Emma Kupa - It Will Come Easier [12"/CD]

Artist: Emma Kupa
Title: Nothing At All
Format: 12” black vinyl | digipack CD
Cat#: Fika083LP | Fika083CD
Release date: 18th September 2020
Bandcamp | Spotify

Following successes fronting Mammoth Penguins and the sorely missed Standard Fare, Emma Kupa releases her first full length solo album It Will Come Easier on 18 September:
“The hope in the title is important to me – it is something I try to hold onto when things feel difficult”.

It Will Come Easier delves through the trials and tribulations of attempting to navigate the crossroads of your early thirties. Head on and raw, Kupa leads us through her tender reflections on relationship regrets, the torment and pressure to succeed, and the dichotomy of now finding herself inclined to choose logic over impulse - “does her smile light up your heart, or do you just want to get under her shirt?” she asks on Does It Feel New.

Her most personal collection of songs to date, they  pick up from the intimate family portraits of Kupa’s debut solo EP, Home Cinema:
“The album explores aspects of love, escapism and fidelity, but there’s also a thread about accepting feelings of hopelessness when you don’t quite meet the many pressures of life’s expectations”.

In spite of the harsh directness of its subject matter, It Will Come Easier has an audible freshness and a spring in its step. The optimistic jaunt of Nothing At All defies the futility in being unable to influence a particularly toxic situation. I Keep An Eye out is a follow up to Home Cinema’s Half Sister, written for the eponymous sibling that doesn’t know of Kupa.

Written and recorded over a period of time, Kupa felt she needed to give these 10 tracks some emotional space before making them public. Joined by bandmates from both Mammoth Penguins and Suggested Friends (Mark Boxall and Faith Taylor, respectively), alongside Laura Ankles, Joe Bear, Rory McVicar and Carmela Pietrangelo, the instrumentation is more diverse than in previous Kupa bands. From the sparse, evocative strings of Hey Love and the simple piano backing of unexpected wedding drama in Crying Behind The Marquee, through to the grinding synths of CP Reprise,  textural flourishes abound, belying Kupa’s background fronting noisy three-piece indie-pop outfits.

With nods to Dusty Springfield, The Unthanks and The Postal Service, It Will Come Easier is a mesmerising journey through early adulthood, poignant and expertly detailed.

* * *

Emma Kupa currently fronts Mammoth Penguins, and The Hayman Kupa Band alongside Darren Hayman. She initially made her name with Standard Fare, whom called it a day at the peak of their success in 2013. Her insightful warmth, eye for lyrical detail and powerful, idiosyncratic voice has made her a firm favourite amongst fans and critics alike.

It Will Come Easier is released on 18th September on Fika Recordings (UK/Europe) and Palo Santo (USA).

The album is preceded by a trio of digital singles: Nothing At All (June 5th), Hey Love (July 10th) and Nawlins (August 14th).

“It Will Come Easier isn’t a road map to your early 30’s, it’s a helping hand encouraging you to find your own path, a beacon of hope held by someone who made it through, and created something wonderful along the way.” For The Rabbits

“It’s like an acoustic album from The Beths and sits in the same space as folk-without-a-finger-in-its-ear favourites This Is The Kit or Rachael Dadd. It Will Come Easier is a joy from start to finish and Emma Kupa should feel rightly proud of a set of songs that weave musical magic with lyrical depth in the storytelling. Amid the search for meaning and questioning of head versus heart runs a rich vein of hope which shines through everything and lights up the album and this should help us all as the night’s draw in and we transition from the heat of summer to the leaf-strewn streets of Autumn.” JoyZine

“Throughout the well-crafted, bittersweet set, Kupa explores the complicated emotions and outcomes of various relationships, with an eye toward the relatable everyday and unanswered questions like "When our eyes are all strayin'/Do we stay, love?/Do we keep it together?"" All Music [7/10]

“Not only does ‘It Will Come Easier’ showcase Emma Kupa’s intellect and emotional awareness, it also portrays her ability to combine her lyrics with an eclectic mix of music. From the folk-pop style of ‘Does It Feel New’, to the surf-rock style in ‘When Out Toes Are Long Enough’ and the elements of grunge and synth that we witness in ‘CP Reprise’, we remain captivated and aware of Kupa’s immeasurable talent.” Is This Music?

“Her debut solo outing, then, while indie-flavoured, puts personal reflective lyrics to the fore, delving into love, light decadence, coupledom and the everyday. Veering between band instrumentation and more stripped back fare, Kupa’s unforceful human voice and relaxed manner effectively sell the songs.” The Arts Desk

“a show of radiant, unabridged inner unrest and turbulence channeled through fiery banjo, fervent overdriven guitar, buoyant melodies and lush, soothing vocal harmonies.” Atwood Magazine

“I just can’t get enough of the sunny yet reflective chiming offerings of Emma Kupa, and truly find everything she creates to be blissfully soothing and subtly uplifting.” Get In Her Ears

“Kupa is a real treasure of an artist who deserves to be known far beyond the DIY scene, so make sure she’s on your radar.” God Is In The TV

“the album promises raw tenderness and regret, given to you unblinking with a homespun, folksy indiepop melody to sweeten the pill.” Backseat Mafia

“Emma Kupa is one of my absolute favorite songwriters” Austin Town Hall

“It Will Come Easier is just a joy to listen to, and such an easy record to love” A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed

“A pleasant, poppy listen from a skilled songwriter.” If It’s Too Loud

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Steven Adams and The French Drops - Keep It Light [12”/CD]

Artist: Steven Adams and The French Drops
Title: Keep It Light
Format: 12” vinyl LP | digipack CD
Cat#: Fika082LP | Fika082CD
Release date: 21st August 2020
Bandcamp | Spotify

“Making this record was a joy,” says Steven Adams of his latest album with his band the French Drops. He even let the positive mood around the making of it influence its title. “I love making records but sometimes time, money, or people - including me - fuck up my enjoyment of the process. So this time I kept saying to myself ‘keep it light’ whenever I was making decisions.”

The buoyant and relaxed mood can be heard across the album in its gloriously skipping tones, as it traverses across indie, pop, alt-rock and more tender acoustic and folk-leaning moments. It’s a craft that Adams has been honing for years as the lead figure in outfits such as The Broken Family Band and Singing Adams, so much so that by now it oozes out of him with a seamless grace.

