Kakispäinen Koira – Miltä nyt tuntuu
Release Date: 23rd April 2024
Kaksipäinen Koira, or Two-Headed Dog in English, released their new single ‘Miltä nyt tuntuu’ in April this year, which later became part of their May 2024 album Paholaisen Temppeli (The Devil’s Temple).
Released by Helsinki-based record label All That Plazz, the 10th May saw Finnish punk and indie duo Kaksipäinen Koira’s newest repertoire, including the single ‘Miltä nyt tuntuu’, which translates to ‘how does it feel’ in English.
The song has elements of garage rock, 80s new wave and shoegaze, which reveals a rebellious yet emotional attitude that especially comes through in the chorus. Despite the lyrics being in Finnish, the song’s meaning of loving someone who isn’t there still comes through in their emotions and music.
Tero Huotori and Aliisa Keränen have created a gripping track using cutting melodies and fast-paced, aggressive drums. The drum beats and guitar are reminiscent of tracks like ‘Tick Tick Boom’ by The Hives.
Rating: 8/10
For fans of: Joy Division | The White Stripes | The Clash
Milkshed. – Fairweather Friend
Release Date: 24th April 2024
South-west English band Milkshed. released their new album Mud on 24th April 2024, containing gritty single ‘Fairweather Friend’. Members Cam Gallaher, Jake Tulley and Alf Grey used pop lyrics to a grunge melody to create this catchy, yet emotional song.
‘Fairweather Friend’, means a person dependable in the good times, but not the bad, and Gallaher has created a track about shedding the unnecessary weight that we gather in relationships. This really comes through in the mature choice of lyrics, specifically the line ‘is your head in love, is your heart a distraction’. It pulls elements of alternative rock and grunge, producing an impassioned piece, juxtaposed by its peppy guitar.
Milkshed. managed to get London-based recording engineer Adrian Bushby to produce the full album, who previously worked with bands like The Foo Fighters and New Order. His efficiency and style definitely come through in the track.
Rating: 9/10
For fans of: The Killers | Pearl Jam | Pixies
Shoun Shoun – We Woke The Monster
Release Date: 21st April 2024
Founded in Berlin and now based in Bristol, Shoun Shoun released their single ‘We Woke The Monster’ on 21st April 2024. The use of cascading drums combined with angular melodies creates an eccentric-sounding track.
Shoun Shoun’s members Annette Berlin, Boris Ming, Ole Rudd and Jack Monro have incorporated elements of noise pop and post-punk to make a psychedelic song about the mundaneness of life. The band have created a track about waking up in this life and just walking away from it all, which they do well with the story the lyrics tell.
Berlin’s vocals are reminiscent of Alanis Morrisette’s, plunging the listener into a state of cool anxiousness as she sings. She also uses spoken words at the end of sentences to convey a dive into chaos. Accompanied by distant wolf howls throughout, they create a dissonant atmosphere comparable to 80s and 90s shoegaze.
Rating: 8/10
For fans of: Morrisette | The Cure | My Bloody Valentine
Rise of Asura – Obsession
Release Date: 4th April 2024
Norway’s own Rise of Asura released their brand new single ‘Obsession’ on 5th April 2024, featuring the musical talents of Benjin Zane (vocals and guitar), Frank Frankenstein (bass) and Herman Hollywood (drums).
Hailing from Fredrikstad, Norway, the trio uses contemplative lyrics to delve into the personal struggles and emotions we all feel as humans, with the use of passionate lyrics revealing an introspective take on life.
The first note pulls the listener into an aggressive and punchy metal number with tempo changes throughout the entire piece, signifying a descent into madness.
Obsession is an energetic, yet melodic track that pulls from metal, alternative and classic rock; even dipping its toe into the emo pool with some expressive and emotional lyrics. A good display of the influence these genres have on the song is where the guitar becomes lighter during the chorus and much heavier during the verses.
Rating: 7/10
For fans of: Metallica | Black Sabbath | Twenty One Pilots