Music

The best new music from Manchester this week | 26 July – 1 August

It's been another great week for the city's artists.

Hannah Starkie Hannah Starkie - 29th July 2021

It’s been impossible to compact the best new Manchester music into a handful of highlights this week. But we’ve given it our best shot.

On our radar from the past seven days is a nice mix of sultry R&B from two familiar faces, poolside vibes from a solo project making a comeback, and a collab from two emerging Manchester songwriters.

The weather might have taken a turn for the worst, but here are our favourite releases from the past week to brighten your day.

SPRXNGBREAK – Shores 

'Shores' single artwork - a woman in a white bikini wearing sunglasses gazes beyond the camera.
‘Shores’ will transport you to the beach that you’re craving.

Manchester-based SPRXNGBREAK have had quite a journey so far. Forming some years ago, instrumentalist Mick Warwick and Grammy-award winning producer Nate Cassells originally formed the band.

The pair joined forces whilst living in London and honed their sound in a studio in rural Germany – where they apparently slept on the floor and ate nothing but instant noodles. But a couple of demos later, they parted ways to pursue different things, leaving SPRXNGBREAK to lie dormant.  

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Five years later, Warwick discovered the original demos and spent a year remixing and reworking them all. Now working alone, he’s developed a 2.0 version of SPRXNGBREAK in which this newest track falls within.  

‘Shores’ is a collaboration with producer Sam Wiseman and is bursting with the Balearic sounds of Ibiza. So, have a listen to this one if you’re looking to get lost in some nostalgic tropical beats. It’s too easy to picture yourself by a beach watching the sunset with a cocktail in hand which we’re all here for. 

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We’ve definitely found our summer 2021 anthem.

ZULA, glue70 – Head 

'Head' single artwork - illustration of a blue snake looking at its shadow on a wall.
‘Head’ is taken from glue70’s latest EP ‘Creationism’.

We’ve raved about ZULA on The Manc Audio a couple of times now, and rightly so. The pair are such a captivating combo and each one of their releases is as dreamy as the last.

Consisting of producer glue70 and singer Freak Slug, the Manchester-based duo have been making music under the ZULA guise for a bit now and we can’t help but include their latest track in another one of our top 5 lists.  

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Typically, their sound is a blissful fusion of lo-fi and electronic beats from glue70, met with Freak Slug’s sweet vocals. And whilst their new one, ‘Head’, retains some of their classic elements, it’s much more upbeat and lays out a welcome change.  

The KTNA – Can’t Stop It

'Can't Stop It' single artwork - the KTNA are stood clad in black PVC clothing holding chains in both hands against a black and red marbled background
The twins are back with sultry track ‘Can’t Stop It’.

Now, you might recognise these two from the programme Waterloo Road, first emerging into the public eye as Rhona and Shona Mansfield in the popular high school drama. But twin sisters Millie and Hope – a.k.a. The KTNA – have swapped acting for music.

With over a year spent in lockdown, the girls were able to dedicate time to their production and lay down the foundations of their brand-new EP ‘Resurgence’ which is out soon.

Taken from that project is this new track ‘Can’t Stop It’. The twins say it’s for anyone who feels they’ve been criticised for doing what they love. And judging off their previous work, they love to produce such empowering music as this quite often.  

‘Can’t Stop It’ is a sultry R&B track with stunning soulful vocals. Team this with their amazing style and infectious energy and The KTNA are fast becoming one of Manchester’s most exciting R&B exports.  

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SUTTY & Migixhi – Daisy Chain 

'Daisy Chain' single artwork - the title is placed on top of a picture of plants growing up a wall.
SUTTY’s new one is a collab with songwriter Migixhi.

Singer-songwriter SUTTY’s vocals are beautiful on her new one ‘Daisy Chain’ which dropped this week. It’s been released on Rhythm Lab Records, a label which is all about bringing together emerging Manchester artists into one project. So for this one, SUTTY was joined by talented producer and songwriter Migixhi. 

