The SRR Sound of 2009 Poll

Ok, we're nothing on the BBC Sound Of ... poll, but we thought we'd put together our favourites from the year that has just been. It's been a really great year for music, we think, and this is what's made our year

albums

1. Vitalic - Flashmob
2. Royksopp - Junior
3. Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz
4. Post War Years - The Greats And The Happenings
5. Filthy Dukes - Nonsense In The Dark
6. Sky Larkin - The Golden Spike
7. Friendly Fires - s/t (I know, I know, it's technically 2008 but it's been on repeat and had a deluxe version...!)
8. Wave Machines - Wave If You're Really There
9. Memory Tapes - Seek Magic
10. Cortney Tidwell - Boys

singles / tracks

1. Filthy Dukes - This Rhythm
2. Simian Mobile Disco & Beth Ditto - Cruel Intentions
3. Miike Snow - Burial
4. Muchuu - Somebody Tell Me
5. Sound Of Arrows - Into The Clouds
6. Passion Pit - The Reeling
7. Calvin Harris - Flashback (we love the girl's line)
8. Penguin Prison - A Funny Thing
9. Basement Jaxx - Raindrops
10. Yelle - Qui Est Cette Fille [Robyn Cover]


gigs

1. Royksopp - Shepherds Bush Empire
2. Depeche Mode - Madison Square Gardens, New York
3. Elton John - Philadelphia
4. Filthy Dukes - Hoxton Bar & Kitchen (SO much lighting in such a small space!)
5. Post War Years - Old Blue Last / Barfly (one of the BEST live bands)
6. Gold Panda - Old Blue Last
7. Andrew Bird - Green Man Festival
8. Casiokids / Slow Club - South Street Seaport, New York
9. Loney Dear - SXSW
10. Sound Of Arrows - Gold Dust, Hoxton Bar & Kitchen

and some things we're looking forward to in 2010...

Ellie Goulding's album
The Venus Stare's 'Close To You' single
Rob Cowen & The Dissidents' 'City Lights' single
Gold Panda in general

HUNKS and Friends amazing Christmas video!!

Jen Long, producer at Radio 1, co-writer of 'The Magic Of Christmas' and general star has made this AMAZING video for the HUNKS and Friends single.

So we present to you, as premiered by Drowned In Sound ... 'The Magic Of Christmas' ... !



HUNKS AND FRIENDS // 'The Magic of Christmas' from theartof agency on Vimeo.

HUNKS and Friends Charity Christmas Single

A dog is for life, not just for Christmas. Much like a good pop song, even if you only listen to it once every twelve months.

This year, some of the finest acts in UK indie have come together to help save the cats, puppies and geese who could be left homeless after the festive period by lending their beautiful voices to a Christmas song that celebrates everything awesome.

The Magic of Christmas was written and recorded by Bright Light Bright Light’s Rod Thomas and Radio 1 in Wales’ Jen Long over 9 hours one Saturday in October, sat in a Cardiff flat in Christmas jumpers, drinking gin.

It was then mailed around the country with members of Sound of Arrows, Copy Haho, Sky Larkin, James Yuill, Slow Club, Cereal (Calum of Dananananaykroyd), Los Campesinos!, Sparky Deathcap, The Venus Stare, My First Tooth and The Airborne Toxic Event, all adding to the track and passing it on.

Huw Stephens will have the first play of the song on Wednesday December 2nd on his Radio 1 show. Stay tuned for the video aswell!

The track will be available to download from iTunes on December 14th with all profits going to the RSPCA.

Artwork (attached) by Sparky Deathcap

A designated blog that the bands will contribute to launches todayhttp://awesomeatchristmas.wordpress.com/

Self Raising Records - Volume One!

Self Raising Records turns three years old today!

And to celebrate, we're releasing a sampler of our current roster simply called 'Volume One'

And because we're so excited about the songs on it, we're literally giving it away!

A great website called Music Glue allows you to donate what you'd like to to support the release so if you click on the picture or go *here* you can get the sampler for as much or as little as you'd like to donate.

On it, you'll find:

Bright Light Bright Light - Blueprint

Rob Cowen & The Dissidents - Heartache

Glorious Estefan - Thrill Of The Chase

Martipants - Onyamonio

All tracks are up on the Self Raising Myspace to preview.

xx

New signing - The Venus Stare!

We are very excited to add this band to the roster ...

We're putting out the debut Venus Stare single 'Close To You' in January, and you can hear it at their official myspace, which is so new it's very much under construction.
www.myspace.com/venusstare

Bright Light Bright Light EP

Bright Light Bright Light is doing a string of great dates this month, and a limited edition EP has been hand-made to take on the road.

A small number of these is available to order online *HERE* and it looks a little something like this:

All EP sleeves are handmade, with 4 different colours of thread and 4 designs.

On the EP you'll find:

Blueprint

A New Word To Say [with Boom Bip]

Your Love Is A Tease

How To Make A Heart

A New Word To Say [James Yuill Remix]

and EPs are £6 including posage & packaging

xx

WELL DONE TO MUMFORD & SONS!

We don't look after them in any shape or form, but Self Raising would like to say a MASSIVE congratulations to Mumford & Sons for debuting at no. 11 on the album charts!

We first met when Rod played with them back last February (which is when we met James Yuill too - a good night), and have been in love with their music ever since.

you can buy their album here from iTunes. Do. It's awesome

WELL DONE!
xxx

Track of the Day for Q Magazine

Rob Cowen & The Dissidents' 'Heartache' is Q Magazine website's Track of the Day!

http://news.qthemusic.com/2009/10/rob_cowen_the_dissidents_-_hea.html

Fantastic!

