Speedmarket Avenue

<< previous news

next news >>

17/11/2008

AU REVOIR SIMONE [usa] - THE GENTLE PEOPLE [uk] - NICK GARRIE [uk] - SPEEDMARKET AVENUE [sw]

We are releasing four fantastic and exclusive vinyl singles

Au Revoir Simone “Summer lines”
ER-262 Single 7" - Limited edition [Red vinyl]
Tracklist: 01. Summer lines 02. Haunted house
Of all the groups launched in the past five years, without a doubt, AU REVOIR SIMONE is one of the most refreshing and succulent bands for true pure pop lovers. Restoring once again the spirit of our Singles Club (Club de Single), along with our idea of releasing exclusive singles of our favourite artists, we contacted the Brooklyn trio and enticed them with what you have in your hands, a delicious special edition seven inch vinyl in red, with an exquisite photo on the cover (courtesy of Anna Di Prospero, our favourite Italian photographer) which perfectly depicts the feminine universe of AU REVOIR SIMONE. Their influences include MODEST MOUSE, STEREOLAB, PAVEMENT, THE BEACH BOYS, Björk, BROADCAST, BELLE & SEBASTIAN, GUTHER, LALI PUNA and MS. JOHN SODA. In the autumn of 2003, they formed a group with just keyboards and antique synthesizers. Two delicious albums, various singles and a recent release of a compilation of covers and remixes are their legacy to date. This legacy has sparked passions around the world and has allowed them to tour half the globe, as well. A few of their songs have been included in the famous television series, “Grey’s Anatomy” and have been special guests of David Lynch at the signing of his book, “Catching the Big Fish”.

Similar to their music, they are adorable, dreamy, simple and delicate, and this is why many people compare them to the sisters in “The Virgin Suicides”, the first film of Sofia Coppola and NME has described them as the missing link between LADYTRON and CAMERA OBSCURA. They are all of this and more! The new single is a small gift from heaven and “Summer Lines” is as delightful as a summer afternoon on the beach, a melancholic, sad and cold tune, yet sweet and angelic at the same time. “Haunted House” is a glorious instrumental which takes us to the decade of the seventies when the explosion of techno-pop inundated the shelves in music stores and instrumental songs were a huge part of the first albums of OMD, KRAFTWERK, RHEINGOLD, EL AVIADOR DRO and THE HUMAN LEAGUE, authentic futuristic harmonies of outer space entities.

+ INFO and AUDIO:
http://www.elefant.com/new-releases
MYSPACE:
http://www.myspace.com/aurevoirsimone

The Gentle People “Plastic city”
ER-264 Single 7" - Limited edition
Tracklist: 01. Plastic city 02. Naughty Nauga
With their 1994 release of their first single, “Journey”, THE GENTLE PEOPLE have automatically turned into one of Elefant’s favourites with their delicious mix of unique and exotic pop sweetening their songs with admirable elements for Elefant: soundtracks from the 60’s and 70’s, easy-listening, French pop from the sixties, Moog and analogical keyboards, Japanese pop, science fiction films, Hugo Montenegro and cosmic music...The fruit of this admiration is this single we are presenting now, a special limited edition bound for the most sophisticated and hedonistic dance floors..
GENTLE PEOPLE vocalist Dougee Dimensional classifies “Plastic city” as a “hard-hitting post- millennial groove espousing the beauty of plastic surgery, collagen, and a little tuck behind the ear. 'You love the knife, it made your life, OH YEAH!', while "Naughty nauga" extols the virtues of a mischievous unidentified space creature...”

International court Euro-disco, a musical cocktail mixing equal parts of ST ETIENNE, DENIM, JACNO, BAXENDALE, SCISSOR SISTERS, Piero Umiliani, SHAMPOO, ANDREAS DORAU, LIO, DUBSTAR and LIME with the last generation of Japanese pop: HAZEL NUTS CHOCOLAT, CAPSULE and FANTASTIC PLASTIC MACHINE.

Formed as a result of an artistic collective of musicians, graphic designers and characters from other walks of life hitting the London music scene in 1993. Their sound had an immediate impact with Richard D. James (APHEX TWIN) who proposed to release one of their songs on his label, Rephlex Records, according to NME. "The coolest record label in the world", “Journey” received acclaimed reviews and their success helped to create a new style of lounge music called coined “Chill-out”. Two albums, various singles, numerous songs scattered about on many compilations (“Café del Mar”, “Big Chill”, “Radio Nova”...), TV shows, advertisements, mixes and collaborations with artists such as APHEX TWIN, URSULA 1000, PIZZICATO 5, Towa Tei (DEEE-LITE), FANTASTIC PLASTIC MACHINE and MANSFIELD, along with the recent release in digital format on iTunes on various compilations and exclusive singles is just another one of the amazing feats of THE GENTLE PEOPLE.