The feelings of serenity and solace he experienced whilst writing the songs themselves carried over into the final product. “I did a big chunk of the writing on holiday in the South of France last year,” he says. “We were staying in this big, rambling house that had a kind of turret room that was cut off from everything, so I’d go up there in the mornings and sit on the floor and feel like a proper artist while everyone else was eating croissants.”

Once described by The Guardian as “one of Britain’s smartest, most underrated songwriters”, Adams’ aim was clear with this record. “I wanted to make a super personal, light-hearted and upbeat record,” he says. “I wanted to do the whole write about what you know thing and keep it as light as possible.” The lightness of the album was a guiding principle but it wasn’t a rule set in stone, as Adams soon found out the deeper he plunged into himself. “We had a running joke about how we were making an album called Keep it Light that is full of songs about racists and panic attacks and existential angst,” he says. “But it does you good to get that stuff out. Writing songs and making records keeps me sane.”

The album is one as full of joy and beauty as it is ink black humour and caustic revelation. On the gorgeous shuffle of “Oh Dear” - recalling the kind of stripped back beauty of Yo La Tengo at their finest - Adams sings: “and true love will not find you in the end.” A knowing nod and a wink to Daniel Johnston’s earnest refrain that indeed true love will find you in the end. It’s such moments that fill the album with equal parts weight and lightness, a smart touch delivered with a deft hand. Of the broad range of the album and its wide-spanning lyrical content Adams simply says: “the upbeat stuff is pretty upbeat and the darker stuff is pretty dark, but it’s all still with some humour.”

Perhaps the song that best encapsulates this split between the light and the dark and the funny and the personal is “My Brother, the Racist” a self explanatory song that skips along with an infectious groove as Adams sings about, well, his racist brother. It unfurls in an intimate manner that recalls the kind of deeply personal allure of Sun Kill Moon’s Benji. “It’s an awkward thing to sing about, but it was the right thing to do,” he reflects. “I’ve written about British racism before, but never this close to home.”

Recorded at Soup by Simon Trought and with band members Laurie Earle, Daniel Fordham, David Stewart and Michael Wood, this is the first time Adams has worked in such a harmonious and in sync way. “This is the first record I’ve made with the band all playing in one room, getting everything down at once,” he says. “We played live with all of us on the floor, and it came together really quickly. But we still gave ourselves time to experiment and do fun stuff all over it.

This combination of allowing things to be light, not overstressing, the harmony of the group, and the seamless knack of Adams’ songwriting has resulted in a truly special record. “I’m usually sick of a record by the time it’s mixed and I don’t get much of a kick out of hearing my own stuff, but this one’s different,” he says. “I know I sound like a wanker saying this but this is the best record I’ve ever made.”

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“The French Drops have created an engaging, emotional, intelligent and beautifully crafted album. A varied, cohesive and downright beautiful LP, Keep It Light is a thing of pure joy.” Louder Than War [9/10]

“The highlights are those tracks that adhere most diligently to the command in the album’s title - the breezy Band-alike “Bring on the Naps”, the wry, arch and Go-Betweenish “Going to Everglades”, and the curious but infectious “My Brother, The Racist” which suggests Jonathan Richman having a lash at the protest song” Uncut [7/10]

“The ten songs on ‘Keep It Light’ do find him in particularly fine form and if you’re looking for an entry point then start here and work your way back through everything you can get your hands on. And for the long-term fans, your singing Adams is in fine fettle and as dependably entertaining as ever.” Folk Radio

“Keep It Light, is like a breath of fresh air in the current political climate. It is fun, uplifting and energetic. Keep It Light does exactly what it says on the tin. The upbeat, jovial mood runs throughout the entire album. It bridges an attractive mixture of genres: indie, alt-rock and pop, with folk-esque moments and moments of soft, tender acoustics.” JoyZine

“The songs may well be about racism, panic attacks and general disappointment, but it’s never heavy going. Existential angst with a light touch.” Shire Folk

“Desparate to keep it upbeat there are times when the music backs dark humour, like My Brother The Racist, or just joyous fun, like Bring on the Naps, a salute to the art of having a sly snooze.” Express [4/5]

“This is genre hopping in the best way, filled with superbly crafted, melodic tunes that impress and delight in equal measure.” Lonesome Highway

“Musically too, the track seems to walk the line between emotional states, the bright shuffle of acoustic guitar and drums contrasted, by the more melancholic tones of piano and bass. Steven has suggested this is the best record that he’s ever made, and while that’s quite some claim, on this evidence we’re not going to argue.” For The Rabbits

“Adams is still pulling out the steady folk-tinged power pop that works like a snake charmer on my ears” Austin Town Hall

Darren Hayman - Home Time [12"/CD]

Artist: Darren Hayman
Title: Home Time
Format: 12” black vinyl and digipack CD
Cat#: Fika079LP | Fika079CD
Release date: 22nd May 2020
Bandcamp | Spotify

Darren Hayman returns with the new album Home Time, due out in June via Fika Recordings. An autobiographical album about break ups, the record is tender, honest and frequently funny. Darren set an 8 track, acoustic rule for the record. Everything sounds warm, close and intimate. Darren’s own love-worn, London voice is joined on every song by the sweet antipodean tones of Hannah Winter and Laura K, recording artists and songwriters themselves with Common or Garden and Fortitude Valley.

When Darren Hayman made his debut in 1997 with the acclaimed indie band Hefner his lyrical remit was the broken hearted. His early songs told the story of the lonesome and lost, and broken dreams of love on the back streets of London. After Hefner, Hayman’s palette grew to include a unique take on place and memory. In the early 2000s he wrote a trilogy of albums around the history of Essex. In 2012 he made an instrumental album describing the tranquillity of Lidos. 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. His most recent record, 12 Astronauts, tells the personal story of the only men to have walked on the Moon.

Darren is continually obsessed with the idea of what songs can be, and the stories they can tell. As he explains, “With projects like Thankful Villages, I became interested in what a record could be, using field recordings, interviews and songs to make sound collages. I wanted to return to the stricter art of song writing and try and make the twelve best compositions I could. I wanted to make useful songs, words that could be comfort, not just thoughts that would depress.”

The songs for Home Time were written over a three-year period but recorded quickly, and with love, in Darren’s home. Home Time is a fragile, subtle slice of prettiness. Wrap it around you.

Three digital singles will be released; ‘I Tried and I Tried and I Failed’, a song about the endless, circular nature of being human, ‘I Was Thinking About You’, a song about the uncontrollable nature of memory and how it continues to haunt us even when we consider the long buried, and ‘The Joint Account’, about how when trying to negotiate matters of the heart and mind, it is sometimes the physical objects that anchor us down in the mire.

