4Ever Song: Pink Floyd ‘Wish You Were Here’

When Pink Floyd recorded their seminal album, Wish You Were Here, everything seemed perfect after the success of The Dark Side Of The Moon. The album had catapulted them into international superstardom and their rise to worldwide domination seemed within grasp.

For most bands, this would have been everything they’d ever have dreamed of achieving. However, for Pink Floyd, they felt the pressure heaped on their shoulders as a result of their previous triumph. Mortality was on their mind when they went into the studio to record the follow-up, Wish You Were Here, and the deterioration of their former bandmate Syd Barrett rested heavily on their collective consciousness.

Divus Julius presents: Lucy in Blue

Stepping boldly in the dusty footsteps of such giants as King Crimson, Camel and Pink Floyd, Lucy in Blue take the stage with atmospheric grooves and bittersweet harmonies. Their newest album, In Flight deals with the dilemmas of the psychedelic experience and spiritual poverty. Confusion, despair and wonder carry the listener from black beaches to snowy peaks, to emerge at the apex of felt experience, in flight.  Tonight at Sala Apolo.

Best Covers: International Teachers Of Pop ‘Another Brick In The Wall’

International Teachers Of Pop have shared a crisp Pink Floyd cover, re-working the prog giants’ classic single ‘Another Brick In The Wall’.

Latching on to the pop possibilities of Roger Waters & Co., this new version recalls everyone from Giorgio Moroder to Yazoo, a glitzy retro-futuristic vision of electronic chic.

Divus Julius presents…International Teachers of Pop

When times are hard for Britain, Sheffield produces brilliant electronic pop groups. The Human League in the 80s, Moloko in the early 90s… and now International Teachers of Pop, arriving ready for Brexit with a dazzling debut album and tour.

They first appeared last summer with minor-key synthpop epic Age of the Train, which they described as “Northern Rail-baiting nerd disco”. A sample of an automated station announcement (about a delay to the 13.21 to Manchester airport) graced the middle-eight, and other songs tackle modern life’s absurdities through similarly witty means. On Repeat is about the monotony of going to work in May’s Britain set to a Giorgio Moroder-style soundtrack. A Kraftwerk-like cover of Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wallis, fittingly, called The Re-moaner Mix.

ITOP are Adrian Flanagan and Dean Honer (of Moonlandingz and theEccentronic Research Council), plus singer Leonore Wheatley, whose vocals give the music an iciness redolent of Ladytron. The album was written on analogue synthesisers and dusty drum machines, but the band have a shiny, contemporary vision.

Favourite Gig: Roger Waters

Roger Waters, founding member and writer of so many Pink Floyd tunes, is back in Barcelona after a stop during the 30th anniversary tour of ‘The Wall’ (1979) in 2011. He’s here with acclaimed tour ‘Us + Them’, which shows off the Waters’ innovative work and presents songs from the best Pink Floyd album, including ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’, ‘The Wall’, ‘Animals’, and ‘Wish You Were Here’. You can also expect to hear live versions of songs off Waters’ fifth studio solo album, ‘Is This the Life We Really Want?’ (2017). Today and tomorrow at Palau Sant Jordi.

Music by Bergman: Rainbrother

After the success of psychedelic folk outfit The Migrant, frontman Bjarke Bendtsen is ready to transcend furthermore into electronic folk-rock territory with the release of his latest project Rainbrother’s debut album Tale From The Drought, out on 3rd February 2017 via General Bird.

Tales From The Drought is all about making your way whilst on the road, dwelling on memories both beautiful and troublesome and coming to terms with the decisions that have been made. Album opener ‘Riverside’ is a stunning piece of songwriting that carries you away into the abyss and as the album continues, so do your thoughts. Each one a little more comforting than the next. Tales From The Drought invites the listener into a speckled dream, filled with steady beats, wistful Pink Floyd inspired guitar slides and a storytelling charm akin to the likes of Fleet Foxes and Bon Iver.

Rainbrother was formed after Bjarke eventually found his way back to Copenhagen. While touring with The Migrant in Europe, he performed with a group of fellow Danish musicians and after moving back to his home turf, Rainbrother was born. The album was produced by Noah Georgeson (The Strokes, Joanna Newsom, Devendra Banhart) whose flickering elements have been spun into the group’s tight rock sound making Tales From The Drought both an earthy and elevating affair.

 

Hit of the week: Bangkok “Maya Girls”

Bangkok és la capital de Tailanda, però d’ençà fa poc és també el nom d’una banda francesa que acaba de publicar el seu disc de debut “Jungle of Mania”. Aquest trio traspua talent i originalitat per tot arreu. Barthélémy i Melchior passaren la seva infantesa recorrent el món com membres d’un cor i com solistes d’òpera. Antoine és un amant de les sonoritats africanes. El seu so és molt eclèctic i ells reconeixen influències que van des de Pink Floyd als Bee Gees i de Supertramp a l’E.L.O. El seu primer vídeo “Maya Girls” ha estat rodat a Nàpols, una de les poques ciutats que, segons ells, es manté pura.