SUTTY has experienced quite a classical music background. She’s a flutist, taught herself to play the piano, and has been writing music for years. All of these have helped her grasp a technical understanding of music.  

‘Daisy Chain’ is a smooth electronic R&B number which navigates the heartache of losing someone you love and moving forward.  

Have a listen to all these releases plus more on our New Manchester Music Spotify playlist. 

Featured image: The KTNA by KENNY OGUNNEYE

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StreamGM and The Manc have teamed up to show some some serious love and support to the region’s renowned theatres, nightclubs, and live-music venues with the launch of SeeGM – a digital campaign to shine a bright spotlight on many of the amazing events, club nights, gigs and shows in our region.

You can find out more here.

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Music

Circa Waves on their new album, unreal tour lineup, a big health scare and ‘the best band’ around right now

Danny Jones Danny Jones Circa Waves interview on new album and 2025 tour lineup

With Circa Waves announcing a new album and a brand new UK tour early next year, we were very kindly given the privilege to chat with one of the most consistent indie bands of the past decade.

Sitting down with lead singer and rhythm guitarist Kieran Shudall, we were buzzing with questions about their upcoming record, what we’re dubbing as one of the best indie tour lineups in years, what they’re making of the UK music scene right now and, of course, why the North West is the best.

For anyone unaware, it’s been a pretty intense period for the Liverpool lads and their frontman, especially, after a health scare early last year, so we’re more grateful than ever that they’re back and looking in true fighting form ahead of their shows come February 2025.

You can read our full interview with Circa Waves down below.

Audio North interviews Kieran from Circa Waves

Circa Waves live in Kobetamendi, Bilbao at BBK Live 2017.
Kieran gave us a really great, in-depth chat.
Credit: Dena Flows/The Manc Group

Right off the bat, the sixth studio album is coming out, Death & Love Pt. 1. It’s a big, bold title – what can you tell us about it without giving too much away?

Well, ‘Death and Love’ was basically the first song I ever wrote for Circa. It was back in 2012 or something, but it never got released and it was just a title that was always lying around.

We were trying to think of a title for this record and with what I went through – like a big sort of health scare and then came out the other side and feeling very grateful for life – that seemed like a really appropriate title and I feel like it grabs your attention a little bit.

Feel free to move on if it’s too personal but if you would you mind telling us about the health scare?

Yeah, well, about a year and a half ago now I found out that one of my arteries in my heart was fully blocked and, basically, within like two days was on the operating table with them sticking a thing [stent] up my arm into my heart. Yeah, it was mad.

We had to cancel a bunch of tours; I got told you have to sign this form that says you have a 100% chance of dying on the operating table, so that’s not cool. It was just mad and I kind of came through the other side feeling super grateful and happy to be alive and in a band, you know

I feel more fortunate now that I’ve got through it all, so a lot of the record is about getting through that and the fears that came along with it. It gave me some good material haha.

For sure, that trauma always serves great art at least. There’s obviously a part one in there too, so is the second done and was this a double album experience in the recording process?

I’m still doing it – finishing it right now actually. We kind of just had too many songs and thought let’s just split it into two. I guess back in the day it’d be like a double album but yeah, the first one is nine songs and this one I’m still deciding. Maybe 10?

There’s just had a lot of ideas and we thought, well, why not? In this day and age, it’s so easy to kind of put music out and people consume music so fast that it felt like we just may as well.

Absolutely. So where do you think you’ve pushed things sonically this time – is it more of an evolution or a continuation?

I feel like we’ve landed on our feet in what we’re about now, certainly what I think Circa Waves should sound like, so it’s kind of similar to the early records, I guess.

A lot more guitars, sort of raw, scrappy drums, and they feel like festival songs to me but obviously the subject matter is like 10 years on from the first record, so your life experience makes the lyrics different, but I hope that it sort of feels like a refinement of sorts.