A baby sister album I Can Travel Through Time with ten one-minute songs squeezed on a seven inch is coming out alongside it on the Formosa Punk label.

“Twenty-one years ago Hefner released one of the finest break-up and make-up albums of its era. To say that Hayman has done it again may be a bit reductive – in no sense at all is this a nostalgia trip, quite the opposite in fact – but nonetheless, this is one of the finest records of a consistently brilliant and varied solo career.” Folk Radio

“Sometimes you need to hear about someone else's problems to make you feel better about your own, and Hayman is especially good at that, leaving you humming in the process.” Brooklyn Vegan

“Hayman’s lyrics have always been unmistakable, with his narrative style and unabashed love of rhymes. If you liked Hefner, you will enjoy the return to their style on Home Time, which is engaging, touching and often funny.” The Quietus

“Hefner fans are going to be right at home here. But they should also appreciate a songwriter who has learned much over the past two decades – about his craft as a songwriter, and about himself as a performer.” For Folks Sake

“Delightful, delicate and poignantly relevant” Narc Magazine [4/5]

“The delights of Home Again is that Hayman sings about emotions that are easy to identify with but sometimes hard to articulate” Music OMH [4/5]

“An audibly beautiful listen, which has sad and comical aspects to it, Home Time is a great journey of a record.” The Fountain

“The playful, earnest indie pop that Hayman has built his career around is in full evidence on upbeat cuts like "I Was Thinking About You" and "I Tried and I Tried and I Failed," which ring with jaunty mandolin leads and sweet harmonies courtesy of collaborators Hannah Winter and Laura Kovic.” All Music [3/5]

“playful, charming and endearing” Americana UK

“full of literate, strummed indie songs enhanced by female backing vocals and a small ensemble that includes mandolin and violin. Thoughtful, wordy numbers such as “Because We Were Impossible” and the sweet Nikki Sudden-ish “The Joint Account” draw the listener in like a good book” The Arts Desk

“As with much of Home Time, The Joint Account feels both tender and achingly honest, it walks the lines of practicality and emotion, working its way through the pain and emerging, stumbling out the other side. This is Darren coming home to the songwriting that first found his fame, he’s a touch older, a touch wiser, and just as compelling as ever.” For The Rabbits

“'I Tried And I Tried And I Failed' is a key component of the album, with its gentle ruminations taking on a subtly meditative quality. Darren Hayman's indie pop roots shine through, with his melodic turn of phrase matched to a desire for originality that has only increased over time.” Clash Music premiere

“this playful little single. The track revolves around two lyrical lines, and that’s it; still, the thematic element kind of encourages you to get up and try and try again, no matter what the outcome…that seems to be the nature of all our lives, making sense of our failures” Austin Town Hall

The Just Joans - The Private Memoirs and Confessions of The Just Joans [12"/CD]

Artist: The Just Joans
Title: The Private Memoirs and Confessions of The Just Joans
Format: 12" album on black vinyl with lyrics insert | CD in digifile sleeve
Cat#: Fika077LP | Fika077CD
Release date: 10th January 2020
Bandcamp | Spotify

 Acerbic yet winsome Scottish indiepoppers The Just Joans return with the dazzlingly maudlin The Private Memoirs and Confessions of the Just Joans, a deeply personal collection of songs that hazily recall the past and contemplate the futility of the future. 

A titular twist on the classic gothic horror novel The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by compatriot James Hogg, the new album is the follow-up to 2017’s You Might Be Smiling Now… and contains the kind of melodies and mockery that led Uncut to class the band as the point at which “Stephin Merritt lies down with The Vaselines.”

At the forefront remain the mischievous lyrics and heartfelt vocals of siblings David and Katie Pope, aided and abetted by Chris Elkin on lead guitar, Fraser Ford on bass guitar and Jason Sweeney on drums. Yet it is the recruitment of multi-instrumentalist Arion Xenos and guest appearance of Butcher Boy’s Alison Eales to arrange strings that have helped elevate the band’s music to new heights. 

Their progression is most noticeable on lead single “Dear Diary, I Died Again today”, a painfully beautiful admission of everyday anxiety and “When Nietzsche Calls”, the triumphant cry of a spurned lover revelling in the misery of their ex to a backdrop of trumpets and violins. The juxtaposition of the fragility shown in these tracks with the menace of “Wee Guys (Bobby’s Got A Punctured Lung)” – an observation and understanding of the casual violence that once cast a shadow over the band’s hometown – highlights The Just Joans’ ability to seamlessly flip between sensitivity and danger, and sums up why Highway Queens described them as the “perfect Glasgow kiss.”

The Private Memoirs and Confessions of the Just Joans is a veritable smorgasbord of misery, longing and unrequited love; stories of small town resentments, half-forgotten school friends, failing relationships and awkward workplace conversations. As David explains: “It’s a collection torn from the pages of the diary I haven’t kept over the past 25 years. There are songs about places and people I vaguely remember, feelings I think that I once may have felt and the onset of middle-aged ennui.”

Despite entering new territory with the addition of brass and strings, they have nevertheless maintained the DIY ethos that made them darlings of the underground indie-pop scene, with each song on the album recorded and produced by the band in various gloomy bedrooms around Glasgow.

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“Siblings David and Katie Pope have been cranking out charmingly shambolic, twee-leaning but feisty indiepop since the mid-’00s and their biting sense of humor (and thick Glaswegian accents) make for easy comparisons to The Vaselines.” Brooklyn Vegan

“there’s mischief in this miserablism” Mojo [4/5]

“the album fits into a Scottish indie tradition that goes back to BMX Bandits and The Vaselines. Like them, The Just Joans have mastered the art of writing sad songs that are funny and consoling rather than just plain depressing” Record Collector [3/5]

“enjoy the ear-pleasing rotation of boppy and bittersweet tunes” All Music [8/10]

“Another brilliant showcase for their idiosyncratic music and lyrics. Poets of the mundane, The Just Joans are in danger of becoming something of a British institution.” The Morning Star [4/5]

“this is the first best album of 2020” Narc [5/5]

“another wonderfully forlorn and cynical set of world-weary tales from sulky Glasgow siblings David and Katie Pope” Scottish Express [4/5]

