Reverieme is the alter ego of Scottish singer/songwriter Louise Connell, who released the absolutely genius Straw Woman last year. With her quirky, refreshing and thoughtful folk with a pop twist, Reverieme is destined to be your next favourite artist. As she teases a return to the scene with the more expansive sound of 'Ten Feet Tall', we decided to catch up with her to find out what has changed in the year since we last crossed paths.

MG: Straw Woman is now a year old. What have you been up to since?

LC: No shenanigans with capybaras, that’s for sure. Oh, you meant musically! Well, I’ve been writing to stay sane, as always, and I’ve managed to compile enough tunes for one or two new releases. I’ve also been out and about all over the place singing at people and trying to work my new guitar.

MG: One thing we know you've done is record a new single. Tell us about it...

LC: My new single is called ‘Ten Feet Tall’ and it’s all about the terror of younger relatives growing up too quickly and making you feel geriatric and obsolete and scrotal. It doesn’t sound like it’s about that, it sounds like a lullaby about the wonder of children forging a path in the world as they grow older, but I promise it’s harrowing.

MG: Are whispers of more new material true?

LC: They are! You must know very coherent whisperers. Whenever someone tries to whisper to me, and it isn’t often, I usually assume they’re impersonating what they think it would sound like to boil a rattlesnake in a kettle. I realise now that wasn’t the pertinent part of the question. Let me try again. We’re currently recording and compiling all of the new songs I’ve written in order to decide on a release format that suits them best.

MG: What was the biggest lesson you learnt from the creation of 'Straw Woman'?

LC: I loved being involved with the production of ‘Straw Woman’, but I was a little timid at first. I’d like to think I won’t have any reservations when we work on the next record. That’s why there’ll be kazoo on every track!

MG: And what was the best and worst feedback you received?

LC: ‘Straw Woman’ was a mix of reasonably short pop tunes and longer atmospheric tracks, and many people had a favourite team out of the
two. It’s a fairly inoffensive album, so it didn’t attract a great deal of controversy, but there was some disagreement over which style people preferred. I mean, that’s what they spray painted on my front door when they came with the pitchforks.

MG: All artists receive comparisons to others - who do you enjoy being compared to?

LC: I don’t have particular artists to whom I like to be compared, but I’ll always have a soft spot for someone who doesn’t immediately compare me to the first female singer-songwriter that comes to mind. It would never offend me, of course (though do ignore that fist-shaped hole in the wall), and sometimes those comparisons are spot-on, but if it’s coming from a journalist then I can’t help but find it lazy.

MG: What is the strangest comparison you have ever heard?

LC: Being compared to early Genesis at a recent gig was definitely a new one. I’m not mad about it.

MG: If you could collaborate with one artist over the next 12 months, who would it be? 

LC: Peter Gabriel, of course... 

MG: Are there any other achievements you hope to tick off your list in the same time period?

LC: As well as the musical business, I’d love to complete a few more music videos. I have lots of strange (cockroaches-on-the-face strange) ideas to film.

MG: Lastly, 'Straw Woman' was Pledge funded. As an independent artist, how useful are interactive platforms for you to reach your artistic potential?

LC: Pledge, in conjunction with Help Musicians, was a huge help to us. As an independent artist, any money you make from sales is really only there to help you break even, which can be tricky when you’re at the beginning of a project. Platforms like Pledge, as well as other sites I use, like Bandcamp, are able to provide a space in which individuals who love new music can support artists and catalyse their work. It can be tricky to infer gratitude in my glib wee remarks sometimes, but I am truly thankful to anyone who’s spent real actual money on my music.

** 

Check out Reverieme's website to keep up to date with future releases and live dates. To check out Reverieme's full discography, including the new single 'Ten Feet Tall', head on over to Bandcamp. 

Based in London, Enderby's Room is the musical alter ego of Dan Mayfield, and an outfit who take delight in creating wonderfully enticing soundscapes under the bracket of "folk music" (see below). Their self-titled debut album is out now on Fika Records, and in order to help spread the word, we've decided to pick Mr Mayfield's brain. Be warned in advance that some of these questions are sensible, and some are not, but hopefully they'll give you a comprehensive view of the band regardless. So, without further delay, Enderby's Room...

1. Hello there, let's start with a very broad question, how's 2017 going for you so far?

Well so far it feels like 2017 has only just started, but as I look at the date we are almost half way through! It’s been a really good year so far. I managed to release my first single and album at the grand old age of 36; this was both a great relief and joy. In a world of turmoil, it has provided droplets of happiness to be able to share the record with others.

2. The name Enderby's Room comes from the Anthony Burgess character, but what percentage of your musical composition do you do in the toilet (and what are the percentages for everywhere else)?

