The Hidden Shoal Blog is now up and running! Hot on the heels of the release of their new single ‘The Green‘, Boxharp took a moment to chat about their creative process. Read the interview here, and download the new single for free here.

Hidden Shoal Recordings has announced the release of the single ‘Humbuzzer’ by Portland-based avant-pop quartet Iretsu. The track is another masterful example of Iretsu’s signature experimental pop sound, tightened to its maximum potential around an elastic post-punk tune. Driven by a wonderfully insistent rhythm section and given lift-off by Ryan Cross’s keening vocal, this brief yet muscular beast will stick in your head for the foreseeable future – at least long enough to keep you sated until the forthcoming album Fang drops in May. The impish kings of addictive and inventive songwriting are back.

“Iretsu’s music is complex and hard to define… The group’s melodies are refined, the songs are bursting at the seams with ideas, the craftsmanship is impressive and most importantly, their combined offerings are outstanding” – Delusions of Adequacy on the Name Our Numbers, Numbers EP

“the band’s sound is dreamy and hard to resist… Once it makes its way into your playlist, your brain, your life, this is the type of album that’s hard to set aside” – Popmatters on The Moon And Stars Remain In The Morning Sky

‘Humbuzzer’ is now available from the Hidden Shoal Store. The single will be available for free download until the release of the album Fang on 27th May 2010.

Read a full press release here.

Iretsu – ‘Humbuzzer’ Iretsu – ‘Humbuzzer’

Hidden Shoal Recordings has announced the release of the single ‘The Green’ by American ambient experimental pop duo Boxharp.

The title track from their stunning forthcoming album, ‘The Green’ sees Boxharp in spacious astral pop mode. The track exudes a kind of earthbound celestialism that makes it at once intimate and expansive. With its chiming pop nous infused with the achingly lovely multi-tracked vocals of Wendy Allen, ‘The Green’ distills Boxharp’s brilliance into four minutes of magic that more than whets the appetite for their full-length.

“shows that experimental pop needn’t sacrifice the pop element to be interesting and original” – Music Musings and Miscellany on the Loam Arcane EP

“sparkling pure, like dancing snowflakes on a beautiful cold and sun-touched winter’s day. Harmonically waving between Allen’s pretty angelic voice, and the delightfully silvery ambient tones” – Luna Kafe on single ‘Rainbirds’

Boxharp recently featured in a January 2010 article in British newspaper The Guardian as one of David Bowie’s current favourite artists, and promptly received a full-page feature on Bowie’s official website.

‘The Green’ is available for free download from the Hidden Shoal Store until the release of the album The Green on 4th May 2010. Boxharp’s  stunning recently released Loam Arcane EP is also available now.

Read a full press release here.

Boxharp – ‘The Green’ Boxharp – ‘The Green’ (Preview Only)

Portland, Oregon’s irrepressible avant-pop quartet Iretsu are set to release their new album Fang through Hidden Shoal on 27th May. Fang is the superb follow up to their critically acclaimed album The Moon And Stars Remain In The Morning Sky and the equally ace Name Our Numbers, Numbers EP, and will be preceded by the release of single ‘Humbuzzer’ next Wednesday, 31st March. Over to Iretsu’s Ryan to offer some insight into how the new record took shape:

“We wanted to write a record full of intention, a fun, diverse, interesting, and accessible album. As the performers we wanted something simplified, yet technically challenging, that incorporated what we really like about Iretsu: strong dynamics, multifaceted vocals, and unique yet familiar sounds. The songs were written in four chunks, derived from four improv sessions which we broke apart and rebuilt. A typical writing style for Iretsu. Once we had all the songs, we moved on to disassembling and rearranging their parts to see what was most appealing to us. Then we applied transitions and vocal arrangements. Then it was time to bring in Mike Jones, our long-time collaborating engineer.”

Sound good? It is! Stay tuned…