusterfuck stand in their way, the band released their second LP Contender in 2021 via Reckless Yes. Described as “a joyous riot from start to finish” by Kerrang, it was an album with something to prove, adding stacked harmonies, analog drum machines and even heftier riffs to the band’s arsenal, while still remaining decidedly true to the band’s spiky indiepop sound. As soon as they were released from lockdown they began a near relentless gigging schedule, taking in multiple trips around the UK, support slots with Johnny Foreigner, mclusky and Problem Patterns, plus a sold-out 2022 headline slot at Norway’s Indiefjord Festival, where a sweat-soaked Fightmilk crowdsurfed their way offstage at midnight only to find it was still light outside.

The band’s eighth year in action has seen them writing and recording their third album, to be released in late 2024 on Fika Recordings & INH Records. Fightmilk have turned the distortion up and the indiepop down with rougher and rawer songs about body image, death, and being fired from bridesmaid duty.

“Having listened to this album for the last few weeks I’m still undecided what my favourite track is, or which I’d suggest is the standout. The same happened when I reviewed Contender. I think Alex hits the nail on the head when he says they just sound like Fightmilk, which is reason enough to buy this album, and play on repeat” Louder Than War [5/5]

“No Souvenirs is a smorgasbord of raw emotion, musical intelligence, juxtaposition and realism all wrapped into twelve songs that remind you that feeling bitterness may not be a bad thing after all. It’s certainly going to help Fightmilk on their quest across Britain and beyond.” Noizze [8/10]

“No Souvenirs wants to be a great album and wears that ambition on its face; there’s no shame about going bigger. If anything, it’s what makes Fightmilk excel at a rate far beyond their peers. The best of both worlds isn’t some unscalable summit, and No Souvenirs is set-in-stone proof how much it can achieve.” The Soundboard

“Offering rage, joy, and catharsis, FIGHTMILK lay it all on the table on No Souvenirs” Distorted Sound

“Masterfully produced and faultlessly performed, it’s easy, melodic and relaxed, and it demonstrates – to anyone who may have any doubts remaining – that Fightmilk are much, much more than a power pop generating machine.” At The Barrier

“Their ability to match cutting sarcasm with big catchy tunes and their propensity for penning a pitch perfect sad banger made them an instant hit in Joyzine HQ.” JoyZine [Track by Track]

“No Souvenirs is an invitation to shed past baggage, scream louder, and embrace the messiness of living. For a band nearing a decade, Fightmilk has managed to keep their music youthful yet matured. They are proof that getting older can be liberating.” Amplify The Noise

“the album is encrusted with jangly indie-pop jewels such as Canines, Yearning and Pining, and Inferno, which deftly suck out all the Aussie slacker-pop drawl of the Quivers aesthetic to just leave everything that is perfect about three-minute jangly indie-pop when it is conveyed with precocious British aloof” Jangle Pop Hub

“enticing and clever; satirical at times but not haphazard or misguided” Ghost Cult Mag

“This will definitely be getting more time on my stereo and is certain to be in my Top 3 Records Of The Year.” The Counterforce

“Driving guitar chords, ecstatic pop-rock choruses: With playfulness and passion, the London band deals with destructive ideals of beauty, their own grief and much more.” Frequenz Magazine

“paired with an array of luscious melodies that are delivered in various forms. ‘Summer Bodies’ is a spunky mix of indie-punk and doo-wop. ‘Inferno’ swirls with a laid-back power-pop quality” Already Heard [Behind The Artwork]

New Starts - More Break-Up Songs [12"/CD]

Artist: New Starts
Title: More Break-Up Songs
Format: 12” vinyl | digifile CD | digital
Cat#: Fika102
Release date: 16th August 2024
Bandcamp | Spotify

New Starts are a spikey, fresh sounding band recalling the poppier ends of new wave and angular guitar rock. Their influences include The Cars, Breeders, Bay City Rollers, The Velvet Underground and ZZ Top.

Lead singer Darren Hayman has his own long career running from the late 90s with John Peel faves Hefner to his more recent thematic and historical albums dealing with the English Civil War, William Morris and forgotten rural idylls. 

“I wanted a band again,” says Hayman, “and not a band that just backed me up and played my old songs. When we form our first bands in our teens we just find some friends and work through the musical differences. I usually look for players who play in a way I’m used to. This time I looked for variance and was led by people’s personality.”

Guitarist Joely Smith [of South London’s noise-pop adults and recently DIY-punks Fresh] was recommended by a mutual friend who said, ‘She makes everything better’. Hayman and Smith shared a coffee and agreed on the correct number of guitar pedals and decided to proceed without an audition.

“There is a tendency for me to make my chords too pretty. Joely cuts against that and plays in the opposite direction.” Hayman is a fan of rules and constraints and employed a new, oblique strategy on this record. “Even though I wrote all the songs, I wanted the songs to belong to everyone during arrangement. I decided that I would say ‘yes’ to every suggestion from the band, regardless of my instinct.”

This made the songs warp and bend into new shapes and ensured that the record was the product of four individuals. Bassist Giles Barrett and drummer Will Connor come from funky afro beat influenced band Tigercats. “Pretty much the only rhythm I use, left to my own devices, is the ‘road runner’ rhythm. Will takes to care to find where the drum beat can be and we always end up somewhere I didn’t expect.”

More Break Up Songs is a collection of 12 Break Up songs because Darren broke up with someone. Again. “I suck’, he says, “But it’s never anyone’s fault. It makes me very sad but I do have to work through these things in song and there’s always something to learn. I try to make songs about breakups that could be understood by both parties. I’m not interested in nasty songs.”

Opening song ‘Little Stone in my Heart’ blisters along with Joely’s wildest guitars. The protagonist will do anything to make things right, but nothing ever is.

‘Under the Striplights’ has driving, choppy, incessant riffs, and is about the need to be anywhere but somewhere other than here. We could be under the moon or under the strip lights as long as we have each other.

