alessi’s ark

I’ve gone a bit more alternative this week with our selection of videos from O’Death, Alessi’s Ark, Zun Zun Egui, Sigur Ros, Tasseomancy and Horla Patrie…plus we have tracks from AA Bondy, Tenderfoot and Megafaun!

What an end to a great year for Bella Union, their issue of John Grant’s Queen of Denmark debut successfully found itself in most magazine and national newspapers’ ‘Albums of 2010’ features, and he too headlined the last uniting of label artists at Union Chapel in the summer.

The fabulous Willkommen Collective are out in force this Friday when they take up residence at The Big Chill’s Lazy Land stage. In addition to 35 of the collective being present from Thursday onwards it’s also Willkommen clarinet player Emma “The Mad Gatter” Gatrill’s birthday so they have extended an open invitation to come and party with them. Sounds too good to miss! The line-up for Friday – August 6th …

UK record label Bella Union, now in their 13th year are one of the most recognised independent labels going, not least for their discovery of Fleet Foxes which earned the label its first Platinum record, but also for their impeccable roster of artists ranging from the highly acclaimed Andrew Bird and Explosions in the Sky, to the lesser known likes of their new recruits exposed at their Evening at Union …

I mentioned a little while ago (on facebook) that I was going to be featuring an occasional piece on venues that offer something a bit different and unique. The first place to catch my eye was The Rude Shipyard run by Pete David and Sally Smith in Sheffield. It’s a cafe/bookshop and the sort of place I’d love to have on my doorstep! In their own words:

Bella Union have released Alessi’s Ark’s new EP ‘Soul Proprietor’. Alessi Laurent-Marke is one of those singer/songwriters who are able to sound great with what sounds like so little effort. Folks were not slow in recognising this as she signed her first record deal the day before her 17th birthday.