“Memoirs is a charmingly introspective record; fun and thoughtful. The Just Joans are  miserablist chroniclers, always looking about, wide-eyed, finding inspiration in the mundane, and delivering with a mischievous wink. They’re already something of a cult band, and this record further seals that status” Music OMH [4/5]

“this blend of the heartfelt and the comically morose sees The Just Joans indulge in a fine tradition of tuneful Scottish miserabilism that is distinctly our own, and might be doing it better than anyone else around at the minute” The Wee Review [4/5]

“The Private Memoirs and Confessions of The Just Joans, out this month, retains their love for the acidic indie-cabaret of the genre’s acknowledged master Stephin Merritt while presenting their strongest, most accomplished songs yet.” The National Scotland

“the wit and humour here is at the highest level of ironic commentary and makes this a lot of fun” Vanguard Online

“a sparklingly dark-humoured record of people, places and half-memories from songwriter David Pope” God Is In The TV

“For a band whose lifespan now stretches to four albums, it’s impressive that the cynicism, the bitterness and, most damning of all, the optimism of life as an outsider are still felt as strongly. It may say more about this writer’s age than the album, but there’s something reassuring about knowing you’re not the only one having a tough time and The Just Joans capture that feeling just so.” Get In Her Ears

“this latest album from the Joans is more sublime heartache with many twists of black humour” Is This Music

“a dizzyingly fun pop record about impossibly bleak truths” Balloon Machine

“The Just Joans delivering exactly the sort of thing that this slightly older type of indie-pop excels at, namely achieving a good balance between the onset cynicism that comes with age and the band’s own Scottish heritage, and the smatterings of humour and lightness to temper it and keep anything too bleak at bay” Soundboard

“The Just Joans are indeed writing big pop tunes here, despite the droll lyrics, and the sly heart-on-the-sleeve fake-outs going on in nearly every cut. For that reason, The Private Memoirs and Confessions of The Just Joans is highly recommended for fans of C86 stuff, to anyone who thought Jarvis Cocker or Stephin Merritt wrote great songs. You're likely to take these to heart in the same way” A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed

“sardonic, humorous, self-deprecating, bittersweet, and eminently clever” When You Motor Away

“Walking the line between poignant and sardonic, and with a dark humour that lifts them above most others, the songs are comparable to The Wedding Present, early Pulp, Ballboy, or The Delgados, but they sound like no-one else but The Just Joans, and to have such a strong identity is rare.” Scots Whay Hae

“the ramshackle of C86 and the slightest of jangly lo-fi and timid retro keys to sound like The Pastels lying down with The Vaselines” Jangle Pop Hub

“very much in the spirit of Philip Larkin, Mike Leigh, Alan Bennett, Morrissey and Jarvis Cocker if they had been born North of the border” It Starts With A Birthstone

“If The Beautiful South and Kirsty MacColl made a pact to form a band that fans of the Proclaimers might turn to on a dark and dismal night in December, they may well have created The Just Joans.  Their perfectly constructed, quietly uncomplicated melodies probe the darker side of love, and like melodic Valium, rock you into a state of unruffled languor.” JoyZine

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Suggested Friends - Turtle Taxi [12"/CD]

Artist: Suggested Friends
Title: Turtle Taxi
Format: 12” LP on sky blue vinyl / digipack CD
Cat#: Fika075
Release date: 4th October 2019
Bandcamp | Spotify

Suggested Friends are an indie rock quartet with a firm grounding in queer identity, fusing DIY punk roots with the interweaving guitars of 90s indie and a sometimes tongue-in-cheek take on the performative masculinity of 80s rock. There’s a tenderness to their songwriting, with lyrics reflecting on cultural malaise, trauma recovery and the banal absurdity of everyday life. Personal politics can come with an incisively dry sense of humour too.

Turtle Taxi is their second album and demonstrates just how far they’ve come from the raw, scuzzy sounds of their DIY debut; unrepentant in letting the pop hooks loose. The choruses are big, harmonies frequent, and guitar solos abound - this is a lush, textured leap forward. 

Suggested Friends are more confident, acknowledging emotional pain and exploring how this affective space elides with a more expansive sense of injustice in the world.

On Pretty Soon Your Grave Will Be A Landfill the earnestness and absurdity of gaslighting politicians is laid bare, through to the futility of naming social ills and not acting on them on At Ease. The album’s title track, Turtle Taxi, talks about the relationship between love as a labour and the focusing in on life as an opportunity for that to flourish in all directions – (‘teach ‘til I die, let this all pass by…’).

The quieter numbers on the record, such as At Ease or Blooms, recall folkier inspiration such as The Weather Station and Hiss Golden Messenger, through to the alt-pop oddness of Nilufer Yanya and Blood Orange. But for parallels as a socially conscious, high-energy and vulnerable punk pop band, think Martha or Charly Bliss - though they’d argue for that perfect sweet spot between Weezer and Abba!

Recorded in rural Norfolk over two separate sessions a year apart, album was able to flourish into a more collaborative effort, incorporating Faith’s wife Meghan on percussion and Sickroom Studio's Owen on trumpet - plus plenty of time to experiment with overdubs and piano flourishes to up that classic-rock vibe that simmers just under the surface.

Suggested Friends formed in late 2015 following a chance meeting at a gig between Christabel (drums) and Faith (guitar and vocals). They were soon joined by Jack on guitar, who had met Faith through an activist group in London. Mammoth Penguins’ Emma Kupa is the most recent addition on bass, having worked with Faith on a number of projects over the past four years.   

“it’s indiepop with an emphasis on “pop,” as their new album Turtle Taxi, just released on HHBTM/Fika Recordings, is ultra-catchy, harmony-forward, and crunchy. (They’re not afraid to drop a flashy guitar solo, either.) Singer/guitarist Faith Taylor has a clear, powerful voice — she really belts it out — and you could imagine Suggested Friends being huge in the early ’90s (or the ’80s). Popular tastes may change hourly, but music like this is pretty evergreen.” Brooklyn Vegan

“There are some beautiful guitar licks here that you wish were longer and make you press replay. More folk-pop than punk-rock, this album deals with love, loss, death and landfill. Turtle Taxi has personality and humour and I was hooked from the very first track” Buzz [5/5]

“Suggested Friends have a delivered a melodic album that includes more flavours than upmarket ice cream parlour, DIY punk, emo, country, twee-pop, indie rock, folk and even posturing 80’s rock are all present in a sound that is underpinned by a firm grounding in queer identity and political awareness.” The Punk Site

