Interview
Meet: Ben Hall (Mr Ben & The Bens) ahead of their Life Drawing album release
We’ve been big fans of Mr. Ben & The Bens since we first caught them in Leeds a couple of years or so ago. Up recently we’ve been more than taken with singles Watering Can and Beast in the House, and with their album Life Drawing coming out on July 10th via the ever brilliant …
Meet: We speak to Kodaline ahead of their new album release
We’ve a bit of history with Kodaline, not that you’d (or especially they’d) know. When we were in our infancy, dreaming of doing this as an actual job and meeting heroes (how we laugh now) Kodaline were one of the first bands we were actually asked to write about. Moreover (I think this is true) …
Meet: We caught up with Little Man Tate as they plan to reform
We reported the news Little Man Tate reforming back in April here. We caught up with the band to find out how they are coping through the pandemic and what they have been up to and their future plans. Read on to find out more. Difficult times, how has this crisis affected Little Man Tate? …
Droppin’ Knowledge: Behind The Boards With argov
Welcome to this week’s edition of Behind the Boards. Each week, Backseat Mafia sits down with a musician/beat-tape maker/hip hop producer to find out what makes that person tick. This week, we’re joined by argov, the mysterious Middle Eastern master of musical mayhem. There is no known picture of argov, but like Terminator X, argov …
Meet: Doomshakalaka aka Paul Rafferty ahead of his album release
One of our favourite tracks of the year here on Backseat Mafia has been ex-Hot Club De Paris bassist / singer Paul Rafferty’s tracks One Last Saturday Night in his new guise – Doomshakalaka. Its a gorgeous slice of life affirming indie rock, and with his album out next week (June 5th) via Moshi Moshi, …
Droppin’ Knowledge: On Dre Island’s Debut Album, Now I Rise, All Praises Go To The Most High
Seven years is an eternity in popular music. Trends, styles, tastes, and popularity divide, replicate and morph at an exhausting pace and even the greatest pop artists struggle to keep up. Social media enhances the difficulty of staying atop the pop culture firmament and, before you know it, an artist who was up today, tomorrow …
Droppin’ Knowledge: Behind The Boards With Brainorchestra
Each week, Backseat Mafia’s Droppin’ Knowledge talks to a musician, producer, or beat maker, to hear about their creative processes and how they approach making music. This week’s guest is Brainorchestra, the nom de guerre of Andrew Melo, a musician, rapper and producer from Elizabeth, New Jersey. Shout out! Brainorchestra has worked with artists such …
Droppin’ Knowledge: Meet Brooklyn Hip Hop Duo 11roots
Brooklyn hip hop duo 11roots is poised to release their debut, self-titled album this summer. The pair, consisting of rhyme artist and producer Ur Maa and beat smith Brown_buddha, create jazzy, swirls of sound behind abstract, poetic lyrics. 11roots is firmly based in the traditions of the greats of Brooklyn hip hop, while at the …
Premiere: King Shoji – Untitled [8], plus interview
Prolific Detroit electronic artist King Shoji keeps his incredibly creative and prolific streak up with a new album on Muzai Records, Vortex. Which drops on May 29th. It’s a nine track ‘Suite’ of tracks, crafted in these lockdown times, it’s supposed to be listened to as a whole, rather than in parts, but despite that, …
Meet: Hempolics Grippa Laybourne interview, plus new video for Get it Right
Ahead of the release of their sophomore album Kiss, Cuddle & Torture: Volume 2, out on July 3rd on their own label Zee Zee Records via Kartel Group Music, we’ve already loved the new single from Hempolics Gotta Thing, and the band have followed it up with a new video for ‘Get it Right‘, filmed …