Sofia Portanet show announced for next March!

Upset The Rhythm presents…

SOFIA PORTANET
Friday 5 March
PinUps, 1 Tolpuddle Street, Angel, London, N1 0XT
7.30pm | £8.50 | https://link.dice.fm/K1gxTBKbw8

SOFIA PORTANET works in a cool, measured fashion, allowing the Berlin-based pop auteur to sketch out a vivid, enticing sonic universe. Born on the 9th November 1989, Portanet entered the world as the wall was brought down - now she’s kicking new walls and barriers by re-inventing Neue Deutsche Welle for a new generation. Singing in English, French and German, Portanet has been taking their sound international with performance in USA and Europe since signing to Berlin label Duchess Box Records. Since releasing her debut single in 2018, she has become one of the most interesting newcomer artists in Germany with praise garnered including "Best newcomer for 2019" from Klaus Fiehe and "Germany's next big international popstar" from Lauren Laverne. Brand new album ‘Freier Geist’ is a record that proudly wears its influences of German music from 70s and 80s with inspirations from Ingrid Caven, Hildegard Kneef, Ideal as well as international artist such as Yma Sumac and John Maus. The album was written by Sofia Portanet and her collaborating producer Steffen Kahles at their Berlin studio. Reminiscent of 'Heroes' era Bowie and Kate Bush, Portanet’s music shines bright with an austere glamour.
https://sofiaportanet.bandcamp.com/



x

Sleeper & Snake - 'Fresco Shed' album announced, video unveiled!

Here’s the catchiest song about corrupt, deregulated housing development you’ll hear all year! Sleeper & Snake unveil their first single ‘Flats Falling’! Sleeper & Snake are Amy Hill and Al Montfort, staunch champions of the Aus-underground, writing homespun, mordant watercolour pop. Warbled keys, fizzy sax interludes and pointed lyrical pep all at hand.

‘Flats Falling’ is a crystalline assembly of cello, drum machine and plucky bass which freewheels around, curlicues of sax sparking off amid the duo’s matter-of fact vocal parade: “Disclaimer, disclaimer, disclaimer. The place has a curse.” Enjoy!

New album ‘Fresco Shed’ is out on Sept 25th, a total triumph of substance over style from an endlessly creative duo determined on surprising all (themselves included) with each new song. Pre-order up now, including a highly limited baby-blue vinyl option:
https://upsettherhythm.bigcartel.com/

x

Vintage Crop - 'The North' video

Vintage Crop share their chilly vision of ‘The North’ here in this brand new vid!
Try and get this icy blast of an anthem out of your head I dare you!

Vintage Crop’s forthcoming belter of an LP, ‘Serve To Serve Again’, is out August 7th through Upset The Rhythm and Anti Fade, enjoy! Pre-order here now.




The North is built on a riff that has been rattling around my head for the last 3 years, we could never find the right way to use it. The lyrics struck me on my birthday in 2019, we were in Europe on tour and we had played 28 shows in the past 30 days. I took the rough sketch of the song home with me & after a few weeks the final iteration of “The North” was complete.  Jack Cherry of Vintage Crop

x

Es - 'Severed' video unveiled!

Es’ new video ‘Severed’ just premiered on Post-Trash: “a quarantine video done right, full of kitchen, garden, and shower performances that are defiantly goofy but as deadpan as can be”! Now is the time to learn to drum using utensils! ‘Severed’ is taken from Es’ phantastic debut album ‘Less Of Everything’, out now aptly, Nostradamus much?

Naked Roommate LP announced! 'Mad Love' single!

Roll on September 4th! We’ll be releasing ‘Do The Duvet’, the debut album from Naked Roommate. The Oakland quartet evoke the playful spirit of Vivien Goldman, Vanity Records and Liquid Liquid, whilst sparking with originality, all frazzled beats, devolved guitar work and minced electronic compost. The resultant congealed grooves are heaven-sent concoctions for Amber Sermeńo’s vocal to ride high atop, making for an alluring yet switchblade-dangerous performance in terms of wit and gaze. 

Take a listen to wondrous first single 'Mad Love’. All proceeds from the track (this month and next) will be donated between People’s Breakfast Oakland and the Anti Police-Terror Project FYI.