Another barely kept rule that Darren instigated on this album was that each song would be a tonal equivalent to one from The Velvet Underground’s third album. To that end ‘Don’t Need Persuading’ is this record’s ‘Pale Blue Eyes’ with the narrator being unable to break free of a vortex, knowing they will stay the night against all better judgment. 

‘I’ve had a long standing distrust of the guitar,’ says Darren, ‘despite it being my primary instrument for twenty years. I thought it was time I made a record with two guitars and drums and bass. I wanted it to be bright, immediate and young sounding, despite the fact I’m old. We recorded it in four days and I think this might be the record a lot of my audience has wanted me to make for a long time.’

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“The songs are vintage Hayman at first glance. And right from the start of ‘A Little Stone’, the Hefner crew will be delighted. But there’s an edge here that comes with the band arrangements. Dissonance, driven bass, and thudding toms. There’s an energy here that feels like a band in the right gear. There are lovely slow moments, too. The ‘Pale Blue Eyes’ of the album, ‘Don’t Need Persuading’, is up there with Hayman’s best songs.
It’s a great new project from one of our best songwriters. Spend some time in a sad, but upbeat world.” The Quietus

“He has fashioned an album overtly nodding to The Velvet Underground’s third - the dynamic flow is shared, as is the sound. The title lays out the subject matter, with songs as candid and sometimes equally wince-inducing as Hefner’s. But boy, does he sound reinvigorated.” Mojo [3/5]

“Darren Hayman weaves a personal mythology of love and loneliness…the results are sometimes humorous, sometimes tear-jerking, and never less than entertaining.” KLOF

“Tease the Corners and What I Specifically Love are classic Hayman” Scottish Express

“the clash between the former leader of Hefner and the guitarist Joely Smith, linked to noise pop, is striking, giving the compositions a more urgent and electric air” El Pais [Spanish]

“Darren Hayman was, before embarking on a versatile solo career, figurehead of Hefner. Here he diversifies even further, uniting with a band that offer fascinating parallels to his own style. Guitarist Joely Smith makes the most brilliantly caustic of combos against Hayman's own melodic playing, while the rhythm section of Giles Barrett and Will Connor add exuberance with their afrobeat background.” Norman Records

“It feels like those hazy summer days when you’re young, and things feel like they’re falling apart, but the sun’s beating down onto the tarmac and you’ve at least you’ve got yourself for company. There are moments where the record sounds like Pavement, maybe a little too much at times, with Hayman’s voice roaming freely with the same occasionally-unpolished charm as Stephen Malkmus.” Far Out

“ if songs of this quality are the expectation of Darren Hayman at this point in his career, that’s a very good thing” Add To Wantlist

“fresh, edgy sound harks back to the more poetic extremes of new wave” TV6 [Italian]

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Adam Ross - Littoral Zone [12"/CD]

Artist: Adam Ross
Title: Littoral Zone
Format: 12” ecomix vinyl | digifile CD | digital
Cat#: Fika099
Release date: 24th May 2024
Bandcamp | Spotify

24th May 2024 will see the release of Littoral Zone, the second solo album by Adam Ross - a musician described by Folk Radio as "one of Scotland’s most talented singers and songwriters".

The album is produced by multiple Scottish Album Of The Year Award nominated composer and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Wasylyk and released on London record label Fika Recordings. Arts bodies Creative Scotland and Help Musicians have supported and funded the album in recognition of what is shaping up to be one of the most exciting musical collaborations of 2024.

The album is a heavily lyrical collection of warped 70s-esque indie-folk ballads inspired by Adam’s relocation to the coast. The title, Littoral Zone, is a term used to define where the sea meets the land but also a nod to a style of direct, literary observations about the people, landscapes and states of mind Adam has discovered since moving there. The lyrics cover themes of nature, politics, faith, love and death and are surrounded by Andrew’s deft production featuring luscious string ensembles and brass.

The writing of the album saw Adam move away from guitar and onto piano, having bought a slightly battered upright piano from a local antiques warehouse as a first priority after moving house in 2021. Chords, melodies and musical ideas were recorded on Adam's phone before lyrics were slowly built up during his walks on the beach and clifftops around the village of St Cyrus where he now lives.

Songs like Free Will and Union Gary chart and exaggerate the at-times ridiculous minutiae of day-to-day life, with the latter musing on British foreign policy via the prism of an unkempt garden. The Going and I Get It Wrong pay tribute to the natural beauty and mystery of coastal landscapes while Brambles falls into the musical tradition of the murder ballad, with a story loosely based on an amalgamation of true events. The album's darker edges can also be discovered in Shrinking and Ego which dwell on aging and self-doubt, however Apogee looks to counterbalance such themes with a pure outpouring of love.

The album sees Adam at his most musically ambitious and precise. In contrast to his more lo-fi and DIY previous work, Littoral Zone is a painstakingly crafted record which celebrates collaboration. Andrew Wasylyk's production and multi-instrumentalist performances bring sonic sophistication which is further heightened by Pete Harvey's heart-stirring string arrangements. Gillian Fleetwood's yearning vocals are a constant highlight throughout the album, as is Rachel Simpson's exquisite brass playing. Ultimately, Littoral Zone is an album of stories and Adam's lyrical knack shines throughout.

