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The popular genre-mixing band have been blending electronic influence with trip hop psychedelic rock, blues and pop since 1995 when vocalist Skye Edwards and brothers Paul and Ross Godfrey formed the band. Since their debut album in 1996 ‘Who Can You Trust’, The band have released 10 albums and produced soundtracks for legendary Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh. The band’s musical innovation has been evident throughout their discography with tracks ‘Blaze Away’ and ‘Mezcal Dream’ from the album ‘Blaze Away’ showing their 90s psychedelic rock influences in an album released in 2018. Whilst 2021 album ‘Blackest Blue’ combines trip hop, dance and blues sounds. The band released their first single since 2021 in January this year, titled ‘Call for love’. The track has relaxed reverb and emotional electrics which has left fans anticipating their upcoming May album.

The festival will commence after the release of Morcheeba’s album ‘Escape the chaos’ on May 23 which commemorates the band’s 30 year anniversary. UNKLE, who will join them at this event have been touring their Rōnin Live show around the UK throughout 2024 and will bring this to the South Facing festival in August. Their experimental alternative rock trip hop performance is electrifying and produces an undeniable energy which will transform the Crystal Palace Park at this festival which has hosted huge names such as hip hop band The Roots and 60s soul and R&B icons The Originals. Rapper and record producer Skepta has also announced this month that his festival ‘Big Smoke’ will be held here on August 9.

Lavelle explains in an interview with xsnoise his goal with the Rōnin tour, stating that ‘The project started as a DJ-based performance and we aimed to push the limits of what we thought DJing was at the time, incorporating visual elements along with the music. We want people to dance, celebrate and have a great time.’ This is clear by fans’ sharing of the performance on social media.

#UNKLE / @frontonmexicoce / Rōnin pic.twitter.com/oC5TbcTCLA

— Prissssss (@prismejia_) September 24, 2023

 

It will be exciting to see how the two artists’ musical style will pair together and create a sensational atmosphere at the festival, especially with the inclusion of special guest DJ Shadow who rose to fame in 1996 with his iconic album ‘Endtroducing’ which has since been sampled by several notable names from Metallica to Bjork.

This iconic line up is exciting for any trip hop fan and the blend of these prominent names in the scene will make a show to remember.

Quick Panda Productions, the brains behind The Great Estate Festival and Little Orchard have announced plans for their newest event, Paradhis Festival (pronounced para-dees), set to commence in the UK next summer.

Taking place at the historic Boconnoc Estate, famous for its Elizabethan foundations and home to various Prime Ministers, the centre will transform into a place of musical performances as well as meditation, yoga and wellness activities.

The festival is set to take place from Friday 5th to Sunday 7th July 2024, and will house a variety of activities that are suitable for all ages, backgrounds and beliefs. Globally revered Californian yoga teacher and wellness advocate Shiva Rea will take the lead on executing and overseeing the events throughout the weekend.

Sound bath experiences, Wim Hoff workshops, barefoot running, forest bathing and deer safaris in the local deer park are among some of the exciting activities due to take place at Cornwall’s newest festival. In addition to the various wellness events, Paradhis will also have UK electronic group Morcheeba headlining the festival. Other musical acts performing at next year’s festival include Scott Matthews, Afriquoi, Facesoul, Hang Massive and many more to be announced.

Paradhis organisers Ian Whittaker and Ben Hall said: “We always felt that Cornwall has been missing an event that is largely focused on well-being. There is such a diverse range of incredible facilitators, well-being practitioners, nature enthusiasts and an amazing community in Cornwall that deserves its own gathering to celebrate and share this wealth of diversity. Boconnoc Estate is quite simply the perfect venue to launch this event.”

Clare Fortescue of Boconnoc Estate has stated: “We’re thrilled that Quick Panda is launching Paradhis Festival at Boconnoc. Spending time at Boconnoc Estate allows guests and visitors to truly retreat in nature, and hit pause on daily life, so we couldn’t think of a better venue for a festival like Paradhis that combines wellness and music.”

A limited number of “Early Riser” tickets are available now for Paradhis festival 2024. This is a weekend camping ticket that will give you full access to the entire event. “Early Riser” tickets are £95 however as this festival is suitable for all the family, there are various ticket prices depending on age.

For tickets, full line up and more information, head to the official Paradhis website. Also, to learn more about other Quick Panda Productions events, you can head to their website.

We’re happy to announce that Good Night SONGS for Rebel Girls, a new album inspired by the book series – Good Night Stories is out now. This beautiful album includes Skye’s acoustic version of ‘The Only Way Is Up’. Stream. Listen. Buy – https://t.co/shnN1VLXhs pic.twitter.com/QzXoWpYvKJ

— Morcheeba (@MorcheebaBand) November 27, 2020

The British artists featuring on the new record include Pontypridd singer-songwriter Amy Wadge, covering Elton John’s seminal Goodbye Yellow Brick Road; Scottish folk-rocker KT Tunstall, who covers The Pretenders’ 1986 single Hymn To Her; Norfolk-born Brit Award winner Beth Orton, who adds her own spin to Antony and The Johnsons’ For Today I Am A Boy; and Morcheeba vocalist Skye Edwards (aka SKYE), who delivers an acoustic version of Yazz’s feelgood classic The Only Way Is Up.