Upset The Rhythm · Naked Roommate - 'Mad Love'

‘Do The Duvet’ is available to pre-order from Upset The Rhythm on lemon-yellow vinyl here: https://upsettherhythm.bigcartel.com/

Our friends at Trouble in Mind are releasing a version in the US too.
x

Vintage Crop LP announced for August! Listen to 'Gridlock'!

Look out August 7th! We'll be releasing 'Serve To Serve Again' by Vintage Crop! A crusher of an album from the Geelong Aus-punks, their full-pelt bounce tempered with flailing guitar lines and sardonic commentary.

Have a listen to first track 'Gridlock' now, a timely nod to frustration - “the hustle and bustle of inner-city traffic is driving me nuts because the radios on static”. The most vigorous, glorious racket imaginable!

Available to pre-order on LP now here.

Upset The Rhythm · Vintage Crop - Gridlock

Over the last four years Geelong group Vintage Crop have become a burgeoning force in the Australian punk scene. Their burly, brusque yet supple songs have evolved from the garage rock of 2017’s ‘TV Organs’ album into the post-punk panic attack of last year’s ‘Company Man’ EP. Now they’ve sculpted their sound further, the barrage now offset with robust songwriting.  Vintage Crop still dish-up plenty of commanding stomp, their lyrics remain as keen-eyed as ever, but now they’re unafraid to mess with the tempo and drive their point home.

‘Serve To Serve Again’ is Vintage Crop’s third full-length album. It was recorded by Mikey Young after a year of playing solid shows, including tours in Europe and the UK alongside Louder Than Death and URSA and some of the band’s biggest shows to date in Australia with Amyl & The Sniffers, R.M.F.C. and The Stroppies. This allowed Vintage Crop to nail the songs live before committing them to tape, pulling and pushing ideas, stretching them into new-found territories. ‘First In Line’ races off the blocks with its sawtooth riff and splintered beat, all jagged edges and ragged vocals. Quickly follow a pair of totemic bruisers in the guise of ‘The Ladder’ and ‘The North’, both brimming with a nigh anthemic quality, confident in their faculty to rouse the rabble. ‘Jack’s Casino’ is a lurching romp about gambling, ‘Streetview’ is similarly propellent, only choosing to meander and divert itself with cryptic trips around the neighbourhood: “He only moved to that side of town because the postcode is worth it’s weight in gold”.

‘Just My Luck’ prowls with a shared thrumming verve, whilst ‘Everyday Heroes’ closes out the album with measured flair. Skewed and fervent, rangy at times yet always assured in its intent ‘Serve To Serve Again’ is long-legged leap for Vintage Crop into the delirious now. These songs strive to make sense of futility, they criticise the chain of command, question privilege and most importantly make us want more from life. How very now!

x

Primo!'s new album 'Sogni' out today!

Hello again!   I hope you’re holding up OK with lockdown, at least the sun is shining, even though it appears to be still off down a tunnel. Something to cheer the spirits here though, today we’re releasing a new album entitled ‘Sogni’ by Melbourne quartet Primo! Primo! make music that explores the boundaries of everyday life with unruffled levity, tilted grace and a dose of grit, serving up insightful yet terse chorus and verse. Their glorious songs shift from unwound post-punk to rubber legged pop takes, chiming reflections to upbeat jangle.

Primo! feature Xanthe Waite and Amy Hill (both also play in Terry) on guitar and bass, whilst Violetta Del Conte-Race adds further guitar and Suzanne Walker underpins it all with a lively clatter of drums. Drawing from the collective musical lexicon shown on the band’s debut album Amici, Sogni (which translates from the Italian for 'Dreams') turns it s attentions to themes of decision-making, change, time, heartbreak and the practicalities of work and daily life.   Sogni’s twelve songs were conceived in the rehearsal room and perfected in a live setting, before being recorded to an 8-track with Al Montfort across a number of home studios in Melbourne. “Perfect Paper” propels the album into cruise, with splintering guitars, “Machine” highlights the work-hierarchy struggle (you told me just what I should do / but the problem is you’re only human / and I just can’t listen to you / machine, machine, machine”).  “Best & Fairest” questions the idea of an ideal life, while “Love Days” reflects on past relationships and “Diamond Day” deals in accidentally being swept up in love. It’s this track that Primo! decided to showcase in their brand new video made over the last week from their respective homes in isolation.