“Standouts like "Cygnets" and the title track are rife with sweet vocal harmonies, a sharp melodic sense, and thoughtful guitar work that veers from subtle dreampop voicings to chugging classic rock riffs and guitarmony breakdowns.” All Music

“Suggested Friends interweave tongue-in-cheek masculinity with their generous blend of country, jangle pop and folk-rock. It’s a collection of ten bombastic, hook-filled bangers… Suggested Friends have made an infectious records with lyrics an entire generation can identify with – a winning duo.” Balloon Machine

“I genuinely can't tell if Suggested Friends are more likely to have listened to classic AOR like Fleetwood Mac or Boston or whatever you hear on mainstream daytime radio, than they are to have listened to DIY contemporaries Personal Best and Muncie Girls and Sheer Mag. But Turtle Taxi's songs share a common ground with all of these artists in sounding like they were written for car journeys and drunken parties and romantic recriminations.” Did Not Chart

“It's laden with quality songs from the opening pairing of the wistful “Imminent” and the nostalgic imagery of “Cygnets” which are both excellent slices of power pop through to the closing pairing of the resilient “For Jokes” and the slower but no less powerful “Magnolia”. Likely to be listening to this one a lot this year.” Collective Zine

“Across the record there are melodic references to the best of power-pop with the Martha-like bouncing guitar of ‘Cygnets’, and of indie-rock with the Weezer surf jangle of ‘G.N.A’, and even the prosaic MOR of Fleetwood Mac is lifted in the subtle melody and cutting lyrics of ‘Bloom’. With Turtle Taxi Suggested Friends have honed their sound and in their honesty found even greater strength. You can hum these tunes and dance along and hear the joke but not what was suffered, as with the very best pop music, but it’s when you let yourself really feel as much as hear what’s going on that this album becomes really great.” Popoptica

“Suggested Friends have again tackled important issues with wit and wondrous melodies. You’ll want to take a ride in this particular Turtle Taxi” Spectral Nights

“This record is loaded with gorgeous hooks and melodies, and I can’t come up with enough superlatives to keep writing, so I’m just going to tell you to buy this record while I go listen to it for the sixth time in a row” Keep Track of the Time

“Turtle Taxi is an album for outsiders and insiders. With its on point observations, lo-fi but effective sound it's destined to be an underground favourite, an epithet that is a guarantee for longevity.” Here Comes The Flood

“a really incredible listen that captivates from the beginning to the end” Thinking Lyrically

“beaming confidence and radiant with classic indie melodies” The Autumn Roses

“The playing is inspired and the vocals are absolutely gorgeous. This album is bound to be a hit among fans of underground pop all around the world. Well-crafted music with a cool consciousness.” BabySue

“brilliantly distinct, wrapping their varying influences in to one rabid burst of lofi indie-rock” Gold Flake Paint

“frighteningly good in a way that most stuff called frighteningly good just isn’t” Everett True, The Friendly Critic

“a bright, fun, sparkly album with raw and to the point lyrics – there’s no hiding from the wit. Check it out; you’ll be hooked” Loud Women

“SF borrows from punk, power pop and 80's alternative, seamlessly blending the styles to create a unique identity for each of their songs” YKeep

When The Horn Blows [interview]

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Stanley Brinks and The Wave Pictures - Tequila Island [12"/CD]

Artist: Stanley Brinks and The Wave Pictures
Title: Tequila Island
Format: 12” LP on agave and tequila coloured splatter vinyl / digipack CD with lyrics booklet
Cat#: Fika073LP/CD
Release date: 21st June 2019
Bandcamp | Spotify

Stanley Brinks is joined by The Wave Pictures for their fifth album together; and their first since 2015’s “My Ass”. That’s not to say either have been slacking in that time, both are notoriously prolific: The Wave Pictures have turned out 5 albums and Brinks 7 since they last came together in the studio.

Stan arrived at the studio with several CDs worth of unrecorded songs on a balmy North London night and instructed The Wave Pictures to pick out some favourites to jam during the following three nights of recording sessions.

To anyone familiar with Stanley Brinks' huge discography - more than 100 albums - it might sound more raw in a way, less sophisticated than some of his other recordings. It's still rich in jazzy sounds and original structures however, the songs looser and full of playfulness, with the lyrics carrying the essence of the songs.

Tequila - the drink - was obviously the inspiration for the album. While writing, and while recording.

Stanley Brinks was born in Paris, France, in 1973. He studied a bit of biology and worked as a nurse for a while. Half Swedish, half Moroccan, strongly inclined to travel the world, he soon began spending most of his life on the road and developed a strong relationship with New York. By the late 90s he’d become a full time singer-songwriter – André Herman Düne – as part of three piece indie-rock band, Herman Düne. Several albums and Peel sessions  later and after a decade of touring Europe, mostly with American songwriters such as Jeffrey Lewis, Calvin Johnson and early Arcade Fire he settled in Berlin. The early carnival music of Trinidad became a passion, and in the early 21st century he became the unquestioned master of European calypso, changing his name to Stanley Brinks. Under this moniker he has recorded more than 100 albums, collaborated with the New York Antifolk scene on several occasions, recorded and toured with traditional Norwegian musicians, and played a lot with The Wave Pictures.  

The Wave Pictures are David Tattersall, Franic Rozycki and Jonny ‘Huddersfield’ Helm. Formed in 1998 when Franic and David lived in a village called Wymeswold, the band played with several drummers until Jonny became a permanent member in 2003 replacing Hugh J Noble. In the beginning the band learned to play together by covering Jonathan Richman songs but soon David was writing lots of original material. 

They have since released six  studio albums to critical acclaim and played numerous sessions on BBC 6 Music, Radio 1 and Xfm. Interest generated from these recordings has enabled The Wave Pictures to play shows all over the world with artists including Jeffrey Lewis, Darren Hayman, Stanley Brinks, Freschard and Herman Düne.