"The debut single of Yorkshire-born singer-songwriter Rob Cowen and his band The Dissidents, is a Bruce Springsteen one indeed. Not that there's anything wrong with that, far from it.
The pounding and big guitars of Heartache, like The Boss circa Born To Run, are layered underneath big choruses, bigger harmonies and a well-placed glockenspiel on this heartfelt track of stadium-sized, singalong-friendly and intoxicatingly engaging open-road rock."

Autumn Sale & Mixtape

So, Autumn has come and as we mentioned before, it's been a whole year since 'Same Old Lines' came out!

So celebrate and mark this, we've decided to do a special sale on Rod Thomas' 'Until Something Fits' album and make it available at £5 including P&P. "Wow!" I hear you cry.

[Click here to buy]

You can also enjoy a free mixtape from Martipants called 'Bleeps and Squeaks'. It's rather good!


Martipants 'Bleeps and Squeaks' Mix by Self Raising Records

Serious Moonligting 2 ...

Who's this in Peep Show??

It's only Bright Light Bright Light, James Yuill and Sophie from My First Tooth!!

Serious Moonlighting...

Who's that on guitar for September... !

Happy Birthday

Rod Thomas' 'Same Old Lines' just received a glowing review ... exactly one year after it was released!
Happy Birthday!

iTunes single     or on    'Until Something Fits' album

"Through stormy of the glitz and glamour that is the current whirlwind of instant fame. The hardworking and in-it-for-the-love-it one man bands are being left to dry out, forgotten about on the roadside.

However, once in a while a reminder is served, showing up the now norm contrasting ability of someone like Londoner Rod Thomas. Illustrating the potential intimacy, heart and poignancy that’s the by-product of one mind and, most importantly, it’s still standing firm.

This time Rod chooses the ukulele fuelled, slow building and deep searching ‘Same Old Lines’, as the single that will give some momentum to the cause of the one-man band. At times, his delving spirit and ability to allow his vocals to hover over a low key, but cushioning accompaniment is reminiscent of Scott Matthews.

It’s a warming illustration of the need to slow down, take stock and indulge in a little life pondering."

- Glasswerk 

Martipants scores short film

Martipants recently made the music for a short film called 'Breathe'.

It's up here to watch in full:

Rob Cowen & The Dissidents EP OUT NOW

Rob Cowen & The Dissidents' Ep 'Heartache' is out now!

And you can download from any of these places:

iTunes
7digital
play.com
HMV

and treat yourself to the original, a James Yuill remix, a Bright Light Bright Light remix and an exclusive acoustic bside 'Alice In Sunderland'.

We've had support from Kissy Sell Out, Jon Hilcock, Tom Robinson and Rory McConnell across Radio 1, 6music and Xfm, which is a great, great start!

We're very excited about the first release from this fantastic band.

x

Bright Light Bright Light vs Ace Of Base

Our new friends Robot Pigeon interviewed Bright Light Bright Light about his music and what he's been up to, and as part of their interview they're giving away an exclusive mp3.

It's a mash up of 'Same Old Lines' and 'The Sign' which you can get here (and read the interview).

And this is when the track first came about, at a fundraiser to send Rod to SXSW:

Bright Light Bright Light + Noisettes = Great night out

It's just been confirmed that Bright Light Bright Light will be supporting The Noisettes at Shepherds Bush Empire on 27th October!

We're very excited!

Yeah!

xx

Good Times on Radio 1

Bright Light Bright Light's 'Good Times' got its first Radio 1 play last night!

As always, Bethan Elfyn and her team are real gems, playing it just after The Joy Formidable, who are also GREAT. Thanks guys!

A video for the track is being made as we speak which should be done before too long. Keep your eyes open. But for now, listen to 'Good Times' either on the myspace or on Bethan's show for one more week.

What's mine is yours

Self Raising Records has been putting out records for a little while now, and we really appreciate all the support.

Autumn is here, and it's almost the season to be generous, so we thought we'd get in there early and give away some of our favourite tracks.

Two of our favourite remixes of Rod Thomas tracks are yours:

Same Old Lines (James Yuill Remix) [mp3]

- James did a fantastic electro re-working of the last Rod Thomas single.

Your Love Is A Tease (Dave Delgado Remix) [mp3]

- Dave plays in Milke, a fantastic pop/electro group. And does fantastic remixes, such as this.

And we gave away this great Martipants track as a free single just before 'Good Lads' came out. Here it is again.

Dark, Dark House [mp3]

Autumn's Self Raising Records releases

The leaves are falling and Kissy Sell Out is falling over himself for our new release!

On 28th September Rob Cowen & The Dissidents 'Heartache' EP is released through Self Raising Records.

tracklisting:

1. Heartache
(original)

2. Alice In Sunderland
(exclusive acoustic version)

3. Heartache
(James Yuill Remix)
4. Heartache
(Bright Light Bright Light Remix)

Kissy Sell Out has already played the track twice on Radio 1, doing his own remix of the track, and XFM and 6music seem to be fans too. All in all, a great start for Rob's superb song.

To whet appetites, there is a Martipants remix available for FREE here. Enjoy!

In other news, Bright Light Bright Light has also remixed Goldie Lookin Chain!

Their new single 'Everybody Is A DJ' comes out on the 28th September also, and features his remix. You can listen for free online now at his remix page.