‘Sogni’ by Primo! is available now digitally, it’s also obtainable on limited orange or black 180g vinyl, accompanied by an artful lyric insert too. ‘Sogni’ can be ordered online from all the best shops and of course from our very own webshop here, we always appreciate the custom!

In the light of the COVID-19 outbreak we’ve had a number of shows cancelled and postponed, some more now with newly confirmed dates for later in the year (Shopping, Protomartyr and Jake Xerxes Fussell). Check out our listings section (below) for an update, original tickets remain valid for all rescheduled concerts and refunds are available too through tickets vendors. Thanks again for all the supportive messages over the last few weeks, we hope you’re keeping safe and sound.

Onwards into the unknown, take great care of yourselves! Upset The Rhythm

UPSET THE RHYTHM UPCOMING SHOWS

BONNIESONGS - CANCELLED YUMI AND THE WEATHER GARRET MOORE Wednesday 22 April Shacklewell Arms, 71 Shacklewell Lane, Dalston, London, E8 2EB 7.30pm | £6.50   LUNGBUTTER - CANCELLED ADULKT LIFE Thursday 30 April The Victoria, 451 Queensbridge Rd, Dalston, London, E8 3AS 7.30pm | £7   IAN WILLIAM CRAIG - CANCELLED Friday 1 May EartH Kitchen, 11-17 Stoke Newington Rd, Dalston, London, N16 8BH 7.30pm | £12   ESCAPE-ISM – POSTPONED (DATE TBC) (Ian Svenonius of Chain & The Gang, The Make-Up) Thursday 7 May Space 289, Railway Arches, 289 Cambridge Heath Rd, London, E2 9HA 7.30pm | £11 | TICKETS   FRAN Friday 29 May PinUps (formerly The Islington) 1 Tolpuddle Street, Angel, London, N1 0XT 7.30pm | £7 | TICKETS   FUZZ Wednesday 22 July Electric Ballroom, 184 Camden High St, London, NW1 8QP 7pm | £17.50 | TICKETS 14 + show (under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult)   PAN AMERICAN Monday 10 August Cafe OTO, 18-22 Ashwin St, London, E8 3DL 7.30pm | £10 | TICKETS (This show is rescheduled from April 21st, original tickets valid, refunds available too)   NAP EYES Wednesday 19 August Moth Club, Old Trades Hall, Valette St, Hackney Central, E9 6NU 7.30pm | £12 | TICKETS (This show is rescheduled from April 15th, original tickets valid, refunds available too)   SHOPPING  Wednesday 2 September The Lexington, 96-98 Pentonville Rd, Angel, London, N1 9JB 7.30pm | £10 | TICKETS (This show is rescheduled from May 5th, original tickets valid, refunds available too)   JAKE XERXES FUSSELL Tuesday 8 September The Lexington, 96-98 Pentonville Rd, Angel, London, N1 9JB 7.30pm | £9 | TICKETS (This show is rescheduled from May 12th, original tickets valid, refunds available too)   PROTOMARTYR Wednesday 9 September The Lexington, 96-98 Pentonville Rd, Angel, London, N1 9JB 7.30pm | £15 | SOLD OUT (This show is rescheduled from April 28th, original tickets valid, refunds available too)   PROTOMARTYR Thursday 10 September Peckham Audio,133 Rye Ln, Peckham, London, SE15 4ST 7.30pm | £15 | SOLD OUT (This show is rescheduled from April 27th, original tickets valid, refunds available too)   BRIGID MAE POWER (full band) Tuesday 15 September The Lexington, 96-98 Pentonville Rd, London, N1 9JB £10 | 7.30pm | TICKETS (This show is rescheduled from June 10th, original tickets valid, refunds available too)   OLD TIME RELIJUN PROTO IDIOT SHAKE CHAIN Wednesday 28 October PinUps (formerly The Islington), 1 Tolpuddle Street, Angel, London, N1 0XT 7.30pm | £8.50 | TICKETS (This show is rescheduled from April 29th, original tickets valid, refunds available too)

Es - 'Less Of Everything' released today!

Hello everyone!   I trust you’re keeping safe and sound, top work! A bit of brighter news for you today as we’re proudly releasing Es’ debut album ‘Less Of Everything’ into this vastly different world, arguably experiencing less of everything! Es are a strident London quartet who have coined an uncanny sound over these last few years. Focused, tense and commanding Es’ take on icy DIY punk creeps with gothic influence and nuanced intensity and this debut album proves eager to disrupt all sense of complacency.

Es are Maria Cecilia Tedemalm (vocals), Katy Cotterell (bass), Tamsin M. Leach (drums) and Flora Watters (keyboards). Their 2016 debut EP, Object Relations, by La Vida Es Un Mus, was described as “mutant synth-punk for our dystopian present” (Jess Skolnik, Bandcamp, Pitchfork). The group have since become a vital presence in London’s underground DIY music scene and even toured the UK with the Thurston Moore Group.   The dynamic between Cotterell’s warped basslines and Watters’ keyboard secretions lie at the heart of Es’ sound. When teamed up with Leach’s pin-sharp drumming, the outcome is unique and instantly recognisable as their own sound. This provides the perfect backdrop for Tedemalm’s insistent, pointed vocal style. Tedemalm’s strategy is to “push the lyrics as far as I can thematically until they become absurd … overly dramatic ... while still being sincere in the feeling they’re trying to invoke. I try to apply as much emotion as I can.” The result is something as confrontationally honest as it is complex.

‘Less Of Everything’ is available around the globe now digitally, it’s also available on transparent 180g vinyl, accompanied by a superb risographed insert too. This strikingly eldritch LP is available now to order online from all the best shops and of course from our very own webshop here, fill your boots!

You’ll also notice amongst the green shoots of our webshop that we have a new album from Primo! primed for later in the month. Filmed in advance of all the current COVID-19 precautions we have their new ‘Machine’ video to share with you today. Here’s Primo! putting in some serious elbow grease down the auto-shop to make a salient point about life becoming too automated. ‘Machine' is taken from the band's forthcoming album 'Sogni' out April 17th!

Finally finding a little extra time on our hands, there’s always an upside right? We’ve gone through our Upset The Rhythm archive this week and set up an Instagram account for the first time to share our favourite images from the last 16 years of UTR. There’s some terrific photos up there already of Lexie Mountain Boys performing on the rooftop of a tower in Hackney, Hella tearing up Needles wine bar and Richard Dawson bowling over an audience at Moth Club last year. Plus some candid snaps and well-worn memories, a little light relief we hope, better times!

In the light of the COVID-19 outbreak it’ll come as no surprise that we’ve had a number of shows cancelled and postponed, some now with newly confirmed dates for later in the year. Check out our listings section (below) for an update, original tickets remain valid for all rescheduled concerts and refunds are available too through tickets vendors. Thanks again for all the supportive messages over the last few weeks, hope you’re holding in there too!

Thanks as always for spending the time to read this, All the very best with lockdown & good health! Upset The Rhythm

UPSET THE RHYTHM UPCOMING SHOWS

IRMA VEP - CANCELLED SOFT WALLS THE TUBS Friday 3 April New River Studios, 199 Eade Rd, Harringay, London, N4 1DN 7.30pm | £7   Upset The Rhythm & SA Recordings present… LEA BERTUCCI - ‘Acoustic Shadows’ release party! - POSTPONED RHODRI DAVIES Tuesday 14 April Ecology Pavilion, Mile End Park, off Haverfield Rd, Grove Rd, London, E3 5TW 7pm-10pm | £6 | TICKETS   Upset The Rhythm & The Barbican present… LANKUM - CANCELLED SHIRLEY COLLINS & IAN KEAREY CAROLINE Wednesday 15 April Barbican Hall, Silk St, Barbican, London, EC2Y 8DS 7.30pm | £17.50-£22.50   BONNIESONGS - POSTPONED YUMI AND THE WEATHER GARRET MOORE Wednesday 22 April Shacklewell Arms, 71 Shacklewell Lane, Dalston, London, E8 2EB 7.30pm | £6.50 | TICKETS   PROTOMARTYR Monday 27 April Peckham Audio,133 Rye Ln, Peckham, London, SE15 4ST 7.30pm | £15 | SOLD OUT PROTOMARTYR Tuesday 28 April The Lexington, 96-98 Pentonville Rd, Angel, London, N1 9JB 7.30pm | £15 |  SOLD OUT   LUNGBUTTER - CANCELLED MICHAEL ADULKT LIFE Thursday 30 April The Victoria, 451 Queensbridge Rd, Dalston, London, E8 3AS 7.30pm | £7   IAN WILLIAM CRAIG - CANCELLED Friday 1 May EartH Kitchen, 11-17 Stoke Newington Rd, Dalston, London, N16 8BH 7.30pm | £12   SHOPPING Tuesday 5 May The Lexington, 96-98 Pentonville Rd, Angel, London, N1 9JB 7.30pm | £10 | TICKETS   ESCAPE-ISM (Ian Svenonius of Chain & The Gang, The Make-Up) Thursday 7 May Space 289, Railway Arches, 289 Cambridge Heath Rd, London, E2 9HA 7.30pm | £11 | TICKETS   JAKE XERXES FUSSELL Tuesday 12 May The Lexington, 96-98 Pentonville Rd, Angel, London, N1 9JB 7.30pm | £9 | TICKETS   FRAN Friday 29 May PinUps (formerly The Islington) 1 Tolpuddle Street, Angel, London, N1 0XT 7.30pm | £7 | TICKETS   FUZZ Wednesday 22 July Electric Ballroom, 184 Camden High St, London, NW1 8QP 7pm | £17.50 | TICKETS 14 + show (under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult)   PAN AMERICAN   Monday 10 August Cafe OTO, 18-22 Ashwin St, London, E8 3DL 7.30pm | £10 | TICKETS (This show is rescheduled from April 21st, original tickets valid, refunds available too)   NAP EYES   Wednesday 19 August Moth Club, Old Trades Hall, Valette St, Hackney Central, E9 6NU 7.30pm | £12 | TICKETS (This show is rescheduled from April 15th, original tickets valid, refunds available too)   BRIGID MAE POWER (full band) Tuesday 15 September The Lexington, 96-98 Pentonville Rd, London, N1 9JB £10 | 7.30pm | TICKETS (This show is rescheduled from June 10th, original tickets valid, refunds available too)   OLD TIME RELIJUN PROTO IDIOT SHAKE CHAIN Wednesday 28 October PinUps (formerly The Islington), 1 Tolpuddle Street, Angel, London, N1 0XT 7.30pm | £8.50 | TICKETS (This show is rescheduled from April 29th, original tickets valid, refunds available too)

 

PRIMO! share their new video for 'Machine'!

PRIMO! put in some serious elbow grease with their new video for 'Machine'! Premiered by The Line Of Best Fit!

"Whether it’s the impact of working digitally on our remaining sanity, or the argument for a four-day week, it seems as if questions surrounding our 9-5 consistently feature somewhere on the public agenda. Cue Melbourne-based Primo! joining the conversation with their new single 'Machine'."

'Machine' is taken from the band's forthcoming album 'Sogni' out April 17th!

x

Health check vs sound check!

Keep it healthy everyone!   Just a quick update from Upset The Rhythm that due to the COVID-19 outbreak our scheduled events are now on hold for the foreseeable future. Many are postponed with future dates forthcoming and one or two are cancelled. Check out our upcoming list of events for details. Refunds are available through ticket vendors, original tickets will remain valid for all new dates too. Thanks for all the kind messages of support over the last few days, we echo them back to you and wish you all the best over these next few trying weeks/months.

To tide you over until we’re firing on all cylinders again we wanted to share with the extraordinary Limpe Fuchs set from last Saturday night at Iklectik too! Fearless, resourceful and abundantly humane, Limpe will set the tone for our Corona break. Enjoy the percussion fest!

Whilst our live events are temporarily up in the air, I’m happy to say that our webshop is still very much open for business. We have pre-order links up now for forthcoming albums from Es and Primo! Both increds. Plus recent releases in stock now from Handle, Kaputt and Robert Sotelo, not to mention over 100 excellent back catalogue titles too. Hit our virtual crates and we’ll send you some vital sparks of life through the mail!

One last thing, we’ve just announced a new event for you (I know) in the hopefully calmer month of July with FUZZ (Ty Segall, Charles Moothart & Chad Ubovich) at the Electric Ballroom. Tickets are on sale now and flying out the door faster than you can say “ do you still have any paracetamol”? Full details in our upcoming shows section below.

Stay safe and sound everyone! Upset The Rhythm

UPSET THE RHYTHM UPCOMING SHOWS

SPINNING COIN - POSTPONED BAS JAN ROBERT SOTELO Wednesday 18 March The Lexington, 96-98 Pentonville Rd, Angel, London, N1 9JB 7.30pm | £8 | TICKETS   Upset The Rhythm & The Barbican present… RICHARD DAWSON: Delight is Right - POSTPONED CIRCLE HANNAH DIAMOND HUMMING DOGS BAMBOO ASIQ NARGILE YAMA WARASHI METTE RASMUSSEN Barbican Hall, Silk St, Barbican, London, EC2Y 8DS Saturday 28 March 3pm - 11pm | SOLD OUT   IRMA VEP - CANCELLED SOFT WALLS THE TUBS Friday 3 April New River Studios, 199 Eade Rd, Harringay, London, N4 1DN 7.30pm | £7 | TICKETS   Upset The Rhythm & SA Recordings present… LEA BERTUCCI - ‘Acoustic Shadows’ release party! - POSTPONED RHODRI DAVIES Tuesday 14 April Ecology Pavilion, Mile End Park, off Haverfield Rd, Grove Rd, London, E3 5TW 7pm-10pm | £6 | TICKETS   Upset The Rhythm & The Barbican present… LANKUM SHIRLEY COLLINS & IAN KEAREY CAROLINE Wednesday 15 April Barbican Hall, Silk St, Barbican, London, EC2Y 8DS 7.30pm | £17.50-£22.50 | TICKETS   NAP EYES - POSTPONED Wednesday 15 April Moth Club, Old Trades Hall, Valette St, Hackney Central, E9 6NU 7.30pm | £12 | TICKETS   PAN AMERICAN - POSTPONED MIYAGI-LAMMARDO DUO ASUNA Tuesday 21 April Cafe OTO, 18-22 Ashwin St, London, E8 3DL 7.30pm | £10 | TICKETS    BONNIESONGS - POSTPONED YUMI AND THE WEATHER GARRET MOORE Wednesday 22 April Shacklewell Arms, 71 Shacklewell Lane, Dalston, London, E8 2EB 7.30pm | £6.50 | TICKETS   PROTOMARTYR Monday 27 April Peckham Audio,133 Rye Ln, Peckham, London, SE15 4ST 7.30pm | £15 | SOLD OUT PROTOMARTYR Tuesday 28 April The Lexington, 96-98 Pentonville Rd, Angel, London, N1 9JB 7.30pm | £15 |  SOLD OUT   OLD TIME RELIJUN - POSTPONED Wednesday 29 April PinUps (formerly The Islington), 1 Tolpuddle Street, Angel, London, N1 0XT 7.30pm | £8.50 | TICKETS   LUNGBUTTER MICHAEL ADULKT LIFE Thursday 30 April The Victoria, 451 Queensbridge Rd, Dalston, London, E8 3AS 7.30pm | £7 | TICKETS   IAN WILLIAM CRAIG Friday 1 May EartH Kitchen, 11-17 Stoke Newington Rd, Dalston, London, N16 8BH 7.30pm | £12 | TICKETS   SHOPPING Tuesday 5 May The Lexington, 96-98 Pentonville Rd, Angel, London, N1 9JB 7.30pm | £10 | TICKETS   ESCAPE-ISM (Ian Svenonius of Chain & The Gang, The Make-Up) Thursday 7 May Space 289, Railway Arches, 289 Cambridge Heath Rd, London, E2 9HA 7.30pm | £11 | TICKETS   FRAN Friday 29 May PinUps (formerly The Islington) 1 Tolpuddle Street, Angel, London, N1 0XT 7.30pm | £7 | TICKETS   BRIGID MAE POWER (full band) Wednesday 10 June The Lexington, 96-98 Pentonville Rd, London, N1 9JB £10 | 7.30pm | TICKETS   FUZZ Wednesday 22 July Electric Ballroom, 184 Camden High St, London, NW1 8QP 7pm | £17.50 | TICKETS 14 + show (under 16’s must be accompanied by an adult)