A post-punk guitar-bass relationship from the humblest of beginnings Sometimes, the integration between guitar and bass is so essential that to look at one apart from the whole would only be telling half the story. Such is the case with Cardiff alt-rockers Kutosis and their guitarist/singer Ian Jones and bassist (and occasional axeman) Jim Deacon, … Continue reading
An arsenal of gear for an army of styles To put it simply, Cameron Johnson is a guitar-playing chameleon. While he melts faces in metal project Atma Weapon, he also has a master’s degree in Film Scoring and frequently adjusts his playing style, not to mention his gear, to fit the needs of his client. … Continue reading
Acoustic guitars, a floorful of pedals and an improvisatory philosophy When we play the guitar, we don’t often think about its position in the world or how it communicates in a philosophical sense – it’s more about how to best nail the next lick. However, for psychedelic acoustic-looping philosopher Michael Garfield, the player’s relationship with … Continue reading
To say Rhodri Viney has been involved with a few bands in Cardiff is one hell of an understatement. He’s played a role in a staggering number of acts, including Stray Borders, Martin Carr, Sweet Baboo, Vito, Little My, Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci, Sophia, Brave Captain, Cymbient and The Secret Show – the country side project … Continue reading
So far, EDGG has only featured those gritty, dirty, penny-pinching “songwriting in bands” guitarists. But let us not ignore the session players, who, although playing with the stars of tomorrow, have enough pressures of their own. Sure, they may play less of a hand in composition, but they’re expected to come up with the goods, … Continue reading
Church: a place of community, spiritual worship and WOLVES?!? Get ready for a whole new kind of religious education as North Carolina’s finest sledgehammer you in the face with an unholy trinity of groove-laden sludge, heavyweight rhythms and inebriating structures at the hands of Church of Wolves and axe-wielder Alex Kokawski. “I want to punch … Continue reading
Post-rock is becoming a bit of a dirty word these days; bands left, right and centre are claiming to be the next Mogwai or Explosions in the Sky. However, if there’s one group set to buck the trend, it’s Leeds-based instrumentalists Richard Parker. Their melodies are poignant without delving into cliché and the whole package … Continue reading
If nothing else, Canadian duo Quaternin deserve an award for best genre classification: guitarist Will Ballantyne describes their sound as “new instrumental music”. Personally, I’d place their musical traits somewhere in the realms of the avant-garde or jazz but to pigeonhole it would be to do the duo a disservice. You can certainly hear elements … Continue reading
Atmosphere. It’s a word that gets thrown around a lot in describing far too many bands, but Blair Maman’s guitar parts in Case and Ctrl positively revel in it. Syncopated picking faces dramatic contrast with distorted stabs, forming the basis for the band’s self-confessed, and appropriately-titled, space rock veneer. Much of Case and Ctrl’s sound … Continue reading
An interview with Cardiff’s math rock titans at Clwb Ifor Bach… plus video Truckers of Husk are one of the brightest stars in the Cardiff music scene’s glimmering constellation of acts. Although only a part-time band, their nuanced math rock stylings have attracted considerable attention, particularly on debut album Accelerated Learning, released last month on … Continue reading
