BE CHARLOTTE - ONE DROP

Be Charlotte are a band hotly tipped to do big things in 2017. The Scottish trio combine a riot of electro, hip hop and pop to create tracks that burst out of your speakers, radiating an infectiousness that's hard to ignore.

One Drop is a perfect example of that. A compelling track that is up and at you from the off, One Day more than justifies the praise Be Charlotte have received. Charlotte Brimner's confident vocals are the centrepiece of a collision of beats and sampled vocals and she ensures the whole song comes together wonderfully. It would seem that One Drop is only the start of the Be Charlotte story and, on the evidence of this track, there is much, much more to come.

One Drop by Be Charlotte is out now on AWAL/Kobalt Label Service and is available to stream on Spotify.

ELECTRONIC SOUND MAGAZINE CROWDFUNDING CAMPAIGN

If you read this blog, there's an excellent chance that you also read the wonderful Electronic Sound magazine. What started as an app in March 2013 has now blossomed into the must read magazine for electronic music fans. Every month's edition is crammed with great articles, reviews and, most worryingly for my bank account, a section of new gadgets that will one day see my house filled with strange little synths and other objects. The amount I've learned about electronic music of all forms since I started reading the magazine is remarkable - no matter how much you think you know about the genre, you will always find out more by reading this publication.

The magazine is currently in the midst of a crowdfunding campaign which is something you really must look at if you're a fan of the magazine. Through this, this already indispensable magazine will continue to blossom, preserving and developing the only title dedicated to electronic music. Each level of investment has different rewards for investors and you can chip in as little as £10.

Please note that the campaign only has ten days left to run, so act quickly.

Check out this page https://www.crowdcube.com/companies/pam-communications/pitches/bk9NGl for all the details you need.

HQFU - POISON/SUB SUB BASS

The new year has kicked off with new music from HQFU and that is a very good thing. Two new tracks, Poison and Sub Sub Bass are available now from the HQFU bandcamp page and both are well worth investigating.

Posion builds on the dark, clubby feel of HQFU's self titled debut album, adding new darker, more powerful layers and overlaying the lot with crisp electronics. If you were a fan of that debut album, and you really should be, then this will be right up your street. 

While Poison gives off a late night, few drinks in vibe, Sub Sub Bass takes you even further into that night out. The track features Amandah Wilkinson of the superb Bossy Love and the contrast of her breathless vocals with HQFU's own which blast into life in the chorus, the song's focal point, is a masterstroke. 

As ever, HQFU stands out from the crowd with her trademark dark, uplifting music taking on an almost poppy edge in places here. You'll do well to find a more exciting electronic talent in Scotland, let alone Glasgow. 

HQFU Facebook https://www.facebook.com/HQFUHQFU/

KING TUT'S NEW YEAR'S REVOLUTION - THE INSOMNIAC PROJECT AND MT. DOUBT

Tonight sees the opening night of King Tut's New Year's Revolution featuring a set by Apache Darling, one of this blog's favourite Glasgow bands. There's around three weeks worth of gigs to come showcasing the best local talent such as Stillhound and The Van T's, but as a preview of every show would make this as long as one of our usual Depeche Mode pieces, we've picked two gigs to focus on. If you're going to go to any of the 14 King Tut's New Year's Revolution shows, make them these two.

January 15 - The Insomniac Project

This year is going to be The Insomniac Project's year. Their superb disco infused electronic pop has come on in leaps and bounds and their live shows are unmissable. It is only going to be a matter of time until your friends start talking about them, so get in there first and head to King Tut's on Sunday January 15. The band are supported by Elle Exxe, North Atlas and Stray Saints with a DJ set from Vinyl Noise Blog there too. 

Tickets here http://theinsomniacproject.bigcartel.com/product/the-insomniac-project-king-tuts-new-year-revolution-headline-show

January 16 - Mt. Doubt

There's not much to say about Mt Doubt that I have already said in previous blogs. There is no other band that sounds like Mt Doubt on the local scene just now and, like The Insomniac Project, this year surely has big things in store for them. Powerful, dark yet uplifting melodic post rock tunes enhanced by a stirring live band are what to expect and, if you haven't heard Mt Doubt, then this gig would be the best place to start. The band are supported by Crow's Feet, Sea Captain and Skjor with a DJ set from Podcart.

Tickets here https://mtdoubt.bandcamp.com/merch/mt-doubt-at-king-tuts-new-years-revolution