And have you guys got a favourite track that you’re particularly excited for people to hear or a personal favourite?

The thing about band members is everyone just likes it when their instrument’s the loudest. I don’t know, there’s a track called ‘Hold It Steady’ which is quite different to anything we’ve done before; I’m excited for that one to be heard but I think they’re all bangers.

We’ll absolutely take that haha. For the tour, you’ve got an unreal lineup of support acts with Peace and our fellow Mancs, Corella – we’ve seen both of them this year and they were great – how did you go around picking your warm-ups?

Peace was a funny one, I sort of have liked them for a long time and I went to the old NME Tour that they were on in probably 2011 or something but I remember watching them being like, ‘Oh wow and man I’d love to do the NME Tour.

Circa Waves didn’t exist at the time and then a few years later we did it ourselves, so they were sort of a big inspiration for me to play indie music, so it was cool to have them on. And then Corella are just ones that have been cropping up every two minutes on my Instagram feed and they’re just like a really good indie band right now.

Who is supporting Circa Waves in Manchester?
Peace at Kendal Calling 2024
circa waves tour support acts
Corella had a pretty iconic moment on the main stage too…

So it all felt like a good fit and we kind of want to just make the night feel like a big festival of music that people will love that type of music really. It’s just a proper guitary indie night, you know?

Lovely, can’t complain about that. In terms of venues, you’ve got some great Northern institutions on there: The Academy in Leeds, Victoria Warehouse here in Manchester and your massive hometown show. How much do you love those dates as North West locals?

Yeah, I love it, man. I mean, there’s nothing better than playing up North and I know that sounds like something that people say to just please people from there but it really is the best.

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Liverpool, obviously, for me is such a big one and my family all go to those ones, so it’s cool for that reason but Manchester’s always been an amazing crowd. I don’t know what it is about Manchester – Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow and Liverpool are always just amazing.

Bang on, and as for that hometown gig, how special is that Olympia show gonna be and do you have any special treatment up your sleeve?

You know what? I haven’t thought about it. There’s always the temptation of asking someone to get up with you. [Yeah, maybe get Jamie Webster on the go?] Yeah, I’ve been writing with Jamie and Miles [Kane] quite a bit but I don’t know. We’ll keep it all secret anyway.

Yeah let’s not spoil anything. Another one we’re always curious of is how much you consider that famous Manc vs Scouse rivalry in music. Do you buy into it at all?

I don’t know, I think in my life when you have like really p***ed up conversations with someone who’s more into the Manc scene than the Liverpool scene I just think we’ve got The Beatles, so we always win.

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I do think, you know, you’ve got your Joy Divisions and your Smiths and your Oasis and all this – they’re amazing bands, but we’ve got The Beatles. So it’s just you can’t like. [Like the ultimate Top Trumps card] Yeah, in Pokemon, it’d be shiny Charizard.

Fair enough. What about other Northern acts you’re particularly excited by at the minute?

I mean, there’s so many but it’s too hard but the band I think are the best at the moment is Wunderhorse. I met Jacob [Slater] a while ago when he was doing Dead Pretties and I was like obsessed with his writing and he sent me a bunch of acoustic stuff and I was just like man, “You are f***ing annoyingly talented.”

Then when Wunderhorse came out and I was just blown away. It’s amazing to watch it just become this big thing now. It’s cool to see people on TikTok sharing clips of ‘Teal’ and just seeing kids getting into proper music. So yeah, love them, man – I’m so excited to see where they end up.

He’s not wrong, by the way. Their Manchester Academy gig in October was one the best of our lives and not to sound like needy cool kids but we’ve very much backed them from day one.

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Wunderhorse’s Jacob Slater on the band’s rise, second album, raw energy on stage and more
You can read our full interview with Jacob himself here.

Preaching to the choir here, mate. And finally, if Death and Love are two of the words, what’s the third?

Hmmm… Fortitude. That’s me trying to be really clever there – I’m not but that’s my answer.

