Features The Neu Bulletin (10th December 2012)

Top photo: Cecilia Montesinos at Midi Festival, France.

Every day of the week, Neu gives you a choice show and a selection of new music tips, all in the name of exposing you to something new and exciting.

THE GIG
No Ceremony - St Pancras Old Church, London

Alas, there will be a ceremony. It’s a fitting location to welcome in a band from Manchester who exist in a realm far beyond dingy basements or sweaty pubs. This early show in No Ceremony’s career takes place in a church, paying respect to the group’s unconventional, semi-spiritual electronic chants. It’ll be a strange, surreal night, but one well worth attending.

THE SONG 
Simon Bird - Baltimore Drowning

There’s almost certainly something in the air today. In the past couple of days, in fact, I’ve seen grown men in the high street throw sticks of wrapping paper onto the floor before running amok in a flurry of tears and tantrums. The Christmas spirit does strange things to some people. Seeing No Ceremony in a church might be one of the first unusual decisions you make today. Putting Simon Bird on repeat all day would also be a touch different to your usual routine, we’re guessing, but it’d make for a wise decision. ‘Baltimore Drowning’, taken from the Ireland producer’s latest ‘Sport’ LP, is an odd beast; 7 minutes of sprawling noise, cluttered with synth bleeps and desperate howls - similar to those of our beloved Christmas shopper - all registering as a work of endless possibility. Clever stuff, this.

OTHER NEU BUSINESS 
Velveteens
Japanese - Single by VELVETEENS

Sisters Wolk - Anna and Catherine - are two musicians from Conneticut who are politely asking for a donation for “gas money” and recording funds on their Bandcamp. Nothing new there: They’re talented and they’re unjustly hard up. But we’re guessing new track ‘Japanese’ might spread word on their strange dreampop; strange in the sense that yes, it adheres to a nostalgic ‘80s pulse, but it’s also replete with cello sections and a style of vocal delivery that’s nigh on unheard of. Both singers combine to startling effect; it’s like some kind of Joanna Newsom meets Lana Del Rey calling of angelic cries.