Speaking about her involvement on the album, Edwards told The Shortlisted: “I’m a mother of four – two are daughters – and I love the positive inspirational message of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls, so I was of course very excited to be part of the ‘Good Night Songs for Rebel Girls’. When it came to choosing which song to cover, I thought about the first record I bought on vinyl in the 80s, ‘The Only Way Is Up’, by Yazz. It has been my 12-year-old son’s primary school music teacher that suggested recording it acoustically. He’s starting a blog for his pupils called Mr Scullin’s Music Room and was interviewing my husband and I about Morcheeba and life as a musician. We got talking about Rebel Girls and that’s how it came about. He ended up playing the guitar on the track!”

Elsewhere there are appearances on the album from British-Indian sitar maestro Anoushka Shankar; Sussex singer-songwriter Marie White, the winner of the Glastonbury’s Emerging Talent competition in 2019; and Cumbrian saxophonist Jess Gilliam, who presents a reimagining of the Carole King masterpiece You’ve Got A Friend.

The LP has a distinctly international flavour, with further contributions from Ireland’s Imelda May; Norway’s Aurora; Italian singer and model Elodie; Belgian instrumentalist Lubiana; South Korean singer Somin; and Lyon multi-instrumentalist Pomme. The record also features tracks from two bona fide American legends, with intriguing cameos from punk rock godmother Joan Jett (performing her own track Fresh Start) and soul-pop songstress Anastacia, who brings her own brand of gusto to Kelly Clarkson’s 2012 mega-hit Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You).

The full track listing for Goodnight Songs For Rebel Girls is as follows:

1 Beloved – Imelda May
2 Girl on Fire – Lubiana
3 The Only Way is Up – SKYE
4 Thank You – Aurora
5 Stronger – Anastacia
6 Fresh Start – Joan Jett
7 Brass in Pocket – Ani DiFranco
8 Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood – Tank and the Bangas
9 Hymn to Her – KT Tunstall
10 Goodbye Yellow Brick Road – Amy Wadge
11 Issues – Marie White
12 For Today I am a Boy – Beth Orton
13 You’ve Got a Friend – Jess Gillam
14 Joga – Anoushka Shankar
15 Beautiful – Somin
16 Va Tu Sei Libero (You Don’t Own Me) – Elodie
17 The Park – Pomme

The Boomtown Festival runs for four days at the Matterly Estate in Hampshire from the 7th to the 12th of August, has announced a new techno district. Boomtown is made up of 14 different districts that aim to follow a storyline that has been evolving over the past 10 years. The organisers hope to create a totally unique experience, bringing in hundreds of actors to bring their film-like sets to life. Each year Boomtown has a new chapter, and 2019 will be called Chapter 11: A Radical City. There is an ongoing story line, which festival goers are encouraged to take part in and get involved with a theatrical style experience.

The festival has been running now since 2009, combining music with theatre, and interactive sets. Area 404, one of the fourteen districts, will welcome headliners Four Tets, Carl Cox and Amelie Lens to the new nucleus stage. Welcoming for the first time techno, at the festival. Bugged Out will headline on Friday, with Carl Cox taking centre stage on Saturday, followed by Drumcode on Sunday. Other acts announced include Eats Everything, Claude Vonstroke, Dense & Pika, Sama’, Enrico Sangiuliano  and Skream. Social media comments have been positive, showing that the line-up choices have been popular among fans of the independent festival.

The festival’s main stage, known as the Town Centre, is said to be the most extravagant stage setup of all the UK festivals, with exciting visual displays, pyrotechnics and dazzling performances. The festival has four main areas: Hilltop, Downtown, Whistlers Green and Temple Valley. Across the four areas the 14 smaller districts are formed around a unique theatrical identity.  

2019’s overall lineup is yet to be announced, but looking at the 2018 acts there is a lot to be excited about. This year acts were varied, with performances from artists such as the Gorillaz, Jimmy Cliff, Purple Disco Machine, Level2, Spice, Morcheeba, Limp Bizkit, Shy FX, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, and hundreds more, 2019 is unlikely to be anything less than eclectic and exciting.

The new nucleus stage is presumed to be replacing the fallen Bang Hai Towers. In line with the Boomtown sustainability ethos, the nucleus stage is likely to be built using and recycling the rubble of the old frame of Bang Hai Towers.

 Boomtown organisers are fierce about protecting the environment, asking festival goers to “respect yourself, respect each other and respect your city”. The Boomtown respect yourself campaign has been hugely popular. As the festival is held within the South Downs National park, everybody in attendance is asked to use public transport, to take their tents home, and recycle any rubbish. This breeds a sense of conscientious party going, which is vital in the festivals future of being sustainable.

The remaining acts will be announced starting from the 8th of February 2019. To purchase your tickets please visit Boomtown Festival 

Morcheeba have released a lyric video for ‘Gimme Your Love’, their new single from ‘Head Up High’ which is available to pre-order on iTunes or Amazon.

To mark the release of their album Morcheeba will be embarking on a full European tour. They will be playing at venues in Germany, Holland, France and many more, and will be ending in the UK on November 19. The lineup is: Ross Godfrey, Paul Godfrey and Skye Edwards.