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  1. Shirley Collins – ‘Death And The Lady

“She burns as passionately and beautifully as ever, a fountain of snow and flame, a queen singing over a dreaming land. For me, and for many others,she is the Secret, and True, Queen of England”David Tibet, Current 93

One of the true living legends of English folk music, Shirley Collins, aged 81, is back after three decades of retirement due to a form of dysphonia, a condition linked to psychological trauma that stops the voice working properly.

From the late 50’s to the late 70’s Shirley Collins released many seminal albums, as soloist, often paired with her sister Dolly and was also the stunning and key voice of the English folk rock revival with The Albion Country Band.

Only the gentle and dedicated persuasion of her huge fan, Current 93’s David Tibet, was able to break through her wall of reluctance and finally in 1995 her voice gifted his song ‘The Stars Are Marching Sadly Home‘ (a firmly Nick Cave favourite) from the album ‘All The Pretty Little Horses’ and played also a couple of gigs with  Current 93.

The beautiful Lady was back…her astonishing and timeless voice, the sound of her heart, the sound of her soul….

“[The video]… captures the sinister quality of the song, the inevitability of Death coming to us all. The setting in the ossuary at Hythe (and in the crypt of St Leonard’s Church E.D.) is chilling, yet calm, almost tender; and the appearance of the hooden horses is so wonderfully strange and unsettling.”—Shirley Collins

Fabrizio Lusso

  1. Hoarfrost – ‘Refracted In Illusion

Hoarfrost have just released the first video for their album ‘Anima Mundi‘. The video for ‘Refracted In Illusion‘ depicts the opposing forces of beauty and destruction. ‘Anima Mundi‘ is a unique and experimental soundscape filled with industrial noises, operatic female vocals, distorted guitars, and enough emotion to guide one through the apocalyptic wastelands, that were once our glorious Mother Earth.

Michael Barnett

  1. White Lung– ‘Sister

I chose White Lung‘s ‘Sister‘, out of their latest ‘Paradise‘ l.p. A punk, wave, U.S. style, raging song with a story behind it. The video is made by Justin Gradin & Ben Jacques and…”In a lonely world a man seeks to find love through his telephone…”. Read the lyrics included, and listen loud!!!

Mike Dimitriou

  1. Hot Hot Heat – ‘Pulling Levers

Pulling Levers‘ is an indie pop love song about being left but using complicated self defense strategies in order not to be hurt. It is from the fifth, self – titled and final for their career album, as the Canadian Hot Hot Heat have announced. The album was released on June 24th, but ‘Pulling Levers‘ video was published just a few days ago.  Hot Hot heat were formed back in 1999, with some lineup changes, but front man, vocalist and keyboardist Steve Bays and drummer Paul Hawley remain until this final album.

Trivia-wise we could mention that their most succesful album according to Billboard is their debut ‘Make Up The Breakdown‘ (Sub Pop, 2002), since it remained in the category of independent albums for 48 weeks, peaking on the 5th position. And their hit single is ‘Bandages‘ which remained for 18 weeks in the category of alternative songs, peaking on the 19th position.

Eleftheria Gesou

  1. God In A Cone – ‘God In A Cone’

God In A Cone is the personal music vehicle of Nick Marinos (Madleaf, iola 11, Slitherum) and this homonym gem, is taken from GIAC’s debut ‘Agrypnia‘. Synth-based rock at its best with catchy melodies that will ‘glue’ on your mind for a very long time. Try this…cause God never tasted so sweet….

Christos Doukakis

Compiled by  Fabrizio Lusso, Michael Barnett, Mike Dimitriou, Eleftheria Gesou  & Christos Doukakis