Whilst the name is partly taken form the Anthony Burgess character, it is also from a number of hamlets in Lincolnshire that I remember from my childhood. Bag Enderby, Wood Enderby and the wonderfully named Mavis Enderby, which I remember passing on our way to the seaside at Skegness. Did I avoid the bit about writing music on the john?

3. The soundscapes on the record are quite lush and sophisticated, is this an intention or by-product of the writing process, and how does this process generally unfold?

I really enjoy harmonies of voices, both from instruments and people. In the songs, I aim to write simple lines and then adorn them with a few other simple lines. Nothing too complicated, most of it in the same key, but hopefully sounding interesting, and providing a few new things to hear on each listen.

4. For the album overall, are there any overarching themes which you applied, either consciously or subconsciously, and what are the reasons for these?

Life, love and loss would be the succinct and probably clichéd way of describing it, with smattered themes of nature and listening. I find lyrics to be the hardest part of song writing. A melody can simply be a nice combination of notes, nothing more, nothing less. However words carry such a baggage of meaning, and when they are put together they can make total sense or be utter gibberish. The songs I write are my escapism from work and life. I don’t really feel like writing about the challenges in social care or the political state of the world. The songs on the album (except 'Mannequins', which is about the biased rags given away each day in London) are a place I can go to away from all the shit and struggles, for about 3 minutes at a time.

5. There's been something of a rise of folk music in the mainstream over the past decade, but how would you define "folk music" and judge what falls under this definition or not?

That is a difficult question. Folk music can be lots of things. The obvious answer might be songs about historical or political events, unaccompanied or accompanied by acoustic instruments. But I just admitted the Enderby’s Room songs aren’t about politics or history, does that mean we aren’t folk? Just using acoustic instruments doesn’t make music folk either. When Alice in Chains played MTV Unplugged did that make their music folk? Possibly not. As with many forms of art, I think it is up to the person making it as to what they want to call it. Genres are subjective, so if you want to call it folk music, then it is folk music. I think Enderby’s Room play folk music.

6. Harking back to your musical beginnings, what inspired you to begin writing, and what influences keep you composing to this day?

I started writing instrumental music in my teens using loop pedals. I enjoyed exploring and experimenting with repetitive melody lines. In fact the song 'Tiptoe' on the album was one of the first pieces of music I wrote and with the exception of its middle 8, has the same chords all the way through. Looping music was fun but it had its limitations. Playing in a band with friends is far more enjoyable.

7. The line-up of Enderby's Room appears to be pretty fluid, is there a selection and interview process that goes on behind the scenes, or is very much that, fluid?

Everyone who has played with Enderby’s Room ticks three boxes. In order of importance they are: not a dick, reliable, and can play an instrument. Nobody has ever auditioned in be in, and nobody has ever been asked to leave the band.

8. Having relocated to London, how do you feel this has impacted on the formation and reception of your music, both positively and negatively?

Well Enderby’s Room started in London so it’s really a product of my time here. When I first moved down I was fortunate to quickly meet a number of amazing musicians in the band Ellis Island Sound. From there, a number of other projects developed, and I met and continue to meet a lot of fascinating and creative people here. These were really fun times and it opened doors on what London and its music scene has to offer. I find playing music with people such an enjoyable experience, and London continues to provide plenty of them.

9. As someone who plays various instruments, and on a record which features various instruments, which is your favourite and why?

I really love the pedal harmonium that we have in the band. It’s very old, fragile, tuned slightly sharp, not entirely in tune with itself, all of which makes it a wonderfully characterful piece of wood and metal. It was designed to travel around with and it would feel like a disservice just to keep it at home or have it trapped behind glass in a museum. We’ve taken it on tour abroad and all over the UK and it has still survived, and there’s no reason it can’t keep on going. It will probably outlive me. I hope it does.

10. As an exciting closing question, if you had to order a final three course meal, what would pick?

Blimey, if this was to happen would I really have an appetite? Can I opt for a liquid lunch? Okay well I won’t dwell on why this fateful occasion might be occurring. For starters I’d plump for nostalgic cocktail sausages, pineapple chunks and pickled onions on a stick. Main is easy, that’s the pie of the day. And pudding would be hot jam roly poly and custard.

Now that you know more about Dan Mayfield than his closest friends, it's probably about time to sample some music, right? Below you can find a Soundcloud sampler of that record, and if that tickles your fancy you can purchase it on iTunes now (or whichever place you like to spend your music cash). Regardless, I hope we've turned you onto something you find exciting and that makes you smile in the sun. 

Amber Galactic is the third album from the Swedish hard rock supergroup and it sees the ambitious prog of Marillion, the euro rock pomp of Europe and the ‘80s vigour and earnestness of Survivor, Foreigner and Starship all feed the glamorous classic rock revivalism of The Night Flight Orchestra.

