Who are they?
The Android Angel is one of the two musical projects of multi-instrumentalist Paul Coltofeanu from Surrey, UK. The other is the acclaimed, surreal pop-fantasy of Free Swim (As heard on Radio 1, 6music and at our gig last February).

What do they sound like?
He cites Sparklehorse, Beck, Eels, Brolin, Spiritualized and Air, but let’s see what BBC 6Music’s Tom Robinson has to say about them:

“Reigate’s most musical son – the startlingly talented and prolific Paul Coltofeanu. Not content with the ever growing success of Free Swim he returns here to his alternative persona as The Android Angel to charm the pants off readers this weekend with this cheeky slice of twee electropop.

It seems to me that Paul’s increasingly assured approach to musicmaking depends partly on a whimsical approach and exceedingly light touch so that he never appears to be taking the importance of his work too earnestly.

Yet also on a real seriousness of execution so that his songs and recordings are all quietly crafted to perfection. Here is an artist to watch in 2013 because – to coin a cliche – whatever he comes up with next, you can always expect the unexpected.”

Or you could take a listen to the brand new track ‘Her Shoulders’ that was released on Soundcloud this morning. Hot off the press.

What have they got to say for themselves?
“‘Chicago John’ & ‘Her Shoulders’ are taken from the Lie Back and Think of England LP, out later this year on Sex Farm Records (R1 Huw Stephens’ “Label of Love” 07/12).

Written during summer 2011 while volunteering on a farm in the Romanian mountains, on a Water Buffalo reserve in the Ukraine, sat on the banks of Varosliget Lake in Budapest and in the squares and parks of Berlin, I spent the following year recording the album in the downtime between writing and touring the first four Free Swim EPs.

The unique story of the album’s creation, and the eclectic, melodic, experimental music thereon ensure that it promises to be quite unlike anything else released in 2013.”

What releases should you look out for?
“Lie Back and Think of England” LP out 2013. Selected tracks previewing at soundcloud.com/theandroidangel

Where can I find out more?
Take your pick from any of these online sources below:

soundcloud.com/theandroidangel
facebook.com/theandroidangel
twitter.com/theandroidangel
theandroidangel.bandcamp.com
androidangel.blogspot.co.uk

Who are they?
Fighting Kites are a well-meaning shadow rock band from the British Isles with a secret desire to let loose and cut some rug. After five years creating musical levitations in a three-legged dog refuge, they now reached an unspeakable climax and release their debut album on Variant Records.

What do they sound like?
Imagine if early Soft Machine played the music of the Shadows with nothing but good intentions and the shy hope the listener might shake a limb or two.

What have they got to say for themselves?
Little bits and bats really, nothing of great importance. On stage they keep the talking to a minimum and only utter brief syllables to one another backstage when it’s absolutely essential. They don’t let themselves get carried away. No, there’s not really too much to report here, just good intentions and a terrible desire that someone will like them.

What releases should you look out for?
As it happens, their debut album is out now on Variant Records and it’s a curious little one. It took them two years to make and at times the process felt like (their words) “trying to step dance in two feet of mud”. You can look out for that if you like. Other than that, you can also look out for the inspirational ‘Split’ ep, on Audio Antihero, which apparently took two minutes to make and felt like (their words again) “step dancing in a field of dreams”!

Where can I find out more?
Best to visit their Bandcamp page to give them a listen.

Our Introducing section is usually reserved for new acts, but on this occasion we are devoting the space to someone who, from their time in Hefner, we have known for many years. However, after a nine year musical hiatus (between 2002 and 2011) he is back actively releasing new records. So consider this a reintroduction to Jack Hayter, in his own words.

Where is he from? “I assume the question relates to me not the songs. Originally from Devon via Liverpool. I have lived in that tiny part of London called Hither Green…more specifically that part called ‘Further Green’ for a long time now. Hither Green is famous for not much but train disasters and a very large crematorium. Also the place where, like me,  Spike Milligan learned to play the steel guitar. If the question was about the songs then I could tell you but its complicated.”