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“Littoral Zone feels like a landmark album in Adam Ross’s career, a kind of synthesis of the most impressive elements of his full band and solo work up until this point. Those in the know have long been aware of his immense gifts as a songwriter; in a fair world, this literate, funny, humane album would cement his status as a national treasure.” KLOF

“Littoral Zone, the second solo album from Randolph’s Leap frontman Adam Ross, was inspired by his move to the Aberdeenshire coast and the purchase of a piano on which he has played out a fondness for Seventies MOR pop songwriting. Fellow pianist Andrew Wasylyk produces and there are delicate embellishments on strings, brass and vocals from Pete Harvey, Rachel Simpson and Gillian Fleetwood, making their presence felt with the spry orchestration on Apogee, uplifting arrangement of Union Gary and the soft, gospelly vocal counterpoint to the aching lyrics of Ego. The title track pushes further into southern soul territory while the murder ballad-inspired Brambles boldly rhymes “Banchory” with “Tanqueray”."“ The Scostman * * *

Mammoth Penguins - Here [12"/CD]

Artist: Mammoth Penguins
Title: Here
Format: 12” gatefold LP on orange smoke vinyl / digipack CD
Cat#: Fika100
Release date: 3rd May 2024
Bandcamp | Spotify

Mammoth Penguins are a 3-piece indie powerhouse, showcasing the songwriting and vocal talents of Emma Kupa (Standard Fare) backed up by the noisiest rhythm section in indie pop.

May 2024 sees the release of their fourth album Here on Fika Recordings. After 2019’s big, bold and confident There’s No Fight We Can’t Both Win, and the initial shock of the global pandemic cancelling a trip to SXSW in 2020, the band returned to the studio in the summer of 2021 to start recording.

The new record leans into a raw pop-punk power-trio sound more than ever, with a deep growl in layered guitars and bursts of percussion and harmony. The songs and artwork explore themes about finding a place for yourself and familiarity with people and places. Although it turns back towards a classic three-piece sound, the band weren’t restricted by that palette, adding finishing touches of percussion, extra guitars and backing vocals in short bursts in a garden shed, and also bringing in gorgeous strings to sweeten the title track.

The sound builds on the band’s first album, Hide and Seek, which was released with the much-loved and sorely missed Fortuna POP! in 2015. The follow-up LP John Doe in 2017 was an ambitious concept album, exploring the feelings of loss and anger at a man who fakes his own death only to return years later, expanding well beyond the 3-piece rock‘n’roll template, with washes of strings, synths and samples.

The ‘Penguins have been smashing it at some high-profile support slots in the lead up to this album release, including at Allo Darlin’s joyous reunion at Islington Assembly Hall (Oct 2023) and Muncie Girls last ever London show (Dec 2023). They play the Leicester Indiepop all-dayer and Wales Goes Pop in March, before heading out on tour in support of the new album in May.
Those big singalong choruses need your voice shouting back from the crowd with joy and defiance. 

Mammoth Penguins are Emma Kupa (guitar, vocals), Mark Boxall (bass, vocals) and Tom Barden (drums, vocals). Reminiscent of the pop melodies of The Beths, the indie dissonance of Land of Talk, and the guitar forward slacker rock of Weezer, Mammoth Penguins marry heart-ache indiepop with spiky guitars and Emma’s frank confessional songwriting.

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Press for Here

“Here has a genuine, down-to-earth quality, like old friends on a lunch date chatting about life. The pieces work together beautifully. It’s a heavy album, but it’s comforting in a way that creates a place for your head and feels like home.” Noizze [7/10]

“showcases the best of the band’s talents, and the various forays into different genres work because they give them enough time to make an impact… the band sound on top of their game” Distorted Sound [7/10]

“On Here, the band sounds like Cambridge’s answer to The Beths, or vice versa as a a matter of fact considering Mammoth Penguins predates The Beths by a couple of years. Both bands have a similar knack for putting the purest pop melodies in a punchy package, skillfully balancing saccharine hooks with a touch of bittersweetness. It’s a formula that perfectly complements Kupa’s distinctive voice, which not only carries but also enriches the songs.” Add To Wantlist

“There is something ineffably uplifting about their music and they use the holy triad of guitar (Emma Kupa), bass (Mark Boxall) and drums (Tom Barden) to incredible effect, knowing when to woo the audience with soft riffs and charming melodies and when to stomp the screws out of the distortion pedal and get the heartbeat racing” JoyZine [track by track]

“irresistible, straight out of the traps, racing forward and never looking back” Hit The North

“What the album really leaves you with, though, is the sense that there is an emotional core underneath the rock stylings. ‘I Know The Signs’ is alt-country (with shades of Courtney Barnett), and reflects on a relationship going south” Get In Her Ears

“Throughout the album, Emma’s vocals soar with a rawness and vulnerability that cuts straight to the heart. From the introspective introspection of “Blue Plaque” to the anthemic energy of “Nothing and Everything,” Mammoth Penguins invite one to join them on a journey of self-discovery and musical exploration. A journey that is as exhilarating as it is deeply personal.” Amplify The Noise

“Here is full of sharply-rendered stuff, with each cut delivering hooks and heart” A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed

“a soft pop punk album resembling the likes of Weezer” Alt Corner

Steven Adams - Drops [12”/CD]

Artist: Steven Adams
Title: Drops
Format: 12” vinyl LP | digipack CD
Cat#: Fika098LP | Fika098CD
Release date: 10th November 2023
Bandcamp | Spotify

“A national musical treasure" The Guardian

Steven Adams, formerly of The Broken Family Band releases new album DROPS on Fika Recordings in November 2023.

Since calling time on TBFB at the height of their success, Adams has released half a dozen albums under various names (Singing Adams, Steven James Adams, Steven Adams & The French Drops), his witty, incisive lyrics and melodic sensibilities taking in DIY indie rock, folky introspection, and off-kilter pop hooks. 

Originally from South Wales, Adams now lives in East London.

“Every record I’ve made has been in a hurry of some sort” says Adams of his new album, “and with this one I took my time”. DROPS is the first album to be credited to him as a solo artist since 2016’s Old Magick, his first new music since 2020, and his noisiest record to date.

Armed with a new batch of material, he began by upping sticks to the Welsh countryside to experiment with drummer Daniel Fordham and bassist David Stewart - both formerly of psych oddballs The Drink. The trio then took the songs to Big Jelly, a converted chapel on the south coast, with co-producer Simon Trought (Comet Gain, Johnny Flynn, The Wave Pictures) to lay down the basic tracks for DROPS.

