Teeth of the Sea, Mugstar and Rapid Pig

TEETH OF THE SEA
Since their initial formation in 2006, the London-based Teeth Of The Sea have metamorphosized into the most adventurous and intrepid psychedelic rock outfit in the UK. Taking on board influences like Ennio Morricone, Eno, Delia Derbyshire, Goblin, Butthole Surfers and Harmonia, their two albums for Rocket Recordings, ‘Orphaned By The Ocean’ and ‘Your Mercury’ showcase an incendiary sound that effortlessly marries the aural enlightenment of a far-reaching avant-garde sensibility with the reckless fury of a junkyard rock & roll imperative.

Teeth Of The Sea exist on a strange and beguiling astral plane, whereby the boundaries between the synth odysseys of the 70s, the guitar-noise-fuelled infernos of the 80s, horrorscore schlock, Reich-ian repetition, and a whole plethora of other cathode-ray and speaker-stack birthed epiphanies are blurred into one futuristic and fearsomely coherent whole.

Following an enormously rewarding 2011 that saw them take their scintaillating sonics on the road with British Sea Power, Esben And The Witch and Parts And Labor, play the Supersonic, Standon Calling, Raw Power and Supernormal festivals, and perform ‘Reaper’, their brand new and specially commisioned audio-visual re-imagining of Neil Marshall’s Doomsday at the Branchage Film Festival in Jersey, Teeth Of The Sea are currently writing and recording their third album for Rocket, for release later in 2012, and it looks sure to see them visiting new orbits and fresh abandon alike.

MUGSTAR
Mugstar have been representing for kraut/psych/space/noise rock in the North West for many years now, and have recently been getting the worldwide plaudits and attention that they deserve.

Mugstar hover in the realm of Oneida and Sonic Youth, fitting well beside artists such as Pink Floyd, Neu! and Hawkwind. Since 2003 they have issued a few full lengths, a split with Mudhoney, an etched 10”, and—most famously—recorded one of the last ever Peel Sessions. They have toured with Wooden Shjips, Mogwai, Acid Mothers Temple, Oneida, Clinic, White Hills amongst others. Mugstar are signed to Important Records, USA and Agitated Records, UK.

The debut album ‘Mugstar’ was released at the end of 2006 on Sea Records on CD and on Critical MASS Records on a limited run of heavy weight vinyl in 2007. The album gained the band fans across the world especially in America. Mugstar then started a productive relationship with Ireland based Trensmat Records with run of limited 7“ singles from ‘Bethany Heart Star’ to ‘Today is the Wrong Shape’. One of these releases was a split 7“ with Seattle’s finest Mudhoney, with both bands doing covers of Hawkwind songs. During this time Red Panda and Mugstar featured on a one sided 10“ single with half of the song made famous by Fairport Convention ‘Tamlin’ each.

Mugstar then signed to Important Records, who released „…Sun, Broken…“ in March 2010. Currently the band are working on a film and have also been commissioned to write a soundtrack for a movie. Their third album „Lime“ was released in November 2010 to universal positive reviews. For Record Store Day 2011 Mugstar contribute a cover of ‘I Got The Six’ by ZZ Top for „I’m So Agitated“ a 12“ also featuring Carlton Melton,The Heads and Kool Aid on Agitated Records. „Lime“ and „…Sun, Broken…“ have both been released through Agitated Records on vinyl in September 2011. These were followed by a split album on Rocket Recordings with New York’s finest Oneida - called „Collisions 2“ and a 40 remix of ‘Serra’ from „Lime“ by Loop’s Robert Hampson, released on both vinyl and CD.

RAPID PIG
Formed in April 2000, Manchester antagonists Rapid Pig have been terrorising, delighting and baffling listeners ever since. Their list of raw materials range from folk to metal, from prog to punk and from funk to honest-to-goodness R’n’R. These myriad infuences are not merely set uncomfortably one after another in a linear fashion, rather somehow stacked vertically. The resultant blend is characteristically tweaked with spiky rhythms, eliptical arrangements and often startling dynamic shifts. Results have been described variously as ‘apocalyptic,’ ‘uncomfortable’ and ‘I-don’t-know-what-it-is-but-I-like-it.’ The only parameters set by themselves have been to be different yet accessible.