Who is he? “I am Jack Hayter. I write songs and play things with strings and old music software. I found myself by accident in a band called Hefner a long time ago and I have have been in two other good bands Spongefinger and Dollboy; mostly playing pedal steel guitar and other things with strings on. I put an album out called “Practical Wireless” on Absolutely Kosher records about 10 years ago, then got on with other things. I have been a motorcycle courier, a gardener a science teacher, a freelance computer network engineer and latterly a lucky person who trains the children of Thamesmead to edit video and create sounds. A couple of years ago I had a nasty heart attack and, shortly after that, Jamie Halliday of the Audio Antihero label contacted me and frogmarched me with prejudice into releasing an EP called Sucky Tart. I have not made him richer.”

What does he sound like? “Ramshackle folk songs with bits. I’m not very good at assigning labels to music. I guess what makes a folk-song is not the instrumentation or the sound..more that it evokes a time and a place and tells a story. Thats what I try to do anyway. It doesn’t always work but I hope that the songs don’t sound mumford (with a small ‘m’ of course). In truth I really can’t sing. I have always had a bit of a complex about that since I was chucked out of the Okehampton School choir at the inaugural rehearsal when I was twelve. My pitching is so bad that even autotune can’t cope (well of course I tried it wouldn’t you!). So until someone comes along who wants to sing these you’ll have to put up with me doing it.”

What has he got to say for himself? “I have always found that way of posing that particular question semantically intriguing. If I say something “for myself” that implies that it is for my ears and not for others’ ears. I can think of quite a few home truths I might say to myself..some of them thoroughly disagreeable. Some sort of neural feedback loop might result in a rock’nroll exploding head so its best that I keep my own counsel from myself.”

What releases should you look out for? “Every month for a year from this April there will be a digital release on the Audio Antihero label. The series is called “The Sisters Of St Anthony”. He is the patron saint of lost things (or the Lost). The first in the series is “The Shackleton” which is about a phantom teenage pregnancy during the latter stages of the Cold War. The Avro-Shackleton was plane that was used to search for Russian submarines. It made a most distinctive sound. The other songs in the series will be mostly about lost people or lost possessions.”

To find out more go to www.jackhayter.com and to listen to (or subscribe to) The Sisters Of St. Anthony visit http://audioantihero.bandcamp.com/album/the-sisters-of-st-anthony-subscription-series.

Where are they from? Bristol and Bath, via Glasgow and Llandeilo.

Who are they? Vocalist and bass player Annie Gardiner and her brother Tom, the drummer.

What do they sound like? As a self confessed “noise-pop” band they have been compared to among others The White Stripes, Queens of the Stone Age, Nirvana and Sonic Youth. They have even been compared to Donna Summer, Kate Bush and Laura Marling by some reviewers, who the band admit maybe “getting a bit carried away, but we’ll take it.”

What have they got to say for themselves?  Annie tells us that rock and roll “is good for your health, and it keeps you in tune with your time on the earth,” while Tom can talk for England about his drumming influences including the likes of “Chad Smith of the Chilli Peppers, Brad Wilk of Rage Against the Machine and Jimmy Chamberlain from Smashing Pumpkins.” Among his more recent influences are Battles’ John Stanier, one of Neonfiller.com’s current favourites as well.

What releases should you look out for? Their debut album Dead Wolf Situation was released early in 2012. They have also released two EPs, Our Lives are a Futuristic Nightmare and a self-titled EP. They have plans to release some split singles with other bands in the near future including The Big Naturals.

Where can I find out more? Visit their website here.

By Joe Lepper, pic credit: Jamie Worsfold

Where are they from? Brighton, UK

Who are they? This three piece started with Scott Pitkethly (vocals, guitar, synths)  and Annalise Vineer (vocals, bass, synths) and have since been joined by Dion Lay (guitar)

What do they sound like?  The band are heavily influenced by synth pop pioneers such as David Bowie and Roxy Music  as well as Kate Bush. For our money they sound a little like Disco Inferno as well and fans of their experimental pop from the early 1990s will find a lot to like in Unicorn Power. The blog Louder than War, which named them one of their top 50 bands of 2012 describes them as “quirky, high IQ cut and paste freak disco”. The band thankfully tell us they have no idea what that means.