Eschewing a full band set up (“I wanted to concentrate on one thing at a time”), recording sessions in East London followed with Laurie Earle (Absentee) on guitar and Michael Wood (Hayman Kupa Band, Michaelmas) on keyboards.

Adams then took the recordings home and to the French countryside, to work alone.“I finally got my head around home recording in 2020, while things were a bit quiet. Once I worked out how to record things I realised I didn’t have to think about time. I could let the songs evolve and change once we had the basic tracks down. After a while I started to think of them as paintings; trying something one morning, painting over it in the afternoon and attempting something completely different… it was about enjoying the process, making some bangers, playing around... and giving Simon the producer a mess to sort out when it came to mixing the record". Whenever Tom from Fika Recordings checked in to see how the album was progressing Adams would reply, “it’s taking ages but it’ll sound like it was recorded in an afternoon”.

The result is a dynamic and spirited collection of songs, with Adams's love of 90/00s US underground rock (Pavement's Bob Nastanovich is a fan) to the fore.

DROPS is a sonically compelling piece of work: from bleak/exultant opener Out to Sea and the motorik Living in the Local Void to the weirdly funereal Fascists (where Adams imagines the “little skip in our steps” that we’ll have upon outliving some baddies), and Day Trip's psychedelia in miniature. There are also moments of tenderness: the avalanche of empathy on closing track Cheap Wine Sad Face, and I Tried to Keep it Light’s “worse things could happen… I don’t know how, but give me time”.

Adams says: “I'm preoccupied by the passing of time and the way it affects how we feel. This record is about time and bewilderment and trying to make sense of things".

Press for Drops:

“characteristically compelling” Uncut

“instant melodies, Adams’ intimate voice and observational lyrics… urban Britain has generated its very own equivalent of Stephen Malkmus” Mojo

“wry, heartfelt indie-pop that should resonate with anyone who enjoys sympathy in their music” Record Collector

“Adams has delivered his most satisfying album since the heady days of the Broken Family Band… clever, funny, inviting” Americana UK

“Drops still demonstrates Adams’ facility for social observation, gorgeous melodies, verbal dexterity and wordplay – with some trenchant social and political themes thrown in for good measure” Folk Radio

“Among the highpoints are opener Moderation, with some fine reverb guitar and the classic New Wave sounding Heads Keep Rolling” Neon Filler

“your favorite parts of modern indiepop sounds fused with the fuzzy pop of greats like Grandaddy” Austin Town Hall

“a spirited and witty collection of spontaneous sounding indie” Norman Records

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Darren Hayman - You Will Not Die [double 12"/double CD]

Artist: Darren Hayman
Title: You Will Not Die
Format: Double 12” black gatefold vinyl and double digipack CD
Cat#: Fika089LP | Fika089CD
Release date: 4th November 2022
Bandcamp | Spotify

Following a stream of thematic and conceptual albums over the last 15 years Darren Hayman has recently returned to a more introspective, personal kind of music. Darren received critical praise, awards and government grants for albums about the witch trials in the English Civil War; the mid 20th-century boom in new towns; forgotten rural communities; and the political writings of William Morris.

“You Will Not Die is about relationships of all kinds beginning and ending, but it's also about our interior lives and how we process change as we get older. I was thinking about mortality and the temporariness of everything but also thinking of that fragility as a very beautiful thing to try and put into music."

"I think of this record as taking place at night, in contrast to the daytime setting of Home Time. This is an album about empty dance floors, lacklustre parties and lonely night buses home." The record is entirely electronic and recorded on Darren's collection of '70s synthesisers. "These instruments themselves are very fragile and mortal, they corrode and decay and behave in erratic ways. They do however, remain alive, for now."

Darren is the only musician on the album and the music conforms to a strict set of self-imposed rules; only one voice, only 12 tracks, only one polyphonic instrument. ¨Through this control and limited palette I found new melodies and structures. I wanted these old machines to guide me towards my most human record.¨

'A Real Human Being' is inspired by Darren's experience of life drawing. "Modern life encourages us to reduce people to images, jokes, memes. In life drawing, you're treating the person as a form, watching where the light and shadows fall, and then you're reminded that they are real, alive."

In 'No Lime for the Gin', a group of old friends is reunited in middle age, holding a half-hearted party where the talk is dominated by their hopes and broken dreams. 'Turn My Grey Tick Blue' is a wry look at the anxieties of dating in the digital age.

'You Were Always Here' ends the album on an optimistic note. Finding love late in life, the narrator ruminates on how the bad things happened for a reason, and that perhaps we always end up where we're supposed to be.

"In recent years my life has had its own upheavals and it would seem weird not to have this emerge in my music," says Darren. Home Time (2020) was a bright, acoustic, set of songs but was, at its heart, a break-up album. "I wanted to make fun of myself and of this kind of record."

You Will Not Die is a much slower and more brooding voyage through similar waters. It is a seductive, soulful collection of songs and instrumentals that sits among Darren's most emotive and intelligent work.

“bold and unique" The Sunday Times
“Hayman has hit a creative purple patch… a treat” Mojo
“uniquely intimate and very satisfying”  - BBC

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Press for You Will Not Die

“a meditative conversation with oneself, ruminating over various aspects of growing older, amorous connections taking various courses, and the two ideas being somewhat dependent on each other. Kudos to Hayman for letting this discourse take its natural course, rather than frontload the album with its catchiest songs (many of which come towards its end, with the placement reflecting a certain positivity, obtained through such contemplation)” The Quietus

“it sees Hayman at his most withdrawn and introspective, uncovering new truths hidden in well-worn themes. This is something to be celebrated: when a songwriter of Hayman’s skill turns the spotlight back on himself – and in doing so, creates a new world in miniature scale – it’s worth taking note” Folk Radio

“Sonically, Hayman has achieved some really engaging, electronic, synth-based pieces. From the ominous, bass-heavy We Are Repaired, to the bouncy and bright Don’t Haunt Me, there are plenty of little great moments.” NARC

Snack Mag interview with Darren

Biography

Best known as the singer-songwriter of the phenomenally successful and much-loved Hefner, Darren Hayman is now 15 years, and over 14 albums, into an increasingly idiosyncratic career path, where he has taken a singular and erratic route through England’s tired and heartbroken underbelly. Darren is also writing the best tunes of his career; increasingly complex and mature songs, he is a thoughtful, concise and detailed songwriter.

