With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

Music reviews, gig reviews, fun trivia and extra added random stuff!

“Lo”(Featuring Malahat Haddad) – Hiatus October 21, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 9:58 pm
Tags: , , , ,

“Lo” is another release in advance of British-Iranian producer Hiatus’ fifth album and it is exquisitely different and achingly beautiful. It is built on a subdued and haunting piano motif which feels like Italian House in a classical style. The track seamlessly fuses DnB with classical Iranian music which is what helps to make it so wonderfully different. After the piano refrain and drum and bass kick in a deep, mournful tone is added by Faraz Eshghi Sahraei’s kamancheh (a traditional Iranian string instrument). Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better we are treated to the ethereal, heavenly voice of Malahat Haddad. It creates a sound like a butterfly dancing on stars of honey. Hiatus spoke about the track and said “DnB was what got me into electronic music, I spent my teens and early 20s raving and DJing at house parties. But it has very few followers in Iran, and I was nervous about asking Malahat to sing on this one, because it’s so far from her musical world. But when I played her the track she loved it, and was singing along before it finished. The result is easily my favourite of our collaborations so far. Maybe it’ll even turn a few Iranians onto the form.” This track is simply gorgeous, you need music like this in your life!

If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, EMail. Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch.

 

“Falling For It” – Loveworms

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 9:15 pm
Tags: , , ,

Loveworms from Gdansk in Poland describe themselves as a fresh, moxie, crank wave band! On the strength of their new single “Falling For It” I would not argue with that description, but I would add punk with a capital P. This song is an electrifying anthemic punk song. For me, it has a mood of early Stranglers recordings alongside the 21st-century punky energy of bands like Amyl & the Sniffers. They only formed in January of this year and they apparently already have an album recorded. On the strength of this song, that album will be an absolute banger! Loveworms are Kat, Adaho, Vreen, and Miłosz and they fucking rock!

If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, EMail. Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch.

 

“Antelope” – Lost Trends October 20, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 4:09 pm
Tags: ,

Lost Trends are back baby, and with a huge, I mean HUGE banger of a tune, “Antelope”. It is a classic dance sound with a Madchester attitude spliced with a post-punk vocal from Rusty. This will blow the roof of the Uni Disco and if it doesn’t get a lot of airplay then there is far more wrong with the world than we know. I bloody love this track.

If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, EMail. Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch.

 

“The Middle Of Lidl” – Goldie Lookin’ Chain

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 3:31 pm
Tags: , , ,

Goldie Lookin’ Chain addresses all the big questions on their new single “The Middle Of Lidl”. According to the band it is a rap on the meaning of life and asks; Why did the chicken cross the road? Why do men have nipples? And what’s another word for Thesaurus? Among many others. But while it is all of these things it is essentially a celebration of the magical, mystical, madness that is the middle of Lidl (I reckon you could say the same about Aldi, but that doesn’t rhyme as well). GLC has been around for more than 20 years and with this new track, they prove they still have it! I hope Lidl plays this in-store or uses it as part of their Christmas advertising campaign this year!

If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, EMail. Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch.

 

‘All You Can Eat’ EP – Molly Rymer

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 2:46 pm
Tags: ,

Leeds singer-songwriter Molly Rymer has just released her EP ‘All You Can Eat’ and it is stunning, with six perfectly formed songs. An all-you-can-eat buffet means for one price you can eat as much as you like and trust me you will want to consume this beautiful musical buffet again and again. Kicking off with the sad and melancholy “Cowards And Heroes” a song which reminded me lyrically of some of the complex, emotional songs that George Michael wrote. Songs like “Older” and “Jesus To A Child”. Many of Molly’s songs deal in raw, passionate, and poignant tales of life and relationships, and the effortless, grace of “Something That Survives” epitomises that talent. There is an underlying jazz feel to “Say The Same” which is an upbeat tune with what feels like some deep and dark lyrics.

“Sleeptalking” showcases Molly’s wonderful confessional style of writing and performing. It is a delicate and gorgeous song in which her voice is the star, floating across the music like an angel’s wings. She has a soulful style and it feels like she is singing just for you. It feels almost fully formed, but “Just A Kiss” is a demo. It is just Molly using her voice and acoustic guitar with some exquisite multi-tracked harmonies. The sadness seeps through the notes and chords on this one. The EP closes with “Two Years This May” which is probably my favourite track on the EP. Everything is perfect; voice, music, and performance, and Molly delivers it with impassioned and expressive soulfulness. I have played the whole EP at least three times in 24 hours and it will get many more plays in the coming weeks and months. I was lucky enough to interview Molly in July, click here to listen.

If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, EMail. Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch.