What have they got to say for themselves? Pitkethly says: “Essentially we like anyone who can combine guitars with some squelchy synth – from early British synthpop like The Normal and John Foxx to contemporary stuff like LCD Soundsystem and Crystal Castles.

“We formed as an outlet for my growing interest in music production. Most of our songs are driven by an urge to dance around on stage and encourage the audience to join in. We’re into the whole DIY thing, we record and produce everything ourselves, make our own videos and CD packaging, and even our own electronic instruments.”

What releases should I look out for? The bands End of Fairytales EP is now available for free downloand from their bandcamp page. A new EP will be out in the Spring  2012 and they are set to appear on a compilation by Swedish label Substream later this year.

Where can I find out more? Visit their bandcamp page here or their homepage here.

  by Joe Lepper

Continuing our regular look at unsigned/emerging talent.

Where are they from? UK

Who are they? Kelly Dyson, Ellis Dyson, Chris Robinson, Hugo Edwardes.

What do they sound like? Two words spring to mind when listening to the improbably titled Low, Low, Low, La, La, La, Love, Love, Love, ‘folk’ and ‘experimental’. While at its heart their music appears soft and folk guitar based there’s an edge as well. The industrial feedback at the beginning and interspersed in the track, ‘Flower in the Mind’, from their current album Feels, Feathers, Bog and Bees, shows that they are more than just a bunch of finger-picking folksters. There’s a clear melancholy to the music, which is unsurprising given their influences include Elliot Smith and Neutral Milk Hotel.

What have they got to say for themselves? According to a recent PR release: “Low Low Low La La La Love Love Love is an every evolving UK based outfit, Over six years and through a shifting construct they’ve employed varied approaches to writing and recording. But amidst the changes, some constants have remained; a stark lyricism, thoughtful arrangements and complementary, harmonic vocals, which glimmer and tremble throughout.”

What releases/tracks should I look out for? Former Fridge member Adem, whose recent album Takes offers some of the most sublime covers around, was the producer of the Low Low Low La La La Love Love Love’s latest album Feels, Feathers, Bog and Bees. This was released earlier this autumn on Other Electricities and features the band’s trademark experimental folk pop.

Where can I find out more? http://www.myspace.com/lowlalove

Continuing our look at unsigned, emerging bands

Where are they from? UK

Who are they? Timothy Sutcliffe – Vocals & Guitar,Jack Bryant – Drums, Marianne Casey Canning – Violin, Melanie Dickson – Cello, John Dunstan – Trumpet, Simon Evans – Guitar and John Szmidt – Bass.

What do they sound like? There is a quirky Englishness to this seven piece’s take on epic indie-pop. Among their influences are Sigur Ros and Radiohead, and it shows. There’s lots of sweeping orchestral flourishes, but at its core the sound is indie-pop. For our money A Genuine Freakshow, who formed in 2007, sound most like US act Ra Ra Riot, in the way they delight in bringing instruments such as cello and violin to the fore.

What have they got to say for themselves? On their Myspace page they describe their music as “born of their broad range of influences from Elbow and Radiohead to Mogwai and Explosions In The Sky are accompanied by lush orchestral arrangements and the sincere falsetto vocals of Timothy Sutcliffe. This gives the music they create a blend of classic pop with unpredictable structures and epic climaxes reminiscent of Arcade Fire, Mew, and Sigur Ros.”

What releases/tracks should I look out for? Later this year (2009) they plan to release their first album Oftentimes and have previously issued a number of self-released singles including ‘We Are The Undercurrents’ and ‘Holding Hearts’. They are offering a free/pay what you like digital EP of some of their tracks, including ‘We Are The Undercurrents’ on their website.

Where can I find out more? http://www.agenuinefreakshow.com

by Joe Lepper, Aug 2009

Continuing our regular look at unsigned bands.