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“Tequila Island is every bit as joyous as you’d imagine a desert island with a well stocked bar would be. The meandering afro-beat influenced guitar line and prominent flute line provide the melody, as the infectious coming together of percussion and bass add a toe-tapping propulsion. Stanley has suggested Tequila was not just the influence for the songwriting, but also the recording sessions, where Mexico’s finest was used to keep out the balmy North London-night; which might explain why it’s the loosest and quite possibly most fun they’ve ever sounded.” For The Rabbits

“I like this album, it's a nice soup of folk, americana, Dylan-lite, with lots of drum brushes pattering away and acoustic guitars strummed softly.” Norman Records

“Tequila begins in ruminative mode, with some gorgeous, intuitive guitar playing by David Tattersall of The Wave Pictures. This is the fifth (or so) album which that group has made backing up singer Brinks, AKA Andre Herman Dune from Herman Dune. It’s similar to the others, in its loose demeanor and reach for pop simplicity (a la Jonathan Richman, Sam Cooke, etc.), and its stumbling from beauty to wit to goofing around. Each song doubles as a drinking song; “Tequila” is in the name, after all. The album overall is a folk-sy ramble, with a lovelorn troubadour in search of something. “I've got tequila in my heart,” is his slogan; somebody should get that tattooed on their arm” Big Takeover

“Brinks and The Wave Pictures pair detailed yet understated indie-folk weedling with the horizontal, alcohol-soaked relaxation that this sort of yacht-rock is often characterised by. The general instrumental foundation remains solid overall, driven by warm acoustic guitars that stick almost exclusively to simple melodies, but find a way to use them well in the lilting shuffle of Like A Fool and the title track, or the quicker-stepping dalliance into country on Like A Song. It’s all very tastefully produced as well, keeping everything relatively quiet and low-key, but simultaneously highlighting the pockets of detail that brings a nice sharpness and crispness to it all.” The Soundboard

“Two alt-indie cult acts for the price of one. Stanley Brinks of Herman Düne is a good match for the loose American-laced sound that The Wave Pictures muster. Comes in lyric inner sleeve on spectacular vinyl, transparent but spattered with teal!” The Arts Desk

“Musically speaking there are similarities with that record [Gin] too (I think it goes without saying that much of this record features jazzy guitar lines and a stripped back rhythm section), but there are also subtle changes in style, such as the country / rock n roll themed "Like a Fool" or "Like a Song", both of which have an air of The Byrds' Sweetheart of the Rodeo about them.” Cracklefeedback

“sounds like the whole thing is a teenage “band” recording in the kitchen, on a vintage cassette recorder borrowed from their gran. That’s after they’ve spent an entire year listening to the first Modern Lovers and Talking Heads albums” God is in the TV

Mammoth Penguins - There's No Fight We Can't Both Win [12"/CD]

Artist: Mammoth Penguins
Title: There’s No Fight We Can’t Both Win
Format: 12” LP on yellow vinyl / digipack CD
Cat#: Fika070
Release date: 26th April 2019
Bandcamp | Spotify

Following a sold out London show with Swearin’, Cambridge indie pop trio Mammoth Penguins are delighted to announce that they have signed to Fika Recordings and that their third album, There’s No Fight We Can’t Both Win, will be released on 26th April 2019.

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

Their first album, Hide and Seek, was released with the much-loved and sorely missed Fortuna Pop! in 2015. Stand-out tracks ‘Strength In My Legs’ and ‘When I Was Your Age’ were picked up by BBC 6Music and Radio X, and the band played a live session for Marc Riley the following year.

But Mammoth Penguins didn’t want to stop there.  Their follow-up release 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. It featured contributions from Haiku Salut’s Sophie Barkerwood and Alto 45’s Joe Bear, and expanded well beyond the 3-piece rock‘n’roll template, with washes of strings, synths and samples (field recordings of butter being scraped on toast, photocopiers, and Ramsgate beach helping to fully immerse the listener in the world the band have created) filling out and developing Kupa’s songwriting.

Having had their ‘and now for something completely different’ moment, the band have brought that ambition and expanded palette to the production of this new release. The sound is big, bold and confident—with layers of guitars, backing vocals and keys all adding extra muscle—but maintaining Kupa’s candid, heartfelt, confessional style of songwriting, and the jubilant power pop hooks that made the first record so special.  

As with many songwriters, Kupa’s songs are derived mostly from her own personal experiences, thoughts, and feelings, be they long-lived or fleeting. “The times when people have said my lyrics resonate with them or articulate something specific for them are extremely validating for me and I hope that happens with this album,” she explains of the new record.

“Arranging the songs with Mark and Tom is a massive buzz and playing them live as a band feels so exciting. Having Joe and Faith put their mark on the album was also a massive privilege. Making a record can be an extremely slow and drawn out process that requires patience, perseverance and resilience, and because of that we are super excited and proud to be releasing this album.”

This time around, classic themes of love, loss and conflict are (mostly) given a hopeful and optimistic spin that opposition is neither inevitable nor hopeless. For musical comparisons, think Land of Talk, and Philadelphia bands such as Swearin and Hop Along, but Kupa’s insight into the everyday and her ability to pen such relatable and honest missives means that, often, the best comparison for Mammoth Penguins’ music is with your own past.

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Press for There’s No Fight We Can’t Both Win

“Standard Fare were never what I’d call twee, they were firmly in the indiepop scene and, even though Mammoth Penguins is a much more twee name, there is more oomph in the performances and arrangements, which makes for a nice mix of brawn, brains and heart. Speaking of, Emma’s heart remains on her sleeve, and her voice — both strong and vulnerable — conveys all the yearning and regret found in her lyrics. And the songs, like “I Wanna” — with its chorus of “I love you, I love you, I love you / Fuck it all, fuck it all, fuck it all” — are eminently relatable earworms.” Brooklyn Vegan

“[Kupa] has an unerring eye for the foibles of modern romance and details the mechanics of love and loss as well as anyone since the Wedding Present's David Gedge, only with a more sensitive touch. There’s No Fight We Can’t Both Win is one of the finest examples of simple and true indie rock around” All Music [8/10]

“There Is No Fight We Can't Both Win is another great collection of universally empathetic songs from a great songwriter that really ought to get a hearing beyond the indie world that is its home” Backseat Mafia [8.5/10]

“one of several moments on the album that remind me of their former Fortuna POP! label mate Steven Adams, and where this type of thing is concerned that’s about the highest praise I have to offer anybody. There’s No Fight We Both Can’t Win – smart, melodic, indie pop/punk about the trials of love and friendship, it’s a great record if you like that sort of thing.” Echoes and Dust

“Mammoth Penguins clutch memorable melodies out of seemingly fresh air. They have a very standard guitar, bass, drums set up which lacks somewhat in colour but the simplicity is used to create naggingly familiar hooks” Norman Records [8/10]

“for indie-pop overflowing with heart and replete with an oft-excellent command of melody, There’s No Fight…  delivers in spades” The Soundboard [7/10]