Hayman’s first two solo albums, Table For One (2006) and The Secondary Modern (2007), charmed the critics – with The Guardian opining that Hayman’s profoundly English songwriting was “the match of Ray Davies”. Mostly joined by his band The Secondary Modern – a loose, urban folk collective, underpinning Hayman’s concrete sorrow with rural violins and tired pianos – he has released a series of albums, largely focused on place. This allowed for the exploration of nuanced subjects in detail, with a trio of albums based in Essex (2009’s Pram Town and 2010’s Essex Arms) and culminating in 2012’s The Violence, a 20 song account of the 17th century Essex witch trials. From this he developed an album of English Civil War folk songs of the time (2013’s Bugbears) and stayed with the historical theme for Chants For Socialists, which saw him set William Morris’ words to music, creating an album of kindness and hope that brought Hayman’s most critical acclaim yet. 

In 2016 Darren was awarded ‘Hardest Working Musician’ by the Association of Independent Music for his epic project on Thankful Villages, the 55 villages that survived the Great War with no casualties. 12 Astronauts tells the personal story of the only men to have walked on the Moon.

Crake - Humans’ Worst Habits [12"/CD]

Artist: Crake
Title: Humans’ Worst Habits
Format: 12” black vinyl | Digifile CD | Digital
Cat#: Fika090
Release date: 17th June 2022
Bandcamp

“A pensive, dejected moment of magic, but magic nonetheless” Gold Flake Paint
"Charming and intimate alt-folk” Dork
"The guitars sizzle like lightning bolts striking against an otherwise clear sky, while Sandle’s distinct, hoarse vocal plays like another instrument” Secret Meeting
"In a world of cynics, [Crake] make you believe anything might still be possible” For The Rabbits

Led by enigmatic songwriter Rowan Sandle, Crake is driven by her endless curiosity. Armed with her gently cracking vocal, and inspiration from writers like Shirley Jackson and Nan Shepherd, she sings of crinoids, slime mould and pussy willow. When they supported Buck Meek at Brudenell Social Club, Buck found himself so beguiled by Sandle and her band that he invited them to support Big Thief on their UK and EU tour in 2019. Crake duly obliged and have been building towards their debut full-length ever since. 

Much of the forthcoming album revolves around the death of Sandle’s friend Anna, who died in Syria after being hit by a Turkish air strike. Anna was working for a woman’s liberation group in the war-stricken country when the tragedy took place. ‘Humans’ Worst Habits’ explores the grief that followed and the lessons learnt from dealing with such a significant loss. 

Sandle does, however, find space to explore more themes alongside this grief, such as cruelty and queer nature. On lead single ‘Winter’s Song’ she acknowledges the cruelty and coldness that exists within us all, and questions how we can continue to grow and love whilst remaining true to that. 

Speaking about the track, she said: “Winter’s Song is about the absolute mundane beauty of being fallible. It's a true story, I saw the moon rise but swore it was the sun setting. I think about this line a lot: “keep a little coldness in you, just wear it soft and gentle” Be soft, be kind, be honest. Being unremarkable has its own beauty.” 

Sandle’s love for queer nature is so fervent that it makes the experience of listening to Crake akin to that of stumbling on an entirely new world. Sandle believes that life isn’t as black and white as we’ve been taught, and thinks nature holds the key to revealing the true nature of human experience. The appearances of things like slime mould - single-celled organisms that form a single body when in search of food  - brittle starfish - a type of starfish whose awareness isn’t concentrated in one place - and other such oddities furnish ‘Humans’ Worst Habits’ with a folklore all of its own. 

‘Humans’ Worst Habits’ will send you down multiple rabbit holes and you’ll emerge from each with a newfound appreciation for the complexities of the world. Perhaps even more important than this though is the humanity that lies at the very heart of this debut full-length. Whether it’s in the sensitivity in how she portrays the loss of her friend, the depiction of our most base instincts - namely cruelty, passion and love - or the sincere, pure quality of the songwriting itself, it’s this that makes ‘Humans’ Worst Habits’ essential, and invaluable listening.

“A remarkable record, Human’s Worst Habits is the sound of a band who don’t sound quite like anyone else, an album both brittle and bold, beautiful and yes, deeply human.” For The Rabbits [review and interview]

“Imagine that Slowdive had melted down their reverb pedals as part of an occult ritual in order to reanimate Karen Dalton as the front woman. Lo and behold, you get an amazingly accurate picture of the Leeds quartet's enigmatic sound” Neølyd

Interview - Yorkshire Evening Post

“Whether it’s the sensitivity in which she sings about grief, the intricacy of human nature, queer ecology and our most base instincts – namely cruelty, passion and love – or the sincere, pure quality of the songwriting itself, this mesmerising debut is essential and invaluable listening” English Folk Expo

“Enigmatic and brooding, Crake are at their most atmospheric in Sargasso Sea and Sisters, with its slowly shuffling beat and weary vocal, while Bobbie lifts the mood with its chiming electric guitar riff. Yorkshire Post

“Delicately beautiful and deeply odd, it’s an album that deserves much more attention than it’s received.” Undrcurrents

“a magnificent example of dreamy, shimmering indie, and there are some soft, easy melodies to be found drifting through this understated set of songs… and the melancholy washes over and hangs, mist-like before it slowly lifts.” Whisperin & Hollerin