 

“Do Wrong” – Leo Vann October 19, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 8:38 pm
Tags: , , ,

Leo Vann is an Austin, Texas-based musician and multimedia artist and he has just released the first single from his album ‘In Color’ which launches next year. The single is called “Do Wrong”. The song is chilled to perfection and sounds like the Cocteau Twins had they been produced by the Avalanches and were broadcasting the song from Mars. The vocal is haunting, ethereal, otherworldly, and truly bewitching. This is a luxurious and sumptuous song that made me feel good seconds after it began. I want more of this, please!

If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, EMail. Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch.

 

“Fortune” – Dead Chic

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 6:41 am
Tags: , , , , , , ,

Dead Chic is a collaboration between Damien Felix (Catfish) and Andy Balcon (Heymoonshaker). They used to run into each other while touring with their respective bands, spoke about collaborating, and finally came together in 2020. Why did they get together? Based on their new single “Fortune” clearly to make awesome rock music. The meaty, explosive percussion sound opens and drives the song, making it hard to ignore. That mountainous drum sound is created by Rémi Ferbus. Balcon’s vocal talents are immense and as a listener, you are drawn into this track as though he is a dark, but ultimately good, preacher sermonising on what life as a human in huge cities is like and how we can, and sometimes fail to cope with it. The guitar soundscapes from Felix are immense and soulful. “Fortune” is a taster for their new album, ‘Serenades & Damnation’, which is out next month. This song, which has a hopeful mood, deserves to be huge. Make it so good people of the world!

If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, EMail. Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch.

 

“Behelit” – Slaughter To Prevail October 18, 2024

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 9:29 pm
Tags: , , , ,

Do you like metal? Do you like metal with orchestration? Do you like harmonious growly metal vocals? If you answered yes to all of these questions you will fucking love “Behelit”, the new single from Slaughter To Prevail. The colossal meaty riffs punch you into a screaming bloody mess and the pummeling bass and drums mesmerise you into further submission. “Behelit” will occupy your soul and never let you go! This is a truly epic tune. The Russian band of mighty metallers control an extensive arsenal of metal sounds. All are showcased in this song. A Behelit is a significant and mysterious artifact with powerful and dark properties in the manga series “Berserk” by Kentaro Miura.

Frontman Alex Terrible said this of the track “I don’t usually watch anime, it’s not for me, but ‘Berserk’ is different. Guts, the main character, he is not like any other warrior. His determination to become the strongest fighter—this is something to respect. But what really gets to me is how he is shown—ruthless, unstoppable, yet with some hidden vulnerability, like you never know what he will do next. Guts is not just fighting enemies; he is battling demons from another world, trying to save humanity from things beyond understanding. What’s interesting is, he doesn’t think of himself as a hero—many times, it seems like he even hates the responsibility of protecting others. But still, his honor makes him continue, driven by something much deeper than just glory. His huge sword is like a symbol of his strength—it’s almost like a metaphor for life. We all have our burdens to carry, and it’s on us to deal with them the best way we can. Actually, my Kid of Darkness character, I take a lot from Guts. There is something very strong, very real in how Guts fights, and I want to show this. Kid of Darkness, it is not only about being brutal—it is about fight inside, like you carry heavy things you never ask for, but still you face them. Guts, he never gives up, even when everything around him is bad, this is what I feel close to. This way of thinking, it is what I try to do in my life, on stage and not on stage too.” Get this magnificent slice of metal into your life right now!

If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, EMail. Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch.

 

“Ballad 3 (Jamaica ’59)” – HerOrangeCoat

Filed under: Review — justwilliam1959 @ 4:29 pm
Tags: , ,

HerOrangeCoat’s new single, “Ballad 3 (Jamaica ’59)”, is out and it is the third instalment toward her EP ‘Ballads for this Age’. This one is my favourite so far, it flows like a river enriched with Joni Mitchell’s essence. The music is understated, but excellent, and Georgia’s voice is spectacular and perfect. It has folk, jazz, and soft rock entwined throughout. Like the previous two songs in the collection, it feels very personal. The EP is due out next month and I believe it will be something special indeed!

If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, EMail. Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch.

 

“John Coltrane’s Moscow Skyscraper” – Avalanche Party


The new Avalanche Party song has arrived and as with all recent singles, it makes me think that their long-awaited sophomore album could easily become the album of the year. It is called “John Coltrane’s Moscow Skyscraper”. It starts in an almost chilled, subdued way and then transforms into an absolute monster as it moves to a mountainous, manic, maniacal conclusion. This is 100% psych-metal with a slight hint of LCD Sound System, but much, much darker. Jordan’s voice sounds like it might be careering up from the depths of hell and the sound might be the band smashing Satan into tiny pieces. Probably the best Avalanche Party single this year, and probably one of their best ever too. The video is spectacular too.

If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog, or follow us on; Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, EMail. Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch.