Big Scary Monsters

Funfunfun received some electronic mail the other day from the guys at the wonderful UK label Big Scary Monsters, who are home to bands like Secondsmile, Meet Me In St Louis, Jeniferever, Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly and many more, telling me about two of the newer bands on their rosters, one i'd heard of and one i hadn't.


Yndi Halda are a 5-piece from "The Garden Of England" (a.k.a Kent) and create some beautifully epic and colourful soundscapes, which ebb and flow like the tide of a sunset-lit sea. One moment you're cruising across this ocean, drinking in hand, heart on your sleeve, soundtracked by soothing violin melodies and gently plucked guitar, when out of nowhere the soundtrack subtley changes and you're riding the crest of a musical wave, full of tension, electricity and a sense of abandonment. Cymbals sound light lightning and the pounding bass is thunder and you're in the middle of a musical storm, not knowing whats going to happen next.The storm reaches its cresendo and you're not sure where you are, frantic guitar lines and military precison drumming fill your head, when suddenly, the water and music are like a millpond and the moon breaks through the clouds. Beautiful, but you know that with each track lasting over ten minutes that the same thing is going to happen over again. Their ep "Enjoy Eternal Bliss" is out now on BSM and is a haunting but stunning treat.

Yndi Halda - Dash And Blast


Richard Walters is a bit of an unknown to me so after a bit of web research, here's what i found out:

• He's 23 and from Oxford
• He's ex-frontman for Theremin
• He likes umbrellas more than rain
• He's part of Monoband, a side project with Cranberries guitarist Noel Hogan
• He enjoys afternoon tea and toast (to be honest, who doesn't)
  
• He has had a song featured on hit US tele show CSI:Miami
• He has a regular acoustic night at The Purple Turtle in Camden
• He has the same name as British-born rapper Slick Rick
• He has a gentle, almost fragile voice
• He writes some haunting, folk music
• He has a new ep 'Pilotlights' out now on BSM

After all that, i feel like i know him really well, its like i've met him, been to the pub for a few drinks and he's crashed on my floor, that sort of inside out knowledge.

Richard Walters - We Have Your Head