“Human’s Worst Habits, is stunning. With Sandle’s unique yet embracing voice, her fabulous songwriting, and a spellbinding indie-folk approach, the Leeds-based quartet delivered a record as poignant and beautiful as anything that Big Thief has done. One day soon, they will be celebrated and adored like the Brooklyn titans.” The Revue

“It’s a subtle album, a grower, so takes a few listens before the pleasures of its meditative indie-folk really start to sink in. You’ll be really glad you gave it your attention. Packed full of great songs, but the hushed, almost slowcore ’Lamb’s Tail’ is a good a place to start as any.” Colour The Cortex

“Crake are a band that possess that rare quality - a singer in the shape of Rowan Sandle who has the ability to write gorgeous, fragile melodies that will break your heart in two. Couple this with the band’s restrained playing and lead guitar lines worthy of Neil Young’s most tender electric moments and you have the beautiful ‘Human’s Worst Habits’. They supported Big Thief in 2019, and it would be remiss of me not to point out that if you love Big Thief, you will also love Crake.” Norman Records

“This is one of the most remarkable releases of the year” Guteshoerenistwichtig

Coast Is Clear [German]

Music Won’t Save You [Italian]

Jessica's Brother - Just Rain [12"/CD]

Artist: Jessica's Brother
Title: Just Rain
Format: Vinyl LP | CD | Digital
Cat#: Fika088
Release date: 26th November 2021
Bandcamp | Spotify

‘Just Rain’ is the second album from London three piece Jessica’s Brother, comprising songwriter Tom Charleston, The Wave Pictures’ Jonny Helm on drums and Charlie Higgs on bass.

Stitching together a variety of influences, from crunching indie-rock, to gothic country and contemplative psych folk, Jessica’s Brother create the sound of a band coming together and getting caught up in the rush of starting afresh. 

The disintegration of a long-term relationship, coinciding with a global fracturing, provided a catalyst for ‘Just Rain’. The songs explore a relentless collision of melancholy and resilience alongside themes of comedy, agency, and hope

The title track lays this out with an opening burst of slacker rock as Tom reflects back over a passage of time that feels like persistent unrelenting rain. Vacillating between despair and defiance, we uncover the strength to shrug it off as “just rain”; after all, as the track draws to its conclusion “losing sight can be relieving”. Interestingly, the lyric, “open up your heart, it can help to wear a mask”, was written before the pandemic had properly struck in the UK.

‘Finding Snowdrop’ is a spiritual rebirth gone wrong, influenced by the rambling poetry and hooks found in Yoni Wolf’s Why? and Bill Callahan. In spite of failure, the potential for growth remains. This budding, on an ageing tree, is celebrated in the joyous rhythms, off-kilter harmonies and a fizzing guitar solo.

On 'Full Swing’ both the baritone of Tom’s delivery and lyrics conjure the darkness of the everyday: ”cut my own brakes, living in hiding of late” are reminiscent of The Handsome Family’s wonderful way of transposing the tradition of murder ballads and the bleakest tales to the modern.

A more expansive and luxuriant sound runs through ‘Just Rain’, than the sparser Silver Jews / Jason Molina atmosphere of their 2018 debut, from the gutsy alt-rock of the title track to the off kilter pop of ‘Little One', reminiscent of Sparklehorse, a tale of young love and youthful exuberance.

Jessica’s Brother formed in October 2016. Jonny and Charlie worked together in a framing business and had often talked about collaborating in a band together. Fate intervened when Jonny’s girlfriend Jessica introduced him to her brother Tom, and they found a songwriter in waiting. Their debut, eponymous, album released in 2018 was warmly received.

‘Just Rain’ was produced and engineered by Shuta Shinoda (Hot Chip, Ghost Poet, Anna Meredith) at Hackney Road Studios during the summer of 2020. The album features Dan Mayfield’s elegant touch on violin (he has performed with artists from Daniel Johnston to Allo Darlin’), and new female voices from Polimana (a jazz vocalist from the SoCal suburbia) and Shantha Roberts (whose voice has graced Glasgow’s reggae sound system Argonaut Sounds).

The eponymous Jessica Jane Charleston, a painter and printmaker, provides the meteorological juxtaposition to the album in the visuals, the warmth of a giant sun looming over the contorted figure, rising up to fight another day. Tom was drawn to the hotter colours this time round as opposed to the moodier blue palette of the debut. The colours and figures convey a sense of revival after a period of hibernation. It fits well alongside the band’s hiatus throughout the pandemic and their much awaited return. 

With an at times folkloric narrative, ‘Just Rain’ is both poetic and playful retaining throughout a thread of darkness. 

The record takes a step forward in terms of production while maintaining the band’s rough around the edges charm. It is an intimate affair punctuated with louder and more unwieldy moments. A true story revolving around a relationship and a world falling apart.

“the second album by this London trio might be an example of what Douglas Coupland described as ‘decade blending’, stylistically flitting through rock history from one song to the next… Singer Tom Charleston is also a decent storyteller - ‘Darling I Wanted To Know’ is a darkly amusing boy/girl conversation in the style of ‘Something Stupid’” Uncut [7/10]

“Like all the best fairy tales the songs on ‘Just Rain’ may superficially appear to be upbeat and joyful but scratch beneath the surface and dark psychological verities emerge, reality becomes distorted and all is not what it seems. It is a credit to Jessica’s Brother that they have, in their idiosyncratic way, captured these qualities and shared them with us in such an engaging way” Americana UK [7/10]

“There’s a sense of bravery to Jessica’s Brother on Just Rain. Not the kind of bravery that we see in heroes, but the kind we find in the ordinary person who fights on because that’s all we can do. Keep fighting.” Folk Radio

“the record is an eclectic affair throughout, from the Sweet Baboo like strut of Caroline to the gothic Americana of the closing track, Big Boy Now, with its distorted vocals and lo-fi guitars it wouldn’t sound out of place on a record by Timber Timbre or Sparklehorse. Elsewhere, recent single Finding Snowdrop is a definite stand-out, the rambling sing-speak vocals conjuring up Bill Callahan or Odelay-era Beck” For The Rabbits

“full of charm” Benzine Mag [in French]

Fortitude Valley - Fortitude Valley [12"/CD]

Artist: Fortitude Valley
Title: Fortitude Valley
Format: 12” red vinyl | CD
Cat#: Fika087LP/Fika087CD
Release date: 29th October 2021
Spotify | Bandcamp

“Writing songs on guitar and being the front person for a band is a new thing for me,” admits Fortitude Valley front woman Laura Kovic, laughing “I’ve never been in charge before!”