“Mammoth Penguins have come on in leaps and bounds here. This is simply a great album” God Is In The TV [8/10]

“Over the course of this album, Mammoth Penguins again show that they have the ability to create delightful pop music, much in the style as bands like The Pastels - I Wanna and Put It All On You - being prime examples” Even The Stars

“The 11 songs on There’s No Fight We Both Can’t Win revolves around the theme of love and relationships but Mammoth Penguins manage to avoid the album feeling stale. The band accomplish this by writing tunes you can really lose yourself to, lyrics that you can let wash over you and moments that just really engage you” Rush on Rock

“Heartfelt and honest...there's an attitude here that many similar bands are lacking in” Distorted Sound

“While there are some definite pop rocking numbers, my early time with the LP has me falling for “There is So Much More;” it’s a really soft tune, giving the album some diversity so it doesn’t wear on you…not to mention there’s no such thing as a bad Kupa performance” Austin Town Hall

“From the moment I heard Emma Kupa sing ‘I love you, I love you, I love you, fuck it all, fuck it all, fuck it all’ on ‘I Wanna’… I couldn’t help but become a Mammoth Penguins fanboy” Balloon Machine [track by track preview]

“an awesome pop record” One Chord

Mikey Collins - Hoick [12"/CD]

Artist: Mikey Collins
Title: Hoick
Format: 12" album on black vinyl | CD in digifile sleeve
Cat#: Fika068LP | Fika068CD
Release date: 17th August 2018
Bandcamp | Spotify | iTunes

Hoick is the solo album from Allo Darlin’ drummer Mikey Collins, who combines his love of solid grooves and joyous harmonies to create a fun and sonically varied record. Mikey played most of the instruments and mixed the record himself, with some assistance from Laura Kovic (Tigercats) on vocals and fellow Allo Darlin' member Paul Rains on lead guitar. The flicker of his previous band provided the building blocks of an upbeat, positive record, but Mikey wanted to add his own quirky, disco spin & sonic expansiveness, aided by co-producer John Winfield (who has worked with Jimmy Somerville), with the aim of making a record that people stood a chance of being able to dance to. To create this eclectic sound, Mikey draws on influences  as far flung as Dexy's Midnight Runners, Bruce Springsteen & Todd Rundgren as well as more current artists such as Night Works, Matthew E White and Father John Misty.

Mikey began working on the album while he was still touring with beloved Fortuna POP! signed indiepop outfit Allo Darlin’ and as a result it took a pretty long time to complete. The last few years were a conveyor belt of change as he; got married, had a child, bought a house, moved from London to be by the Kent coast (Ramsgate) and opened a residential studio Big Jelly Studios (where they’ve recorded albums by Girl Ray, Metronomy, Pete Doherty and the Puta Madres, Mt Wolf, Seamus Fogarty and many others including Elizabeth Morris from Allo Darlin’s new band, ELVA).  In short, he grew up.  The record journeys through these changes but has its roots firmly grounded in his new seaside habitat.  His identity with and connection to the area is even incorporated into the album artwork – a startling photograph by local photographer Jason Evans (who has worked with Radiohead and Keiran Hebden/Fourtet), incorporating flora and fauna of the region, an outer ring of pop glow that hints at the neon din of the seaside.  The idea for the image emerged after a discussion about the relationship between organic and synthesised sounds on the record and its need to represent the area.

Moving to the coast had a more profound effect on Mikey than he imagined, as he explains; “Mostly it’s about a seismic shift in life.  I probably delayed growing up in a lot of ways, touring can kind of help that - it’s a fantasy world in some ways!  I hadn't really stopped to appreciate what I had until I got a little bit of time and space to think.  Being by the sea is good for that.  I realised how many positives there are in my life and I wanted to channel some of that into a record."  Unsurprisingly there are a lot of references to the sea, falling in love and friendship on the album. This is evident in songs such as as “Falling”, which is about proposing to his wife – something he swore blind he'd never do! - to “Pinata”, a song about handing over your heart, wrapping it in a piñata and giving someone the bat (in a humorous way). "Side by Side" is a reflection on having spent a lot of time with a group of people and that, hopefully, the Allo Darlin' friendship would always endure.

"West Coast" is another uptempo disco-vibe, reflecting on time spent with long term tour buddies The Wave Pictures in California. In "Home Bird", Mikey tried to pay homage to to the grooves of older RnB tunes with a simple arrangement, Rolling Stones-esque riffs and thoughts about the dichotomy of missing home, but loving being on the road. The finger-picked, delicately arranged acoustic song, "Moving On", was recorded in one take in the upstairs flat of a cafe/bar (called Caboose) that Mike opened with his wife when they first moved to Ramsgate. An airplane flew overhead at a seemingly poignant moment, so Mike decided to keep that take, as explains; "it seemed like a perfect moment captured!”.  

The album title “Hoick” is a word that he used without thinking when lifting and throwing his daughter in the air. He only noticed it when she started saying it back to him - “I like the way it sounded... it's  a strange word, but when I thought about what it meant it seemed to encapsulate what I wanted the record to do; to lift up”.

Although the making of the record was a solo endeavour, live he is joined by a crack-team of musicians. Whilst he plays guitar and sings, in addition to the afore mentioned Laura Kovic, and lifelong friend, guitar maestro Paul Rains, he is joined by drummer Ian Button (Death In Vegas, Papernut Cambridge) and Tom Parkinson on bass.

Of the album Mikey states: “This has been the first musical project that I feel proud of the moment I finished it.  Normally it takes a bit of time and perspective.  It feels as happy, conflicted and dense as the inside of my brain feels most of the time, which is the danger / joy of the solo record...” Collins deftly blends a solid rhythm section with disco beats and old school R&B grooves, layering the bass lines, guitars, synths and harmonies to build up each track sonically. The result is a shimmering and glittering record that bursts with joy and wonder.