Where are they from? The Surrey Mountains, UK

Who are they? Luke – sings, six strings; Nick – six strings; John – four strings; Matt – drums, sings; Tom – eight strings, sings.

What do they sound like? “Grot Pop for BMX Kids” they say. Think a 90s alt-pop revival and you won’t be far away. The hooks are strong and the energy is infectious. The band have already been heard by millions after featuring on the soundtrack of Skins and Party Animals (on BBC 2) and enjoyed support slots with several bands including Phoenix and The Wombats.

What have they got to say for themselves? “We’re a band from various villages in the Surrey hills. We started off as a 2 piece and added a new member every year until we felt we could comfortably rock a stadium. I guess we formed the band because we’re no good at sports and don’t have any other hobbies apart from maybe skimming stones. We wanted to make country music but things evolved around the time we rediscovered our tape collections from 1993. The songs are about the usual stuff, hot dogs, cars and girls.”

What releases/tracks should I look out for? Currently promoting their first proper release, the We Got Tazers! EP, through Alcopop records. There are plans for a limited-edition Christmas release of some acoustic songs and a follow-up EP, along with a tour, early in 2010.

Introducing….

Introducing…. continuing our new regular feature looking at some of the exciting acts around that you may not have heard of (yet).

Where are they from? Brighton, UK

Who are they? Stephen Brett – Vocals and guitar, Steve Hoile – Bass, keys, glockenspiel and vocals, Adam Luke Atkins – Guitar and vocals, Dave Russell – Drums and percussion

What do they sound like? “Elliott Smith, Tortoise and The Shins in a brown bread sandwich.” is how they describe their sound, and it is a pretty good summary. They are as strong on melodies and harmonies as that description would suggest.

What have they got to say for themselves? The last couple of years have been busy. The Mojos recorded and self-produced their first album – ‘The Sound That I Still Hear’, and then worked on acoustic versions of many songs off the album, consequently filming a live performance (available on iTunes and viewable on YouTube). At the start of 2009, they achieved a top ten place in the Q Music Emerging Talent competition and, in the summer, played Glastonbury (what a joy!). This year will be finished in style with a headline slot at the Pavilion Theatre in Brighton on Saturday November 28th. Meanwhile, the band has been patiently working on material for album no.2, which they hope to start recording in early 2010.

What releases/tracks should I look out for? The bands debut album The Sound That I Still Here is available now along with the singles ‘Always Now’, ‘In the Script’ and ‘Pinata Face’. ‘Meet Me At The Pictures’ will be released in January 2010. All Releases are available on Amazon and iTunes.

Where can I find out more? www.themojofins.com www.myspace.com/themojofins

Introducing… continuing our regular feature looking at some of the exciting acts around that you may not have heard of (yet). Our next instalment features Flipron.

Where are they from? Glastonbury, UK.

Who are they? Jesse Budd – Vocals, guitar, lap steel, accordion, harmonica, ukulele, mandolin, dobro & clarinet;  Joe Atkinson – Organ, piano, some guitar, accordion, backing vocals; Mark – Bass guitar; Mike – Drums, percussion & backing vocals

What do they sound like? Eclectic doesn’t even come close to the mish-mash of styles that Flipron use. Described as music-hall punk, ska, new wave and psychedelic by other reviewers, there’s a bit of everything with Flipron. For us at Neonfiller.com the clearest influences musically are the Kinks, Pulp and The Auteurs. In terms of dress sense Pulp frontman’s Jarvis Cocker is an influence again. Live their performances hinge on the energy and whimsy of lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Jesse, who has helped them develop quite a live following over the years that has even led to some US dates this year (2010).

What have they got to say for themselves? “We love old records and new records. We love all sorts of music by all sorts of people. This gets all mixed up and rearranged inside our Flipron-shaped brains and comes out again into our own music.” In short, they like a lot of stuff.

What’s their latest? Gravity Calling (2008), which was produced by The Damned’s Rat Scabies,  Biscuits For Cerberus (2006) Fancy Blues & Rustique Novelties (2004).

Where can I find out more? http://www.flipron.co.uk/