With a musical restlessness setting in over the past few years during her time as the keyboard player of East London indie pop band Tigercats, Kovic might not be used to being the boss, but she doesn’t seem to be letting that get in the way.

After experiencing writer’s block for a couple of years, she took the bull by the horns, as she explains, “Finally I bought a guitar in February 2018 to see if doing something different would help me...and it did!”

Kovic cemented the band’s line up by recruiting mutual friend and bassist Greg Ullyart from Night Flowers, meeting bandmates Nathan Stephens Griffin (drums) and Daniel Ellis (lead guitar) of Martha/Onsind through their shared label home on now sadly-defunct indie bastion Fortuna POP! 

“I played in Mikey Collins’ band with Greg, but our first band together was a Blur cover band called Bleurgh...funnily enough, our first show was opening for Martha!” she recalls.

Named after an area of her home town in Brisbane, Australia, Fortitude Valley is a fitting moniker for the songwriter’s first outfit, who says: “It’s essentially the heart of the music scene in Brisbane, and it’s where I first played a show. As a place, it’s always had a special meaning to me.”

Combining elements of power-pop, indie-pop, pop punk and indie rock, their diverse approach takes influence from the likes of Weezer, Belle & Sebastian, The Beths, The Weakerthans, and Pavement.

“In the past I’ve usually written more gentle melodic pop songs,” explains Kovic, “but I’ve tried to move away from that slightly on this album and experiment with adding more deliberate bite to my songwriting. Nathan, Daniel and Greg definitely helped to make it more punk. Compared to the other bands people might have heard me playing in, it probably has more of an indie rock vibe.”

Addressing those bouts of writer’s block which have plagued her over the years, she says: “I’ve always tended to write in bursts of productivity, then go for long periods without writing anything. The strange thing about this album was that we were ready to record the last four songs in April 2020, then the pandemic hit and we couldn’t finish it, and in the intervening period I ended up basically scrapping some of those songs, and writing new ones instead. My rescue cat Margie has been a great source of inspiration!”

Recording in two stints during 2019 and 2021 with a COVID sized hole in the middle, the band’s forthcoming self-titled debut album was laid down between Soup Studios in London, Rocking Horse Recording Studio in Durham, and the members’ respective homes. The album was recorded, engineered and produced by Giles Barrett and Neil Combstock, mixed by Michael Collins, and mastered by Dave Williams.

Addressing themes of the passage of time, friendships and relationships growing apart, and feelings of insecurity, depression, and anxiety—as well as searching for love and salvation—the album is very much a product of our times.

With songs ranging from recent single ‘Cassini’, about the doomed spacecraft, to ‘All Hail The Great Destroyer’, a tribute to Margie the rescue cat who destroys everything for fun and is “an absolute legend”, it’s an album that’s packed with pathos, humour, and hope.

“The fact that we recorded half of the album before the pandemic hit, and then the other half a year and a bit into lockdown life, those ideas of being stuck in a rut, and looking for salvation, have definitely become more prominent themes,” says Kovic, “but those were there already to some extent. Thinking about time running out has become much more real when everyone has lost a year of their lives (or much worse) to the pandemic.”

And now, with time no longer seeming like such a precious and pressured commodity as we all take a step towards COVID being a thing of the past, what does the future have in store for Fortitude Valley?

“We’re playing End of the Road Festival in September and Twisterella in Middlesbrough in October, but that’s all we have booked in for now,” says Kovic reservedly. “I'm cautiously optimistic about being able to do more when things are safer!”

As for Kovic’s continued never-say-die dedication to the underground rock scene? You can take the girl out of Fortitude Valley, but it seems there’s no taking Fortitude Valley out of the girl...

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“Terrifically hooky and brash rock songs from this UK group with tremendous, gleaming hooks that burrow under the skin.” Bandcamp - New & Notable

“when you add tunes to die for and those gliding harmonies then this is an uncut diamond of an album that overflows with buckles being swashed, derring-do and head-bopping glee” JoyZine

“it’s clear that fans of indie-pop will be revisiting Fortitude Valley time and time again” Noizze

“You can just feel the energy emitting from the song, and this band is truly at their best when they let go and have fun” Distorted Sound Mag

“full of perfect, rapid fire, light indie rock tunes” The Punk Site

“The mix of energy, melody, mournful passages and upbeat tempos ensures that this debut is not one you will be forgetting anytime soon” GBHBL

“Durham’s (UK) answer to Auckland’s (NZ) The Beths. Their self-titled debut provides the ear candy that can only be the result of hitting the sweet spot between indie pop, powerpop and pop punk.” Add To Wantlist

“While "Baby, I'm Afraid", the opener here, buzzes with a vibe worthy of early Weezer, other selections on Fortitude Valley are even better. "All Hail the Great Destroyer", for example, recalls The Wannadies, with as much emphasis being put on the fuzzy hooks as on the bright vocals from Kovic, while "It's The Hope That Kills You" marries a Pavement-y melodic line with elements of Rilo Kiley from their peak years. All of this record is just as good, really.” A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed

“perfect little indie rock gems” Popoptica

“vibing a bit of Weezer, The Beths, even Juliana Hatfield’s smooth pop vocal stylings here and there” Pop Rock Record

Randolph's Leap - Spirit Level [12"/CD]

Artist: Randolph’s Leap
Title: Nothing At All
Format: 12” sky blue with white splatter vinyl | digipack CD
Cat#: Fika085LP | Fika085CD
Release date: 26th February 2021
Bandcamp | Spotify

 Spirit Level is the new album from Scottish folk-pop collective Randolph’s Leap. 

