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21.10.2022 #music #pop rock #release

On the shelves now! Pop/Rock (November-December 2022)

ROME “Hegemonikon” LP (due out November 25, 2022)

‘Hegemonikon’ is ROMEs 17th album and holds a few daring surprises: On this new album, the influences of electronica and new wave have shaped ROME’s trademark guitar-based dark folk into a new beast by adding a subtle touch of post-punk synth-rock to the mix. Ever since the band’s inception by Luxembourg-born mastermind and multi-instrumentalist Jerome Reuter in 2005, ROME has displayed resilience and constitution found only in Olympic athletes when it comes to releasing hard-hitting, bullet-proof albums every single year.

The album delivers iconic, synth-driven hymns like ‘No Second Troy’, ‘Solar Caesar’ and ‘Hearts Mend’, by which ROME enhances its already vast sonic universe.’ Hegemonikon’ is steeped in high drama, each track spilling into the next like a dystopian opera. With its themes of defiance, the holy and the vertical, this masterpiece is a new landmark for the band. What keeps ROME relevant is its constant dealings with matters of the European soul in an ever-changing modern world. ‘Hegemonikon’ is a bold musical statement and demonstrates that ROME, in its 17th year of existence, is not content to coast on the coattails of their back catalogue, but is able to surprise its vast audience with another hard-hitting album made of anthemic songs.

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Scarred “p A t i E n C e” EP

Crushing live performances, relentless energy and a tidal wave of melodic atmospheres and ear-catching hooks have made Scarred one of the standard-bearers for the Luxembourgish metal community. Originally a thrash metal project, the band was formed in 2003 by drummer Laurent Kessel and guitarist Diogo Bastos. Drawing on a broad range of influences from the periphery of the metal spectrum (Pink Floyd, Tool…), their sound has matured into a feral blend of technical extremes fused with 90’s metal, creating a proliferate buzz around this five-piece.

After releasing their long awaited self-titled LP in January 2021, Scarred retreated into a cabin in the woods to write new music. The band wanted to relinquish control and see what would come out if they isolated themselves from the outside world. As described in a recent announcement, “there were no pre-written riffs, ideas or lyrics. No blast-beats, no double bass. We only had a variety of instruments, our voices and an open mind at our disposal. It’s always difficult to put music into words but terms such as “psychedelic”, “atmospheric”, “emotional” and “hypnotic” would definitely come to mind as far as describing this 4-song EP called ‘p A t i E n C e,'” due out December 2, 2022.

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TUYS “Open Ears On A Straitjacket Party” (part of forthcoming LP, out 2023)

What if reality becomes a service? And what if discussions distort? In their upcoming album (due out in 2023) and short film, TUYS turn into Reality Management Ltd., a company selling realities to frustrated clients. It is scheduled to be released over the course of the next eight months and aimed at discussing alternative truths in times of echo chambers and polarisation.

The first single to be released from the LP, “Open Ears On A Straitjacket Party,” is a song as confusing as both its title and the year it was written in (2020). It is a track about distorted public discussion and the entanglement of subjective and objective realities. The video reveals the back office of Reality Management Ltd. and the short film’s protagonist Thomas Tank.

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Seed To Tree “Rip-Off Game”

Combining thoughtful lyrics with catchy melodies is what four musicians from Luxembourg have been doing for more than ten years now. Melancholy with lightness, welcome to the indie-pop band Seed to Tree.

On the new single Rip-Off Game, the Luxembourgers move along dream-pop paths, combining acoustic folk elements from their early musical phase with analogue synthesizers and spherical guitars. After their successful album Proportions in 2019 with over 5 million streams and many international support shows for bands such as Beirut, The Temper Trap, James Bay, Snow Patrol and Tears For Fears, Seed to Tree also strike new musical paths on Rip-Off Game.

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CHAiLD “Italo Daddy”

On the back of CHAiLD’s recent signing with Beast Records, the 24-year old electro-pop artist has released his latest single, “Italo Daddy.” CHAiLD’s unique, soothing, yet intense voice grabs you by the gut, only to let it go with a rush of exhilaration and a tear in your eye. Catchy hooks and ear-worm melodies ; that’s how CHAiLD has managed to establish himself as one of the most promising and undeniable young artists from the Grand Duchy’s musical landscape. His melancholic universe combines the Italian and Portuguese musical influences he grew up with alongside his own take on modern electro-pop. Think elements of Troye Sivan’s hooks and Woodkid’s cinematography with the attitude of a young Oscar and the Wolf.

