Always the Storm

It's a prety handy thing at times, this internet, isn't it? All this power at your fingertips. One day you can be sitting there in your comfy leather armchair smugly thinking to yourself 'I know ALL the good bands, nothing gets past me'. Then, one quick surf later, and you realise that there are literally THOUSANDS of bands out there making noises you didn't think were possible. Credit for my most recent little epiphany is due to http://www.myinlandempire.co.uk/ upon which I stumbled via Drowned in Sound, and from which I've shamelessly pilfered dozens of albums (which has consequently resulted in hundreds of pounds of extra expenditure on CDs)

Among countless other discoveries, I've been lucky enough to be introduced to Glissando, a band from Leeds who are responsible for some of the most gorgeous noises I've ever heard in my life.

Their sound is unhurried, often melodic, and at times experimental and the album drifts over you like sleep. It's undoubtedly a record to listen to on headphones in the small hours. The lazy among us might lump them in with the Post-Rock crowd, but in reality their album 'With Our Arms Wide Open, We March Towards the Burning Sea' is a much more other-worldly proposition altogether . A lot of the eerie feel to the album is to do with their singer Ellie May Irving who has this incredible, haunting voice that can make you completely flimsy in the knee-joints.

Glissando are part of a really exciting group of bands which is emerging, mainly from Leeds. (Well, something good had to come out of there, eh?!) Along with bands like Vessels, I Concur, Her Name is Calla and, to an extent, iLiKETRAiNS, they are making immersive, ambitious noise with influences extending way beyond the usual clowns like The Libertines and The Jam.

They make a great case in favour of buying music rather than just downloading it too. Their artwork is as gorgeous as their music, particularly a Limited Edition live CD they've released recently. Each of the 100 copies comes in some lovely hand-made packaging. So as well as downloading the two songs I've posted, why not get over to http://gizehrecords.bigcartel.com/products and spend a few pounds?

Grekken

White Silence and the Fragile Reality

NB For the attention of any Leodensians. I was only joking. Your city is perfectly alright. You just have a horrible football club.