The Tortoise Returns

Different Noises 90

The return of Tortoise after a nine year gap and a pile of new releases from Half Edge Records dominate the show.

SHOW AUDIO

PLAYLIST

Tortoise “Oganesson” from Oganesson - a move from Thrill Jockey to International Anthem/Nonesuch reunites the seminal line-up of Jeff Parker - Guitar, Dan Bitney - Synthesizers, Douglas McCombs - Bass, John Herndon - Percussion, Electronic Percussion, and, John McEntire - Drums. The sound is familiar, an album is coming

STAGGS “Norwegian Blue” from Norwegian Blue - After 12 years, 18 EPs, 4 singles and one album, STAGGS have decided to retire to ruminate peacefully in their respective clearings. The Death of STAGGS indeed. Curtains etc. Norwegian Blue is the final single. This last release captures the spirit and intent of STAGGS, 70s/80s popular culture references. Moody and emotive sounds. Exquisite production and attention to detail. We would have loved them to continue but life and time have intervened. This is a good way to conclude - leaving you wanting more. There will be a final celebratory compilation of the second phase of the STAGGS adventure coming in due course. Les STAGGS est mort.....Au Revoir People of a certain age will get the references

Occult Character “New Mothball Empire” from Party Heaven - Mr Nauseous returns with his usual lo-fi observations on the human condition

Neon Crabs “USSA” from Make Things Better? - the unique marriage of Legless Crabs (Mr Nauseous again) and Neon Kittens delivers a sound that would not be out of place on a Chrome Box Set. Fascinating sounds.

2 Lost Souls “Mrs Self Destruct” from Sand - the second in the Eight Four Letter Words series.

The Go-Betweens “Suicide At Home” from G Stands For Go-Betweens: The Go-Betweens Anthology - Volume 3 - Another track from the live Nachtmix album which forms part of the box set.

Scenius “Funny Sky” from Funny Sky - the first of 4 new singles over the Spring + Summer and then a new album (13 Billion Dark Years) in the Autumn

The Junta “Euphoria” from Euphoria - a new single from Salford’s master of electronica

Occult Character “Are You There Spuds Its Me Stong” from Party Heaven

Cracked Hands “Night Light” from Prelude To Destruction

Neon Crabs “Goth It” from Make Things Better?

2 Lost Souls “Poor Poor Me” from Sand

The Royal Dave Graney Show “The Brother Who Lived” from The Brother Who Lived - The Brother Who Lived - Dave describes the album as “a ten track post Moodists 2003 SUPERSIZED heavy entertainment affair . Below is the story behind each of the tracks on the album. It is sub titled "aka the evil and sinister sound" because thats the way a lot of the music was written, with unsettled, unresolved chordings . It was a way to relate it to our previous effort, "the soft 'n' sexy sound" which also had a real in house ambience and sense of proportion, albeit in a prettier, breathier way”. And of this track “We recorded this with J.Walker. I put down the guitar and the bass to a rhythm track put together by J and Clare. We used an old rhythm box that has a lot of latin styles on it. Stuart put down the tasy licks and did some vocalising with Clare and Bill. It's a story song about two singers. One lives and one dies….in this dimension. In another dimension its reversed and the one who dies lives on forever and the other………And then that dimension bleeds into this one………..”

Tulipomania “Never Knew” from Absolution - the Philadelphia duo present this single , along with a clever animated music video in support of their sixth album 'Absolution', inspired by an invitation from acclaimed author Jeff VanderMeer to contribute music as part of the publication of 'Absolution', the surprise fourth volume in his award-winning 'Southern Reach' series. The bestselling author had invited the duo to create music inspired by 'Absolution' while his novel was still a work in progress. As VanderMeer took inspiration for the 'Absolution' novel from their 'Dreaming of Sleep' album, the duo enthusiastically accepted the challenge. This journey began with the album's first single 'I've Been Told - Absolution'. Alternately categorized as cult synth punks, glam-leaning, post-punk, art-rock and muscular chamber pop, Tulipomania is Tom Murray (lead vocals, synthesizer, electronic percussion) and Cheryl Gelover (synthesizer, background vocals), who first collaborated through projects for experimental film and animation classes. Tulipomania evolved from those experiences.

Cracked Hands “Metamorphosis from Prelude To Destruction

Occult Character “Hot Tamales” from Party Heaven

Neon Crabs “Space Vibes USA” from Make Things Better?

2 Lost Souls “Popular Loner” from Sand

Replaced By Robots “All The Lonely Nights” from The Experiment - Debut mini-album of a band ade up of Goolkasian, Heather Joy Morgan and Adam Wade, the band formed as a sound and vision laboratory, where they search through the wreckage and noise of modern life to find unusual combinations and create moments of beauty.

Audiogust “Here We Go Again” from Here We Go Again - AudioGust is the solo project of songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Chris Evans, whose journey started ias a guitarist and bassist in various 1980s bands. After a decades-long detour in the software industry (including 20 years at Microsoft), he has returned to his true passion, writing and recording in his own studio. With this high-energy single and its vivid storytelling, Evans sets the tone for the album’s exploration of the highs and lows of the creative process.