Speaking of the single, CHAiLD mentioned in a recent post that “this one is for the younger me who thought he would never belong. It’s for young Adriano who thought something was wrong with him, who spent years and years scared and ashamed of himself. I’m turning 24 today, but I really feel like life has just started.”

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The Ferocious Few “Compassion”

Americana punk-rockers The Ferocious Few blend high-paced rock ’n’ roll, folk lyrics, a punk edge and a rockabilly sensibility. Think Johnny Cash meets Nirvana. They pull decades of the human experience directly into their sound and show, having performed national tours opening for artists such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Moby, Shooter Jennings, Billy Idol, The Led Zeppelin Experience with Jason Bonham, and a surplus of noteworthy acts. Their rousing guitar riffs and drum kicks have caught the attention of larger stages and festivals such as Coachella, SXSW, Lightning In A Bottle, Burning Man, Noise Pop, and most recently the Reeperbahn Festival. 

Frontman Francisco Fernandez says the lyrics behind their latest single are an “open call for Compassion, to understand why we fail to empathise and love, no matter the circumstances. As musicians and culture creators, we are in a constant fight for attention, our data to be collected and analysed to create better products and manipulate emotions. Compassion is a call to transform these tools into ways to help each other, not just profit. To come back home to ourselves to our purpose, not just stop at the facade of what is being sold to us.’

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PTOLEMEA “Fado”

Priscila Da Costa (a.k.a. PTOLEMEA) presents her new single and videoclip, “Fado,” which she has chosen to perform in her mother tongue, Portuguese. The release of Ptolemea’s debut album, planned for January 2023, is getting close… Far from the image of traditional fado, this intense title with mysterious sounds and images, defines more and more PTOLEMEA’s musical identity.

Recorded by Sacha Hanlet (aka Falcon the Producer, Them Lights), Fado was mixed by Charel Stoltz (Holz Sound, LU) and mastered by Jon Tornblom from ‘Transparent-mastering (CA) and written by Priscila Da Costa. It was in Luxembourg that she wanted to shoot this new music video: the lights of the city in the distance, an incipient fire at the edge of the fields… 

PTOLEMEA celebrates their fifth anniversary this year and continues to advance on the path of its destiny with an ever more bewitching pagan rock, dark folk sound. This new single “Fado” confirms the musical intentions and the vision of the artist.

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Edsun “Who I Am”

EDSUN is a multidimensional force from Luxembourg combining contemporary dance and R&B to create bold and uplifting Art. His inspiration comes from energy sources like SZA, Jannelle Monae and Beyoncé with his abundant creativity and artistic direction best expressed in his live shows and visuals. EDSUN strives to be remembered as a performer that stood up for something, a badass risk taker, incorporating social issues deeply into his art, effectively creating a discourse around subjects. During a successful summer festival season, Edsun released this new single “Who I Am” and recently announced his official signing with Beast Records.

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Josh Island “Make It”

As a vocal powerhouse, soulful songwriter and engaging live performer, Josh Island has been steadily growing a loyal fan base across Western Europe. He draws inspirations from Sting, Dave Matthews Band or John Mayer, a dynamic blend of singer-songwriter pop with influences of soul and folk. But at its core lies Josh’s unique ability to connect with the crowd – no matter how small or large the venue, his interactive shows remain printed in memory forever.

For his latest EP, ‘Love Don’t Come Easy’, Josh travelled to Portugal to work with producer Nelson Canoa (Sara Tavares, Carminho, Rita Guerra), with contributions by members of The Black Mamba (Eurovision 2021) and renowned arranger Luis Figueiredo. The singles ‘Fire In You’ and ‘Love Don’t Come Easy’ achieved national airplay in Germany and Luxembourg. Out of this collaboration flourished true international friendships – and Josh and Nelson continue to work together today.

His latest single “Make It” is about going your own way, no matter what other people say. His debut album is expected in the Fall of 2023. 

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CHECK OUT MORE OF THE LATEST LUXEMBOURGISH RELEASES VIA THE “MADE IN LUXEMBOURG” SPOTIFY PLAYLIST : 

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