Read more:

We really appreciate Kieran taking the time to chat with us and are so glad that he’s now fully recovered and raring to go.

Death & Love Pt. 1 is scheduled to release on Friday, 31 January and Circa Waves will bring their new music to the stage the following month.

You can grab your tickets to their Manchester show HERE.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Dena Flows/The Manc Group

Music

‘Game’s gone’: Manchester City had an unexpected commentator in the Champions League last night – Noel Gallagher

Danny Jones Danny Jones Reaction to Noel Gallagher commentating Man City vs Sporting Lisbon in Champions League

In case you weren’t tuned into the Champions League action, you’ll no doubt be surprised to hear who served as a special guest commentator for Manchester City last night: Noel Gallagher.

As you do.

Believe it or not, we’re not pulling your leg; the iconic Manc musician wasn’t just at the stadium to watch his beloved Blues in Lisbon on Wednesday evening, he was given the opportunity to join Darren Fletcher and Ally McCoist in the commentary box for their game against Sporting CP.

In what was a first not only for TNT Sports but indeed a major televised football competition too, Noel Gallagher didn’t just share a few quick words about his club before or after the game from pitchside, he was on co-comms alongside the professionals for the entire game.

Safe to say there were a few fair double-takes when people switched on the telly to hear the guy who usually sings ‘Little by Little’ talking about possession and pass completion rates.

Although ‘Fletch’ and McCoist naturally did most of the heavy lifting on the night, the older Gallagher brother was regularly turned to throughout the game. In fact, we were surprised to hear just how many times one of the two broadcasters uttered ‘Noel?’ to get his thoughts.

Gallagher’s association with the club has only grown stronger in recent years, having often given his thoughts pre and post-match at the Etihad – not to mention most recently collaborating on an official Oasis ‘Definitely City’ clothing collection – but this was very left-field, to say the least.

Obviously trying to hold his bias as best he could, the 57-year-old was actually rather critical of Man City before, during and after the match, especially with their results of late, initially predicting a 2-2 draw but warning of more goals in the second half when the two teams went in at the break level with one a piece.

Nevertheless, the decision to get a celebrity turned pundit in the commentary box was just too jarring for some watching at home, and many took issue with the fact that a very famous City fan became the focal point of their otherwise regularly scheduled programming and impartial coverage.

While there were plenty that no doubt did enjoy the special one-off guest appearance by the legendary songwriter and guitar player as a bit of fun to mix things up, the vast majority slammed TNT, calling it everything from “embarrassing” and “a joke” to asking, “What the fuck is football coming to?”

To sum up the general consensus in one very cliched footballing sentiment, the phrase seen most online was simply: “The game’s gone.”

Read more:

The Times‘ take on Noel Gallagher moonlighting at commentator was to dub it a stunt that “represented the world going completely bonkers”, quipping, “What’s next, Ozzy [Osbourne] on [Aston] Villa?”

Besides commentary itself, very few would have predicted the outcome at full-time and certainly not the scoreline, as Sporting won the game 4-1 with three comeback goals scored inside just 11 minutes and a final blow delivered by in-form striker Viktor Gyökeres to round off his hattrick.

In the end, it turned out a few Reds managed to get some enjoyment out of the surprise appearance as there was double the irony in that not only did City go on to lose while Noel was commentating but it was also at the hands of Rúben Amorim, the head coach set to take over at Manchester United next week.

One person fan wrote, “I take it all back whoever decided to put Noel Gallagher in the commentary box is a f***ing genius” while another added, “Can we have Noel on co-comms every week?”

What did you make of getting a celebrity on co-commentary – is it something you’d like to see more of or was it not your cup of tea? You can watch the highlights from their significant defeat, their heaviest since September 2020 and a rare margin for Man City in the Guardiola era, down below.

It’s the first time Manchester City have lost three games in a row since 2018.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — TNT Sports (via screenshot)

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