The band was formed by Soilwork’s Björn ‘Speed’ Strid and David Andersson and the music is a spot-on approximation of the pomp rock sound they are revivifying, but it is the vocals that really sell Amber Galactic. In the 21st century, this music shouldn't work but Strid is NFO’s trump card. We know from his work with Soilwork that he has a powerful clean singing voice but here he utilises it to its fullest extent.

There are dozens of bands trying to breathe life into the classic rock corpse but they all sound second rate when compared with Amber Galactic. Not since The Darkness’ 2003 magnum opus, Permission To Land, has this been successfully attempted. NFO would be as well-suited to headlining Download as they would to competing in the Eurovision. We spoke with Strid about what started out as a drunken notion between bandmates, and has developed into something more.

“It all came together on a North American tour that we did in 2008” he says. “David was the session guitar player for Soilwork on that tour. I didn't know him before that and we very quickly started bonding over classic rock, and songwriting and women's names in lyrics. We ended up in the back lounge every night. To the point where the other guys in the band got really sick of us. It was a five week tour so you can imagine. At the end of that tour we promised ourselves that we would start a band to capture it. It became a reality. It was one of those drunken ideas that actually became a reality.”

Listening to the record, you will completely have forgotten the band members' death metal roots. Strid’s singing voice with NFO is reminiscent of Fish, Queensryche and even Rob Halford. He is in his element with NFO but he wasn’t always so sure about it. “I didn't feel confident when I first approached this band but I was excited and curious. When I found out it was the greatest kick in the world. Now I get to have the best of both worlds. Since I've started Night Flight, the other end has become more extreme and more intense, and even darker. I feel like I’m complete in many ways. I don’t feel like I need to be Lou Gramm from Foreigner and Tom Araya from Slayer in the same band anymore.”

“People can't believe it; “Is that him singing?”, “Is that Sharlee D'Angelo (Arch Enemy) playing bass on ‘Domino’?”. It's pretty interesting. I guess we will shock some people. I always aim to surprise people musically. I'm a musical chameleon in a sense. This comes from a good place. There's so much love behind it. It's not a nostalgia act or a pastiche. It's more than that. There's so much musicianship and knowledge behind it, and great songwriters. We're doing it for the right reasons. It's not something that just looks good on paper; “Let's get a bunch of famous metal musicians and get them to do a ‘70s project”, it's more than that.”

“It was important that they shared the same love for that era, and had an understanding of it. We did some brainstorming and this is what we came up with. It's such a creative unit. It works perfectly. On a personal level, the chemistry is fantastic. We are so creative together and there is a silent understanding. We communicate very well musically.”

Strid and Andersson are the main songwriters “but also Sebastian (Forslund – congas, percussion, guitar). He became a permanent member sometime during the last album. He mixed the last album, and also this one. He wrote ‘Gemini’ and ‘Jennie’ on Amber Galactic, two fantastic tracks. He's a brilliant songwriter. A great addition to the band.”

“As seasoned musicians, we’re taking this project seriously, although we might come across as slightly retrofuturistic at times, there's no irony involved ... It sounds refreshing. It's like a lost art. The way you wrote those songs but also the way you produced albums. It's timeless. It works today. It's needed out there. Of course, there are so many retro rock bands coming out in the last 5-7 years. But it's different from what we're doing. A lot of what's around is influenced by early ‘70s stuff and Black Sabbath, we're doing something completely different. We're on a mission.”

It can be no coincidence that Soilwork have been reinvigorated since he started work with this band. “I think so too. It all makes sense. I’m bringing the more melancholic and darker side to Soilwork, and Night Flight is like my party band. I don't want to make it sound shallow. We've been touring all  over the world and we just found some weeks here and there to record and write. The switch is pretty easy. When you come home from doing a metal tour, it's very therapeutic to sit down and approach some songwriting as light as that. We're slowing down now with Soilwork. The touring cycle for The Ride Majestic is pretty much over. Now we're going to focus on Night Flight for a while. Me and David really need it. It's going to be easier for me to approach the next album with Soilwork as well.”

There hasn’t been an NFO tour before but they have played a few festivals in recent years, so the big question is whether we will see a tour for Amber Galactic. “That's definitely in the pipeline. It's something we really want to do. The two first albums went under the radar a little bit. Considering the limited distribution, we have a fairly big fan base. I think promoters will get to us more now we're signed to Nuclear Blast. It gives us a whole new dimension of possibilities. We do want to tour.”

