French Films + Big Wave Riders Stream 7" On Clash, Play Notting Hill Arts Club 22nd Nov
French Films and Big Wave Riders are just two of the young bright hopes coming out of Finland’s blossoming music scene and both are set to play at Notting Hill Arts Club on the 22nd November as part of the Echo Chamber night.
Music Finland are giving away a super limited 7″ to the first 50 people through the doors on Thurs 22nd Nov, but you can hear an upfront stream of it today as premiered by Clash.
Listen to French Films’ exuberant ‘Convict’, reminiscent of Surfer Blood and Echo and The Bunnymen along side the big sounding indie of Big Wave Riders’ ‘Waiting In the Wings’ here:
More about French Films:
Tampere’s French Films make uplifting music with dark undertones, all augmented by distinctive vocals that seem to have been recorded somewhere in the early 80s.
Main frontman Johannes Leppanen’s vocals invites comparisons between French Films and the likes of The Cure and New Order, especially when you hear those violin synths start up. This is quite a big statement to make, however there is of course more to French Films. To be precise: garage, surf rock, post punk and of course new wave pop. After being signed to the Finnish label GAEA Booking & Records in 2010 they released their first EP ‘Golden Sea’, followed by their debut album ‘Imaginary Future’ in 2011. The ten songs on their debut meditate on the big questions on making your way out into the world: about being alive, about the struggle between the fading dreams of childhood and the growing cynicism forced upon the young by newly-dawned realities. French Film write odes to the young and young-hearted minds. Their reputation as a live band paved the way for a successful tour in Europe, even making it over to Japan’s shores. This is a film that keeps attracting new audiences, known for being fun and being a very good one at that.
Stream tracks from ‘Imaginary Future’ here:
More about Big Wave Riders:
There are feelings we don’t talk about anymore such as belief and passion. Big Wave Riders have both in spades. Last year’s Big Wave Riders EP gave some sense of what to expect from their debut album *’Life Less Ordinary’ : a youthful idealism aligned with a joyous sense of melody. Coming from Helsinki’s back streets with other lives and friendships formed, ‘Life Less Ordinary’ captures Big Wave Riders waxing on the mundane amid dreams of the biggest Wave.
Hear tracks from ‘Life Less Ordinary’:
About Echo Chamber @ Notting Hill Arts Club:
22.11.12 | 7pm – 2am | £5 after 8pm
ARTSHOW : ‘P***A!’
LIVE : HK119, Ballet School, French Films, Big Wave Riders, SULK
RSVP on Facebook
The Notting Hill Arts Club is proud to present this collection of Northern European Art and Ideas.
‘P***A!’ is a new art show curated by the people at secretive Finnish art and illustration agency Agent Pekka. They may be undercover but their art and design is bold, colourful and confident. Illustrators like Antti Uotila, Ville Savimaa and Santtu Mustonen hit the current design zeitgeist on the button and will surely bring Agent Pekka out of the shadows and into the light.
The music this week arrives courtesy of Berlin based studio Kaiku and Music Finland. HK119 are a London based Finnish electro tour de force. Ballet School are an Anglo German band with a charming sound and a huge pop potential. French Films are a new wave powerhouse with soaring vocals and big ambitious songs. Big Wave Riders bring their waves of synth and surf guitar all the way from Finland. SULK have just finished their opus ‘Flowers’ after a long gestation and it deserves to be listened to loud! All five bands bring a new wave post-pop attitude to our corner of west London.
www.facebook.com/FrenchFilms
www.facebook.com/bigwaveriders