Nettwerk Press Blog

Hamburg-based indie pop duo BOY is set to make their North American debut with the release of Mutual Friends on February 26, 2013. The album’s infectious first single “Little Numbers,” which has garnered more than 6.5 million YouTube views, is available today on iTunes, along with b-side “Skin (acoustic version).” In support of the release, the ladies of BOY will embark on their first proper tour of the States, starting Friday, March 1 in New York City at Joe’s Pub (full list of dates below).

BOY is comprised of Swiss-born Valeska Steiner and German-born Sonja Glass (neither of which are boys). The two met serendipitously when they participated in a prestigious music workshop in Hamburg. They immediately bonded over their classical-music training and a mutual love of the French band Phoenix. Before long, they decided to form a band and began writing what would become Mutual Friends.

Watch The Video For “Little Numbers” Here

Watch The Video For “Skin (Acoustic Version)” Here:

Mutual Friends is an autobiographical affair, comprised of smart, sharply-observed songs that resonate because they’re about everyday life. The hooks are contagious and the lyrics are straight from the heart. “It's about arrivals and new beginnings,” explains Valeska. “About hopes and dreams and aspirations. We want to make music that's positive and hopeful,” she says. “There is more to music than heartbreak and loss,” agrees Sonja. The album has already achieved Gold status in Germany, where it has sold more than 100,000 copies.

(Keep reading for more details, including tour dates.)

VIctoria-B.C. roots rock foursome Current Swell have released a new video for the track "Long Time Ago" from their latest album of the same name  The band will continue their headline tour on the west coast starting this Friday, Dec 7 in Portland, OR and wrapping Saturday, Dec 15 in Spokane, WA (all tour dates below).  This marks Current Swell’s first official headline tour in the States; the band recently opened for Dispatch on a small run of west coast dates.

Since forming in 2005, Current Swell’s west coast influenced sound—an infectious combination of blues, roots, pop and rock—have earned the quartet scores of devoted fans from Canada to Brazil, where they recently returned from headlining two major festivals in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. The independent band started with modest expectations, playing shows in settings that ranged from backyards to beaches and using social media to grow their audience. Since then, they have supported artists like Dispatch, Xavier Rudd, K’Naan, K-OS, The Beach Boys, The Tragically Hip and more. Last summer, Current Swell not only headlined a Canada Day concert in front of a crowd of 45,000, but they also earned first place at Vancouver’s Peak Performance Project, a professional development program designed to help emerging artists.

Partnering with IFC (Independent Film Channel), State Radio reveals the official music video for “Big Man” from their album, Rabbit Inn Rebellion - out now via Ruff Shod/Nettwerk Records.

Of the video’s subject matter, director Michael Gill says, “the video is aesthetically inspired by dystopian sci-fi movies like Brazil and Metropolis, and it is intended to satirize the myth that the wealthiest 1% of America are 'job creators'...and to just generally indict the exploitation of the working class.”

While he’s always brought it on tour, State Radio frontman Chad Stokes is seen playing the handmade 6-string African oil can guitar, also know as a ram kiekie. A gift purchased on the streets of Capetown, South Africa, the alternative to store-bought guitars is made from a Castrol oil can, bottle tops, plastic and salvaged copper. Nicknamed “Fidel Castrol,” the guitar often appears on album tracks.

Nettwerk One Publishing client Aaron Espe has much to celebrate this holiday season. His song "Through Frozen Forests" is currently the soundtrack to a series of 14 Sainsbury 2012 Christmas Day TV ads in the UK (watch the ads HERE).  "Through Frozen Forests" and four other tracks have been released as a digital EP in the UK (here). Watch the lyric video for the track above.

“Dutch musician/producer JXL, who rose to fame remixing Elvis Presley's ‘A Little Less Conversation’ in 2002, creates EDM with a classic-rock sensibility. It's easy to hear his mind-altering soundscapes as contemporary acid rock.” - USA Today

“The Dutch born, LA-based uber-producer returns to stir up his dance-rock roots with some catchy hooks, courtesy of talent like Tears for Fears and Datarock.”
- Elektro (Winter Issue)

Hailing from Amsterdam but now based in Los Angeles, electronic music producer and musician Junkie XL celebrates the release of his new album Synthesized. Out now on Nettwerk Records, the 12-track offering marks his first album in four years and the sixth full-length LP in his 15-year career.

