Sneaky Pete's

Better known in the States than here, Scanners formed 5 years ago in London when Sarah and Mat, bored of playing guitar for other people started writing songs together. Their debut was self-produced but they had some help with the mixing from Sarah’s boss Stephen Hague, veteran producer of acts such as New Order, Blur and Pet shop boys amongst others. They would later ask him to help them produce their second album, ‘Submarine’.

By a strange twist of fate LA based Dimmak Records boss Steve Aoki heard one of the tracks through the magic of the internet and arranged to meet up with the band on a trip to London. After a meeting and a visit to rehearsal he declared his desire to release ‘Violence is Golden’ out in the States. It was released on the much critical approval from people such as Perez Hilton, Aversion and the LA Times.

During Extensive West Coast touring with Datarock, Forward Russia, the Horrors and the Dim Mak crew ended in a performance on Carson Daly Show (syndicated coast to coast in the US).

Their music has been played on many hit American shows such as ‘Gossip Girl’ , ‘Entourage’, ‘90210’, ‘One tree hill’ ‘Human Target’ and ‘Life’. Mat also appeared in the hit show ‘Law and Order’ but not for very long. Their single ‘Lowlife’ was also used in the motion pictures ‘Mamma’s boy’ and ‘Endgame’, a story about apartheid in South Africa. The song ‘Raw’ was featured on Channel 4’s ‘Fashion Rocks’ and was a hit with EA gamers ice hockey fans.

Their debut was finally released in Europe over the next few years and Scanners toured headlining and also supporting Devo, Air, The Charlatans and Juliette Lewis.

Weird circumstances have delayed their second album’s UK release, so that we’re only now set to enjoy the sound of 2009’s Submarine, again recorded with Stephen Hague, from which Salvation is the lead single.

Pop notes: Their wierdest gig was one of their first when they played to an audience of just Tim Burton and two friends.

Lower Dens formed in 2009, when Hunter set about finding a full-time band. Though equalling beguiling, Lower Dens is a giant leap away from the creaking and odd folk she first released on Devendra Banhart’s label.

Swarming guitar fuzz, bass waves, Jana Hunter’s voice, and insistent drum throbs are the core components of Baltimore’s Lower Dens. Hunter, sometimes known for intimate, ghost-heavy weird-fi, is now writing and playing with a group that might get filed as new wave, or drone pop, or post-punk. With due deference to her solo work, we’re very glad.

The swarming wave-throb, coupled with Hunter’s lyrics and redolent, charred voice, wrecks.

The band’s upcoming record, Twin-Hand Movement, is eleven perfect songs long. From opener “Blue & Silver” (anxiety mounts at a quick clip until the final climactic release) to “Plastic & Powder” (a churning, narcotic slow-burner) to “Hospice Gates” (penultimate album cut, proud weirdo anthem, possible creative zenith), not one is a space-taker. They’re rife with the survivalist paranoia you’d expect from residents of a post-urban port hole (and this particular songwriter), crafted methodically and beautifully, and carry you enthusiastically out into the rolling breaks of industrial filth-water.

House specialists Steven and Stewart play some special house.

Blog feat. mixes etc here.

Last month was quite an adventure, expect more of the same only more so…