“Collins – by accident or by design – has created a sun-drenched soundtrack to 2018’s summer heatwave, and much like the output of his old band Allo Darlin’, Hoik is a record ready and waiting to be fallen in love with.” London in Stereo

“I was initially remined just a bit of the Joe Jackson-Squeeze school of smart Brit pop; when it’s good it can be really good (e.g. “Home Bird,” where the foundation shifts to guitar, and the Brit folky “Moving”), but I kinda dig the synth-pop buoyancy more (shades of this mode lingers), and I hardly ever say that.” The Vinyl District [B]

“a summery solo album” Scottish Express [4/5]

“Hoick, the first solo album from Allo Darlin’ drummer Mikey Collins, is a real pleasure” Morning Star [4/5]

“Collins has made a mature, pleasant pop record here” Irish News

“Hoick is eminently accessible and satisfying summer music, and its songs quickly become like old friends that you welcome them into your life whenever you hear them.  And in that, there is some real magic.” When You Motor Away

“It's not that the release is amazingly tuneful and invigorating in such a way as to suggest something not dependent on rhythms (though it is), it's just that I can't think of many drummers who have this sort of ease with a hook.” A Pessimist Is Never Disappointed

“a reflective album inspired by his becoming a father and moving to the coast of England. Yet, it’s got a lot of tricks up its sleeve, perhaps intentionally traditionally catchy and pop-friendly to put you in a good or nostalgic mood.” Since I Left You

“For this album musical influences have been taken from Bruce Springsteen, Dexy’s Midnight Runners and Norman staff ‘favourite’ Father John Misty, to name a few.” Norman Records

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

Artist: Jessica's Brother
Title: Jessica's Brother
Format: 12" album on black vinyl | CD in digifile sleeve
Cat#: Fika065LP/Fika065CD
Release date: 20th July 2018
Bandcamp | Spotify | iTunes

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Jessica’s Brother is the eponymous debut album from London trio Jessica’s Brother, comprised of songwriter Tom Charleston, Jonny Helm (drums, also of The Wave Pictures) and Charlie Higgs (bass, previously of Ramshackle Union Band). Channelling the spirit of the Brothers Grimm to create an otherworldly atmosphere, they weave their motley influences together making a rich and eclectic vision, with nods to Silver Jews, Jason Molina, Nick Cave, Richard Thompson and Neil Young. There are themes of joy, anger and silliness in a carefully crafted world with a colourful cast of characters. 

The trio 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. The trio clicked immediately and just nine months later they recorded the album with Laurie Sherman at The Booze Cube in Stoke Newington, with input from Darren Hayman. A few other friends joined them in the studio, including Dan Mayfield (Enderby’s Room), who added a dose of Bad Seeds/Dirty Three vibes on the violin and Paul Rains (Allo Darlin’/Tigercats) lent a hint of country twang on guitar and slide guitar.

With Jessica’s Brother, we see Tom Charleston’s songwriting blossoming in to a tour de force. Influenced more by poets than other musicians, he cites John Ashbery, T.S. Eliot and Philip Larkin as inspirations. He is drawn to how they can be irreverent, unassuming and playful, as he explains; “I suppose I wanted to offer something lyrically engaging and hopefully different.” His modestly lofty ambitions have paid off, with ten startling individual vignettes telling their own stories from a variety of narrator’s points of view. 

He tackles difficult subjects such as gender equality and the destructive nature of masculinity. These can be seen in tracks such as “One Of The Guys”, about the toxic nature of being one of the guys in a predatory pack, lamenting the masculine essentialism owned and largely perpetuated by the male sex. The single “Overnight Horror” revolves around the macho-masculine nightmare where, as Charleston explains, “the world has gone head-over-heels shitward and the narrator is reduced to selling his daughter or his wife to stay alive.”

Album opener is the Silver Jews-esque “Getting Obscene”, which sprang from a sense of going nowhere fast, acknowledged in a repetitious revolving chord which becomes an immersive rock’n’roll meditation. The tone completely changes with the next track “All The Better”, which is a hushed, eerie folk song exploring the melancholy and optimism of breaching adolescence and the limbo before adulthood; a simple tale of growing up. 

“Humdinger” is perhaps the one song on the album where the narrator is at ease with himself and the world. Though there are moments where this tranquility is nudged by outside tremors, so we know this moment is ephemeral.

Weaving a variety of influences from jangly 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 new and enjoyable. The instruments clamber over each other in a small room, with Helm’s distinctive drumming counterbalances the gothic guitar thrums and wailing violin. Already lauded by the likes of The Guardian (for their first ever gig) and the Saatchi Magazine (for their first single), the scene is set for a bright future.

“You can tell there’s no blatant worship by the way the tunes roll out one after the other, akin to a pile of logs falling out the back of a lorry, as songs such as Getting Obscene, One of the Guys, Humdinger, Overnight Horror, and Cold White & Blue Day gain momentum as they roughly tumble.
Charleston’s song topics range from hurtful masculinity to gender equality. All told, downbeat music with traces of ragged glory.” Irish Times

“A lyrically deep debut from a young group beginning to find their sound as a band” Americana UK

“All in all a near perfect debut album that borrows from all the right bands, while making the sound their own given their individual skills coalescing in all the right spots. Long may they run.” Soundblab [9/10]

“These are finely crafted songs with great melodies, played rough and raw and with a lot of heart and soul. A great debut.” Crackle Feedback [4/5]

Stanley Brinks - Peanuts [12"/CD]

Artist: Stanley Brinks
Title: Peanuts
Format: 12" album on ruby red vinyl | CD in digifile sleeve
Cat#: Fika064LP | Fika064CD
Release date: 11th May 2018
Bandcamp | Spotify | iTunes

After releasing a pair of playful records alongside of The Wave Pictures, and two albums of folk shanties and old-time calypso with Norway’s folk troupe The Kaniks, Stanley Brinks’ next release for Fika Recordings is back to being a solo affair, albeit with collaborator and long time muse Clemence Freschard alongside Claire Falzon and Helene Nuland.

Stanley Brinks is renowned for his unique anti-folk style: both playful and suggestive, insightful and entertaining. 

Brinks was born in Paris, France, in 1973. He studied a bit of biology and worked as a nurse for a while. Half Swedish, half Moroccan, strongly inclined to travel the world, he soon began spending most of his life on the road and developed a strong relationship with New York. By the late 90s he’d become a full time singer-songwriter – André Herman Düne – as part of three piece indie-rock band, Herman Düne. Several albums and Peel sessions  later and after a decade of touring Europe, mostly with American songwriters such as Jeffrey Lewis, Calvin Johnson and early Arcade Fire he settled in Berlin. The early carnival music of Trinidad became a passion, and in the early 21st century he became the unquestioned master of European calypso, changing his name to Stanley Brinks. Under this moniker he has recorded more than 100 albums, collaborated with the New York Antifolk scene on several occasions, recorded and toured with traditional Norwegian musicians, and played a lot with The Wave Pictures.