+ INFO and AUDIO:
http://www.elefant.com/new-releases
MYSPACE:
http://www.myspace.com/gentlepeople

Nick Garrie “Twilight”
ER-265 Single 7" - Limited edition
Tracklist : 01. Twilight 02. In every nook and cranny
Its big news for Elefant to have the privilege to discover an underground composer and witness and participate in his musical rebirth. Nick Garrie debuted with “The Nightmare of JB Stanislas”, a psychedelic folk album published in 1969 and produced by Eddie Vartan (Sylvie Vartan’s brother) but remained in the warehouse of the label, DiscAZ after the owner committed suicide immediately following the release of the album. Despite the fact that the copies of this magical album were scarce and the high price for collectors (more than 1,200 euros), it was admired throughout various decades. Leonard Cohen himself personally praised Nick on their joint tour in Spain in the eighties, announcing that he would have loved to have composed some of the songs of the album. He took part in luxurious collaborations, such as those in infamous soundtracks, along with Francis Lai (Oscar winner for “Love Story” and in charge of “Un homme et a femme”, “Vivir por Vivir”, “Bilitis”, “Dark Eyes” and “Emmanuelle”).
The scarce musical activity of this British composer is seen today thanks to the participation of the well known Scottish pop scene: Duglas T. Stewart (BMX BANDITS), Norman Blake (TEENAGE FANCLUB), Ally Kerr (his true guardian angel) and the entourage of musicians who have rendered their services to record the next album, “49 Arlington Gardens”, including Francis Lai, who authors, along with Nick, one of the most romantic moments of the album. For now, the single “Twilight” is a magnificent appetizer designed in a special limited edition vinyl, clearly demonstrating the preciousness which reigns in the melodies of this composer. Today he is recognized more than ever, along with the names of Donovan and Nick Drake. In January of 2009, his long awaited album will be released.

+ INFO and AUDIO:
http://www.elefant.com/bands/nick-garrie
MYSPACE:
http://www.myspace.com/nickgarrie

Speedmarket Avenue “Don't fall in love”
ER-266 Single 7" - Limited edition [Red vinyl]
Tracklist: 01. Don’t fall in love 02. Dying in Africa
“Don’t fall in love” is the second single taken from “Way Better Now,” the second full length album of SPEEDMARKET AVENUE. The self-titled and previous released song of the album has turned itself into a total international indie-pop hit. Steve Lamacq chose this tune as single of the week on his BBC program and music journalists riddled the album with praise as it counted on the magic and wisdom of Jari Haapalainen (Producer of ED HARCOURT, THE BEART QUARTET, THE CONCRETES and CAMERA OBSCURA among others), although to have such a well-rounded full length, it is very important to have terrific songs and SPEEDMARKET AVENUE has plenty of them like the one which is the protagonist of the new single. “Don’t Fall in Love” is an instant classic, a short traditional song, the perfect pop tune with a contagious verse and a dazzling chorus. It comes so close to the in love and out-of-love music of sixties pop groups similar to THE SMITHS, LADYBUG TRANSISTOR, THE RAW HERBS and the early songs of AZTEC CAMERA. On the B side of this red special limited edition vinyl is "Dying in Africa," a heart-rending, intimate and melancholic cover of the Swedish Italian disco electro-pop duo NICOLAS MAKELBERGE.

Johan Lundin and Arvid Ringborg were in charge of putting images together for “Don’t Fall in Love” creating a fun video narrating the typical story of a band playing at the wrong event where they are out of place, a private party with terrible guests who do not jive well with the group.

+ INFO, AUDIO and VIDEO:
http://www.elefant.com/bands/speedmarket-avenue
MYSPACE:
http://www.myspace.com/speedmarketavenue

ELEFANT: we are releasing 4 fantastic and exclusive vinyl singles ?LONG LIVE VINYL!
picture: AU REVOIR SIMONE [usa] - THE GENTLE PEOPLE [uk] - NICK GARRIE [uk] - SPEEDMARKET AVENUE [sw]
17/11/2008