To Listen To The Full Album, Click Here: http://snd.sc/Qblybm

Today, Junkie XL’s Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) performance broadcasted on Nettwerk's Ustream channel: http://www.ustream.tv/junkiexl. Filmed on October 19th at Dutch electronic dance event VRIJ (www.vrij.nl) -- a sold-out event at the monumental Royal Concert Hall in Amsterdam's city center - the performance captures Junkie XL presenting selections from Synthesized including his current single “Gloria,” a pulsating club track with tough, bass-heavy stylings featuring Fredrik of DATAROCK, as well as other album cuts, including “Off The Dancefloor,” “Love Machine” (a track he produced with Tommie Sunshine) and “Synthesized.” 

Vancouver-based indie pop trio Hey Ocean! are bringing their unbridled spirit Stateside with the release of their latest full-length album IS, out January 29, 2013 via Nettwerk Records. The album combines irresistible hooks and infectious melodies with dreamy keyboards and crystal clear guitars, all of which can be heard on lead single “Big Blue Wave,” available digitally on December 11, 2012 (watch the video above).

Hey Ocean!—Dave Vertesi [vocals/bass], Ashleigh Ball [vocals/flute], David Beckingham [vocals/guitar]—are three mischievous personalities who, when combined, form a dynamic live presence that keeps concertgoers captivated and on their feet. Whether headlining or opening for the likes of Cat Empire and Bedouin Soundclash, the trio consistently enchants the initiated and uninitiated alike, leaving crowds smiling every time.

Stay tuned for U.S. tour news in the coming weeks.

Kicking off 2013, Nettwerk Management artist Guster will self-release Guster: Live Acoustic, a collection of live recordings from their 2012 acoustic tour (out January 8, 2013). To watch the 1-Minute album trailer, click above.

It’s been eight years since Guster released a proper live album - 2004’s Guster On Ice – and two years since their last studio album, Easy Wonderful. The sixteen tracks from Live Acoustic are a musical tribute to the varied faces and places that made last year’s travels one of the most remarkable in Guster’s impressive career.

“I guess we could have called it Live at Various Theaters,” says drummer Brian Rosenworcel, referencing the fact that the songs on the album were culled from many performances and not just one. “Actually, I wish we’d called it Live at Various Theaters. Is it too late to call it Live at Various Theaters?”

While the members of the band mainly stick to the acoustic guitars on Live Acoustic, the songs are fleshed out with Charlene Huang on violin and April Guthrie on cello – helping to bring out the parts and arrangements that have made Guster’s studio recordings such mainstays.

To Watch “Rocketship” Live Video, Click Below:

UK rock band The Rifles have shared a new video for the track "Long Walk Back" from their latest album Freedom Run. The video plays like a short film, starring acclaimed UK actors Jonny Owen and Vicky McClure as a couple, who on a night out with friends, has a huge argument in a pub.

The opening scene is set at The Boogaloo in London, where fans were invited to be featured as extras. The video follows Jonny and Vicky, as they take their long walks home separately, passing places that spark memories of falling in love, leading to their reconciliation in the end. 

Out this week, State Radio release Live In Boston, a collection of live tracks recorded in Boston in 2010. The band is currently on tour to support the release of their latest release, Rabbit Inn Rebellion (out now via Ruff Shod/Nettwerk Records).

Tour Dates:

11/15/12 - Lawrence @ Bottleneck
11/16/12 - Boulder @ Fox Theatre
11/17/12 - Boulder @ Fox Theatre
11/29/12 – Chicago, IL @ Metro Chicago
11/30/12 - Toronto @ El Mocambo
12/01/12 – Rochester, NY @ Water Street Music Hall
12/06/12 – Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground
12/07/12 – New York, NY @ Slipper Room*
12/08/12 – New York, NY @ Webster Hall
12/14/12 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair*
12/15/12 – Boston, MA @ House Of Blues
* Chadwick Stokes Solo Date

Hi-def gets dialed down low for Junkie XL's video for electro-anthem "Gloria" (featuring DATAROCK) which makes its debut today at Youtube.com/JunkieXLOfficial. Directed by John Christopher Pina (Kanye West, John Legend, Seal, Common) and produced by Clean Sweep, the video is a flashback to a 1990’s sitcom—authentic down to low grade video, Guess cut off jean shorts and a Chevy convertible--where a young student fantasizes a far more 'smooth and refined' version of himself for the perfect weekend escape with the girl of his dreams. It features a cameo from Junkie XL as a high-school teacher.

“Gloria” appears on Junkie XL’s (Tom Holkenborg) new album Synthesized, set for release on November 27 via Nettwerk Records. This is his first album in four years and the sixth full-length LP in his 15-year career. Other cuts on the album include “Off The Dancefloor,” “Love Machine” (a track he produced with Tommie Sunshine) and “Synthesized.”