Evidence Of A Struggle “Le Caution” from Le Caution - Chicago alternative rock outfit presents their new single. This is the third offering from their sophomore album, out May 9 via The Glue Factory and The Orchard, following the lead tracks 'Eddy Derecho' and 'Give Us A Kiss' - some pushback against incentivized control by media, government, religion, business, pharma, banking and mass media. Centred around the musings of multi-instrumentalist W P C Simmons V a.k.a. Rev. Billy Simmons, Evidence of a Struggle has grown since releasing their 2023 eponymous album to also involve Matt Walker (Smashing Pumpkins, Morrissey, of1000faces, Garbage, Filter) on drums, synths and bass, and John Airo, who provides visual art for the projects. The new album is a lyrical departure from their 2023 debut instrumental album.

Cracked Hands “Fuck Ups” from Prelude To Destruction

Occult Character “I Don’t Wanna Be A Human Being” from Party Heaven

Neon Crabs “Age of Anihillation” from Make Things Better?

Smoked Salmon “Swamptacular Vernacular” from Smoked Salmon - another track from Kim Salmon’s new band.

Mark Corrin “Ambient Countryside” from Ambient Countryside - the third in Mark’s series of ambient releases.

Perpacity “Lille Flamme” from Lille Flamme - The single and the B-sides officially release on all platforms the 2nd of May 2025 through Town And Towers Records. The new single is the third release from the upcoming album ‘Poverty Of The Flesh’. Sung in Danish, it embraces the band's Nordic roots. The single delves into sibling love, their shared history, and the strength that lies within it. Two B-sides accompany the single, which are also in Danish: ’Sjælekamp’, which reflects the struggle to escape the abyss of overwhelming hopelessness and despair, and ‘Bedrager’, about that one person no one wants or should ever have in their life.

Georgio Valentino “Sporca Estate” from Georgio Valentino Sings Piero Ciampi (Live in Brussels) - an album of live recordings showcasing his performance of Italian musician Piero Ciampi's songs, originally released on November 27, 2024. The album is available for download and is celebrating Georgio Valentino's upcoming tribute shows.

Claude9 “Chords of Love” from Chords of Love - Austin electronic artist (a.k.a. Claude McCan) presents his debut album 'Chords of Love' via indie imprint New Human Music . This album offers a unique and largely relaxing sound, with light fractals of Enigma, Jean-Michel Jarre, Boards of Canada, Tangerine Dream, Air and Kruder & Dorfmeister. Weaving together ambient and downtempo electronica, 'Chords of Love' offers a diverse sonic palette brings in everything from cicada field recordings to lush pads, drones, and a mix of real and synthesized vocals.

EZRA (feat. Jacob Jolliff, Max Allard, Jesse Jones, Craig Butterfield) “Too Late” from Froggy's Demise - a new album, this one has a different feel than the last one, but it’s still an undefinable mix of genres, with jazz, bluegrass, and classical influences. The featured track was written by bassist Craig Butterfield (who is primarily a jazz bass player, although he is as likely as the rest of them to be jumping over boundaries). Each track on the album has a different feel.

Steve Von Till “Watch Them Fade” Alone in a World of Wounds - preview track taken from his album Alone In A World Of Wounds (16th May, Neurot Recordings), alongside a video created by Josh Graham. On the track, and the album as a whole, Steve mourns the disconnect which has developed between human beings and the rest of the natural world.

Jonathan Matis “R6V1” from = Resonance (Time+Wood+Steel) - a gorgeous album of improvised minimal, ambient guitar. These series of improvisations for guitar (played on a 1961 Harmony arch top) and two short, notated piano pieces are delicate vignettes of sombre beauty drawing on Brian Eno, Harold Budd, David Torn, and Kali.Released April 5 on limited edition CD and digital DL

George Christian “Catarse” from IMPROVISTOSURTOSIRCUITOS - Brazilian avant-garde guitarist Christian’s compositions on IMPROVISTOSURTOSIRCUITOS were created based on two microtonal tunings that 'sounded interesting enough for me to be able to break away from traditional harmonic thinking’. The result is a wonderful recording of experimental, psychedelic guitar. With over 50 titles released, George is a prolific, truly independent musician and this new release is exploratory guitar at the highest level. Releasing April 25 on limited edition CD and digital DL

Vox Rea “Carry On” from The Art Oracles Songbook - Vox Rea is the brainchild of sisters Kate and Lauren Kurdyak, who first made waves as The Katherines with their 2017 debut album, To Bring You My Heart (604 Records). After a hiatus to study philosophy, the duo re-emerged in 2020 as Vox Rea, a name that symbolizes their reclamation of creative control and departure from the “girl band” label. Their noir-pop sound—marked by lush string arrangements, layered harmonies, and introspective lyrics—explores themes of addiction, self-doubt, independence, and grief. Their self-titled album was crafted with Luca Fogale, Begonia, Joël, and producers Connor Seidel, Tim Buron, Derek Hoffman, and Joel Stouffer.

The Bablers “Thinking Of You” from Like The First Time - Finnish Indie Pop. A new edition of the band's long-out-of-print album previously only available in Japan and Finland, it features new mixes and arrangements of songs with no fewer than five widely-played singles from recent year

Humanotone “Ephemeral” from Weedian :Trip to Chile - The Chilean music scene is as diverse as its landscape and climate, and as vast as its land. Warriors from the end of the world, South of Heaven. Another Weedian compilation that includes 60 of the best bands of the Chilean underground scene.