Spirit Level is an upbeat, melodic indie-pop album full of personality, catchy hooks and memorable lyrics, rich in textural, polyphonic arrangements, and capturing the infinite charm of Adam Ross, the leader of this 8-piece band.

As a core songwriter with a large ensemble, Adam Ross may draw comparison with Stephin Merritt or Neil Hannon, while mining the rich Scottish seam of Postcard Records and C86. And as with contemporaries King Creosote or Withered Hand, is unafraid of drawing on folk music’s story telling tradition, detailing the minutiae of life’s fluctuations, here packaged up in glorious, anthemic and energetic pop.

The titular ‘spirit level’ is a steady reference point over what had been an unsettled spell writing the album, with Adam Ross uprooting from a decade in Glasgow to a tauntingly lopsided house in rural Aberdeenshire, navigating his way through shifting phases in his well-being and happiness, and reflecting on the untimely death of two greatly admired acquaintances. That balancing act came in the form of music, in an optimistic, even celebratory, collection of songs.

The move to Aberdeenshire roots the album, with Let This Lie reflecting on mortality during a train journey along Scotland’s east coast, to the nostalgia of parts of a life left behind in Glasgow on Punchbag. “I also had a weirdly contradictory feeling of wanting to get even further away – like maybe we weren’t remote enough and we should move to an island or something. It was just a classic “grass is always greener” situation. A bit of existential boredom, maybe. Fantasising about a new life to distract myself from my current one.”

Recorded over a period of a year in Glasgow with keyboard player Pete MacDonald engineering, mixing and producing the sessions at home, the album went off to mastering in the nick of time: the following night Pete’s flat went Up In Smoke in a massive fire, taking everything bar Pete (and his pet hedgehog, Frida) with it.

Album opener, Moment Passed, sets the tone for the whole record, with Adam’s protagonist struggling to present a balanced outward appearance while disorder bubbles beneath the surface. Spirit Level, despite its carefully poised 10 tracks and balanced artwork, prefers to revel in life’s quirks and imperfections.

“The next generation of witty Scottish indie pop” The Quietus

“A band deserving of every shred of love and success which came Belle & Sebastian's way” The Scotsman

"The Jonathan Richman of Scottish indie" The Herald

* * *

Randolph’s Leap started out as a pseudonym for the solo output of Adam Ross, and now includes up to 8 people in the full live band. The debut Randolph’s Leap album, Clumsy Knot, came out in 2014, with another four live and studio albums and a handful of singles across labels Fence Collective, Olive Grove Records and Lost Map. In 2018 a touring theatre show called The Isle of Love was devised around the songs of Randolph’s Leap.

They’ve recorded several Marc Riley sessions, performed at Green Man, T in the Park, Indietracks, and The Edinburgh Fringe, and have toured with The Burning Hell and James Yorkston.  

2020 saw Adam cement his reputation as one of Scotland’s most prolific songwriters, releasing around 40 home-recorded songs via Bandcamp and Patreon as a creative response to Covid-19 restrictions. He also released an album of country-pop music under the pseudonym A.R. Pinewood.

The Randolph’s Leap name is taken from a scenic location on the River Findhorn.

Spirit Level is their fourth studio album, and their first with London based Fika Recordings.

Randolph’s Leap are:
Adam Ross: songs, vocals, guitar
Adam Armour-Florence: drums
Ali Hendry: trumpet
Andrew MacLellan: guitar
Fraser Gibson: trombone
Heather Fox: violin
Pete MacDonald: keyboards
Vicki Cole: bass

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“An all-singing, all-dancing full band album of joyful self-comforting, with blithe brass lifting up Ross’s soulful, hangdog vocals as he reckons with the search for a stable foundation, ponders mortality on an east coast train journey (rhyming “Deuchars” with “Leuchars” along the way) and brings pub piano and mariachi horns together in characterful celebration on Helluva Summer.” The Scotsman [4/5]

“this is an album – perhaps motivated by failure and death – that grasps life and screams with all the joy it can muster” Juno Daily

“The exhilarating pop album they’ve always been capable of. A strong contender for pop album of the year.” Is This Music

“This latest effort from Randolph’s Leap is likely to help your spirits level up as across its ten tracks it rarely lets up in energy, and is peppered throughout with Ross’s signature lyrical wit with lines like: ‘I like Big Momma’s House 2, but I prefer the novel.’” The Skinny

“We can all be consumed by the malaise of life, so for just a short time, let Randolph’s Leap take those troubles away and bask in the sunshiny folk on offer on Spirit Level.” Louder Than War

“'Spirit Level' is perfect listening for spring and summer’s lengthening days. It places Randolph’s Leap among the best in the pantheon of Scottish indie pop.” PennyBlack Music

“a fantastic, gilded piece of indie pop with slight Americana leanings.” Clash Music

“This is a very creative musical album and there is a lot gone into each song. Not content with just everyday song writing of guitar bass drums and piano. The music is just off the wall as the lyrical content. Horns blare as violins and guitars pop up bringing joy with them.” Backseat Mafia

“Spirit Level might just be one of 2021’s first great albums” For The Rabbits

“it takes on that chamber pop feel, bursting forth with horns and various instrumental textures. I won’t deny how much I love the rise and fall of the chorus here, like a roller coaster with a huge lollipop waiting for you at the end” Austin Town Hall

“delivers the exhilarating pop album they’ve always been capable of. A strong contender for pop album of the year” Manic Pop Thrills

“Spirit Level is a joy to listen to” Add To Wantlist

“a jaunty melody, catchy chorus and witty lyrics all culminating in a glorious brass filled romp” Net Sounds