Hidden Shoal Recordings is proud to announce the release of the new freely downloadable single ‘Surry Hills’ by Perth-based multi-instrumental pop sextet Apricot Rail. The single follows on from their highly praised self-titled debut album of 2009.

“Imagine the ethereal pop of early Múm, the whimsy of Sigur Rós’ more optimistic moments, and (occasionally) the emotional edge of The Twilight Sad. This is consummate indie post-rock laced with Australiana, and well worth checking out.“ – Rave Magazine

‘Surry Hills’ gradually blooms from a shimmering haze of harmonics and ride cymbal into a delicious interweave of resonant guitars and woodwind melodies. The song’s restraint becomes its strength as the hairs on the back of your neck slowly rise. Inhabiting a similar sonic space to Sweden’s marvellous trio Tape, ‘Surry Hills’ is destined to garner a fresh new raft of fans for Apricot Rail’s addictive brand of melodic instrumental pop.

“…what genre-defining bands like Explosions in the Sky take eight or nine minutes to do Apricot Rail are capable of in three and a half. This impeccable sense for the immediacy of great pop structures is arguably one of their biggest assets, and is displayed masterfully on their debut album.” – Drum Media CD of the Week

Formed in 2008, Apricot Rail is Ambrose Nock (guitar), Jack Quirk (guitar), Matthew Saville (drums), Daniel Burt (bass), Mayuka Juber (clarinet/flute) and Justin Manzano (guitar/electronics). In November 2008, the then-quintet headed into Kingdom studios under the guidance of Simon Struthers (Umpire, Adam Said Galore, Mukaizake) to record their self-titled debut album, released on Hidden Shoal in 2009. Since its release, the album has been wowing fans and critics alike, with feature album status galore across Australian radio, charting in US college radio (including a number 1!), and receiving glowing reviews left, right and centre.

‘Surry Hills’ is available now as a free download from the Hidden Shoal Store, along with Apricot Rail’s self-titled debut album. The single is launched on 6th August at The Bakery in Perth – check out the Facebook event page for more info. Their forthcoming sophomore album will be released in 2012. In the second half of 2011 the band are proud to announce prestigious support slots with the likes of Marnie Stern and Akron/Family. Stay tuned for more details.

We’re pleased to announce that a range of Hidden Shoal CD releases are now available for online purchase by Australian customers directly through the Hidden Shoal store. Even better all CD purchases include an immediate MP3 download of the release and shipping is free! Currently available titles include CD’s by Umpire, Wes Willenbring, Hotels, Slow Dancing Society, Markus Mehr, Liam Singer, Iretsu, Sankt Otten, Salli Lunn, My Majestic Star, Mukaizake, Jumpel, City of Satellites, Boxharp, Apricot Rail and Antonymes with more added soon. Be quick as we’re getting very near sold out status for a number of titles.

And of course our US and international fans should continue to head to our wonderful distributor n5mailorder for Hidden Shoal CD titles.

As part of our 5th birthday celebrations, we’ll be looking back at the history of Hidden Shoal, year by year, casting some light on artists and releases that may have been overlooked. For one week, all releases covered below will be available from the Hidden Shoal Store with a 30% discount. Flavoursome!

In 2009, Hidden Shoal continued to release stunning music from around the world, including debut Hidden Shoal albums from Hotels, HC-B, Tarcutta, Sleeping Me, City Of Satellites and Elisa Luu, sophomore albums from Jumpel and Wes Willenbring, a third album from Sankt Otten, and EPs from Stray Ghost and Down Review (a new collaboration between Arc Lab’s Medard Fischer and Near The Parenthesis’ Tim Arndt).

2009 was also notable for the release of our compilation album A Million Square Miles, a project endeavouring to showcase Western Australian talent to the US (the titular million square miles). After more than three years of sharing independent music far and wide, A Million Square Miles represented a key facet of the Hidden Shoal Recordings story. The album brings together a pair of tracks from each of the then eight WA-based artists on the Hidden Shoal roster: Mukaizake, Apricot Rail, Fall Electric, Glassacre, Toby Richardson, My Majestic Star, The Slow Beings and Tangled Star.

2009 also saw Hidden Shoal join forces with The Caribbean and Scott Solter in a single EP. This not only began a special relationship with the wonderful The Caribbean and created an ongoing avenue for them to release some of their more experimental offerings, but it also began the label’s relationship with Scott Solter, which eventually led us to Boxharp (Scott Solter and Wendy Allen).

HSR046:   Jumpel Deuxieme Bureau
HSR047:   Hotels Where Hearts Go Broke
HSR048:   HC-B Soundcheck For A Missing Movie
HSR049:   The Caribbean Scott Solter Re-Populates The Caribbean EP
HSR050:   Sleeping Me Cradlesongs
HSR051:   Tarcutta Tarcutta
HSR052:   Tangled Star That Time EP
HSR053:   Apricot Rail Apricot Rail
HSR054:   Down Review From Here, For Anyone EP
HSR055:   Sankt Otten Morgen Wieder Lustig
HSR056:   Elisa Luu Chromatic Sigh
HSR057:   Various artists A Million Square Miles
HSR058:   Wes Willenbring Close, But Not Too Close
HSR059:   Stray Ghost Each Paradise Is A Lost Paradise EP
HSR060:   Mukaizake Unknown Knowns
HSR061:   City Of Satellites Machine Is My Animal

Head over to the excellent Phantom Channel zine to read their wonderful Hidden Shoal birthday feature. The write up includes a run down of the zine’s favourite HSR releases over the last 5 years. Unmissable!