Dublin quartet Pillow Queens haven’t been together long but they’ve been blazing a trail through the capital’s music scene. Their first record, Calm Girls, is out now. Their debut live show, a fundraiser for Cara Rescue in the Bello Bar, sold out. They’ve played Whelan’s Ones To Watch and are soon embarking on a UK tour. “We're feisty” says singer/guitarist Sarah, “We've been grabbing opportunities as they’ve been coming.”

Sarah; We started playing together in November.

Pamela (Vocals, Guitar, Bass); We recorded the EP in November as well and it came out in December, and played our first gig and now here we are. I tried to keep count of the gigs bit I've lost count. Even though it’s not that many, I've lost count. It’s under 15 probably.

Cathy (Lead Guitar/ Vocals): When I came in to Pillow Queens, Pamela and Rachel had written most of the songs and the structures. So me and Rachel had the privilege of adding and taking away some bits. The music was pretty much there.

Rachel (Drums, Vocals): We work very well together and listen to each other.

Sarah; I wanted to play with Pamela for ages. I met her busking in Templebar one day. I didn’t even go over to her. I just filmed her and put it on YouTube. I became online friends with her through complimenting her over and over. Then in July last year we moved in together and I asked her to jam and she said “No, I don’t play guitar anymore”.

Pamela; I wasn’t confident in my playing.

Sarah; We started playing basketball with Cathy and went to  the pub afterwards and we became a band. Then we got Rachel.

Rachel; I've known Cathy about ten years.

Sarah; I've only known both of you since November.

MG: You're obviously very charitable, tonight’s show is for Daisy House and your first gig was for charity too.

Sarah; Yeah, how much did we get for that?

Cathy; €1600, all for the doggies.

Sarah: It was at Christmas too, they were delighted. There were even dogs at the gig. It was so great. It was packed out. All the bands played for free.

Pamela; It was our first gig and it sold out. The line-up was great. We had Girlfriend. We had Sissy. We had a surprise act, which was Bitch Falcon, to headline.

Sarah: Everyone who got involved put loads of energy in to it and gumption behind it.

Cathy; Girlfriend gave their merch sales to Cara Rescue as well.

Pamela; We were full. We had to turn people away which was great. A horrible feeling when you're doing it but in hindsight ...

Sarah: We had an online site as well with a donation aspect. We raised a lot from people who couldn't make it but gave a donation anyway. There was a lot of that.

MG: Tell us a bit about Daisy House.

Sarah; We just met them today. They're a really small group who do a lot of great work with homeless women.

Cathy; Predominantly victims of domestic abuse and problems with addiction and depression and all the rest. It sounds like a really sweet organisation.

Pamela; They've been great to us. They said tonight is one of the coolest things they’ve been involved with and it's something that means a lot to us.

MG: It's your second night gigging in a row after supporting The Big Moon in the Academy last night.

Sarah; And Pamela had to go and get a sore throat.

Pamela; I think I'm getting flu.

Sarah; It’s not flu, you went on the sesh for five days and now you're fucked.

Pamela; It was a civilised sesh, I assure you. Last night was great though.

Sarah; That’s the first time we've done back to back gigs. I felt really tight. Like I knew what I was doing and I wasn’t going to make any mistakes. Well, I made less mistakes than last night.

Rachel; Then we have a day off tomorrow and another gig in Saturday.

MG: You’re a band that are reluctant to sit still so what's next?

Sarah: We're doing a UK tour in July which, at the moment, is nine dates. Including two festivals.

Pamela; Calm Girls will be coming out in June on vinyl in the UK on a label called Specialist Subject. It will be available online and we’ll have some with us on the road. We only have UK festivals right now, we haven't been offered any Irish ones yet.

Sarah; We've applied for some.

Pamela: We don’t know how to do that yet. We're a very young band.

Sarah: We may look haggard but that's only because we've done so many gigs in a row.

Pamela: We haven't been offered any Irish festivals but we would absolutely love to play them.

Sarah; May 28th, we're back here for a fundraiser gig for ROSA. Beyond that we're doing a Girls Rock fundraiser.

Rachel; We were meant to play the last one with Extravision and Ae Mak but we couldn’t do it.

Cathy; I'm glad they asked us to do it again.

Rachel; I wish there was something like that when we were kids.

Cathy; When we wanted to make music but didn't know what to do with it.

Pamela; It’s happening now. It's so oversaturated with men. There are so many women bands now. We were talking about Girlfriend earlier. They’re so good.

Cathy; They’re kind of grungy.

Pamela; And soulful.

Sarah; They don’t even know how good they are, “We're just going to play what we like”. When I was starting to play I thought I had to play a certain kind of music because it was the only way people would listen to it. That doesn’t exist anymore for female musicians. Now you can play what you want. You can play the music that you like and you will get a stage for it. It’s a great thing.