HCTF premiere - Fialta: Omg

California-based indie pop quartet Fialta is made up form two married couples who share a love for quirky, but radio-friendly bands like Phantom Planet and Miniatures Tigers. Their new single Omg is an upbeat about tryign to keep it real and make sure that the feelings make sense. Somehow actress Catherina Zeta-Jones can help out with that, even if only functioning as a smart astrological rhyme. Keyboards and guitar share the spotlight, and being West Coast ensures that the vocals are top notch.

Mad Nona: Mad Nona

Icelandic power trio Mad Nona sound they have been brought on a steady diet of metal, blues, hard rock and grunge. Their self-titled album is angry, fast, and so energetic that it will put all thoughts about the pandemic on the back burner for awhile.

Escapism and getting even by way of rock 'n' roll isn't a bad thing. All members have been some serious shit in their lives, both mentally and physically. Once they've had enough, they started a band, wrote a stack of songs about their demons and happier moments. Recommended if you Bon Scott-era AC/DC, Ronnie James Dio, Soundgarden, and of course the elephant in the room: Led Zeppelin.

VeldHans: The Becalming

A kind of culture clash is happening on The Becalming, the second single (and title track from their forthcoming album) by Amsterdam based English/American duo VeldHans. Besides the electronics and lo-fi folk Maruja Bobo Remijn added violin and there is almost choral vocal part. Stuart Cullen (Pilote) and Jonathan Brown (Dusty Stray) are like kids in a candy store, using colourful sounds and mixing genres to create a unique sound where snippets of French pop, folk, jazz and avant-garde work together as equal partners.

It's Karma It's Cool: "Battle Of Burnt Out Bliss" video

English power pop quartet It's Karma It's Cool made a video for Battle Of Burnt Out Bliss, a melancholic, piano[driven requiem for lost youth from their latest album Woke Up In Hollywood.

» It's Karma It's Cool on Facebook

HCTF review of Woke Up In Hollywood

La Cerca: A Nice Sweet Getaway

Tuscon based alternative rockers La Cerca have changed course (and line-ups) quite a few times. Still, even for longtime followers of the band it comes as a surprise to see them releasing A Nice Sweet Getaway, a full-on, dark ambient album. They even used a basic two-track recording device, and had to cope with the limitations that came along with it.

Echo, delay and reverb were put to good use to create an atmosphere that is not particularly safe or soothing. They point to the dangers that are hiding in the great wide open, with pulsating rhythms and swaths of guitar that are both welcoming and issuing a warning. A Nice Sweet Getaway flows as a continious piece of music and should be enjoyed as such. This kind of music does not allow outside interference, so better disconnect the phone and other things that can break the spell.