Recorded primarily in Brighton, MI, the record is an evolution of the mellow and melodic style made familiar on Transmissions. Here the ambient drones are richer, the choruses more urgent, the instrumentals more ambitious and intense. Floyd takes a more considered and thematic approach that matches his writing with the increasingly weighty sound.

We’re thrilled to be able to share a new single, ‘Wondering and Wandering’, ahead of release. The newfound depth is clear from the opening drums, an insistent beat around which the track’s intricacies are based, and is developed further with the soaring escalations of guitar that arrive periodically. Floyd’s vocals traverse this soundscape with a light-footed tenderness, his tone earnest and vulnerable but also swelling into cathartic crests as dictated by the instrumentation.

The track comes complete with a video directed by Sávio Fernandes, the scenes captured in a film-grained monochrome and infiltrated by colour as the song peaks, sparks of light building to a crescendo of vivid brilliance, the world made bright and whole again.

Wanderer is out on the 12th April via 1212 Records. The band are also on tour right now. Check out the remaining dates below and be sure to head along if you are in the area:

3/14 – Memphis, TN @ Growlers
3/15 – Nashville, TN @ The Crying Wolf
3/16 – Louisville, KY @ Open Community Arts Center
4/4 – Ypsilanti, MI @ The Late Station
4/19 to 4/20 – Lansing Michigan @ Stoop Fest
6/14 Rochester, MN @ ROCKchester Fest

The post Parkway & Columbia – Wondering and Wandering appeared first on Various Small Flames.

Now Ivy Dye are back with a brand new EP, Diminish, their first on 1212 Records. The release sees something of re-calibration of their sound, with Adams refocusing his attention and aims when writing. The previous releases, he felt, were too keyed in to outside influences. Diminish is his attempt to reclaim the Ivy Dye aesthetic, returning to the sort of music that truly speaks to the band rather than second guessing the audience or leaning on other sources.

The change is evident from opener ‘Soften’, the polished and soar of previous releases swapped out for more of a slacker rock vibe, the drums and guitars swirling in languid layers before coalescing into rhythm for the chorus. The polish and energy are still present, and the finale of the song still rises into an uplifting squall, though the overall sound is altogether more personal and human.

Lead single ‘Skin Your Knees’ pushes further in this direction, the tempo slowing to a wistful crawl before rising into the refrain, the hazy feedback and Adams’ vocals lending a nostalgic edge somewhere between dark and cathartic. ‘Savaged Minds’ follows this trend, a moody, chugging track of disaffected emotion, before the title track emerges from the murk with its sparkling brilliance. The song is a fitting close, the insistent tempo dropping only to exaggerate the next crescendo, and Adams’ vocals again highlighting his ability to craft singalong refrains that sacrifice none of the emotion.

We’re lucky enough to be able to share a stream of the album a few days early, so be sure to make the most of the opportunity and listen below.

The post Ivy Dye – Diminish appeared first on Various Small Flames.

In anticipation of the album, here’s a sneak peek of the first single, ‘San Diego’, a bittersweet pop song that’s part sunny vibes and part heavy-hearted woe. The track opens with skittering drums and a pulsing bass line, the lyrics a daydream of escaping a town and the people who live there, allusions to disappointment and soured relationships hanging heavy as summer storm clouds. But the catchy chorus blows all that away, that rush of sickly excitement that comes with new possibilities.

“Maybe I should move to San Diego
where it’s summer all year round
wash my hands in salty water
and dig my feet into the ground”

Fresh Kill will be released later this summer. Keep an eye on 1212 Records and the Fresh Kill Bandcamp page to pre-order.

Header photo credit Francesca Hanson

The post Premiere: Fresh Kill announce debut album, release single ‘San Diego’ appeared first on Various Small Flames.