“a shout from the abyss ii” is a new “mixtape”-style compilation from Make That A Take featuring a whole bunch of ruckus and reflection from friends across the punk rock spectrum to coincide the the pre-order launch for the new DANCING COW “Be Radical, Spread Joy” shirt. It’s a pleasure to bring some of these artists to the MTAT table for the first time, there is so much amazing new music to be found out there. Thanks so much to all the artists for being involved and donating their music to this mixtape.
THE COMP!
“Nun The Wiser” is the “pop” cut from the brain-melting new “Anatomy” EP from Aberdoom’s psychedelic cosmic noisepunks Seas, Starry. Self-recorded and produced in isolation during the bleak winter of lockdown, “Anatomy” is refreshingly squally burst of feedback-drenched fury. The last band to play in the basement, ye can practically hear fire cracking out your speakers. Digital download available now from MTAT with CDEPs available courtesy of Ripcord Records.
“Digging” is straight-up melodic punk rock gold taken from the new “Dreamer’s Gait” EP by Wrong Life. I’m obviously massively biased, but hearing the joy of liberation of a post-Murderburger freedom sees Fraser bringing a life-affirming sparkle and hope to most harrowing of tales. We’ve got some copies of the EP coming our way on cassette tape so keep your eyes peeled for them. Wrong Life just gets better.
Sofa Time are a three-piece pop-punk band from Dundee and “Cold” the flipside to their digital “Holy Ghost” single, recorded and mixed by Graeme Watt at Seagate Studios, Dundee and released digitally last year is more pissed-off alt-rock stomper than pop-punk zinger, Singer/guitarist Beth Wood joined Seas, Starry at our last show in the basement last year. That’s all starting to seem like a whole other life ago now.
The Marx self-released their self-titled debut album, recorded by Harris at DM Studios in Dundee, last year, from which this spiky garage punk zinger is taken. I think I said it in a previous dispatch but The Marx played the sickest set I saw in the basement last year. An analogue rock’n’roll band in the finest tradition, ye couldn’t really call yersel The Marx and not have a song called “Kapital”.
Follow Your Dreams are our mates from Manchester and one of the most under-rated bands in UK punk. Wild, technical, articulate, tight and fucking FURIOUS, Follow Your Dreams are absolutely not messing around, coming over like Punch fighting Converge in a spray-painted industrial estate somewhere in the bleak north-west. Their debut “The Half-Life Of Teaspoons” LP on TNS Records is absolutely essential listening. Haste ye back, pals!
“Taafeh Aaref” is the first single from London-based Palestinian hip-hop / punk rock artist Lounar. Jamming self-styled “identity pop”, Lounar explores issues of diasporic identity, statehood, privilege, violence, religion and justice with deep minimalist beats and reflective rhymes. Previously seen in these parts fronting London punks Triple Sundae, this is the heaviest and realest shit. Free Palestine.
Burning Flag are a raging blackened hardcore punk / noise band spewed out of the post-industrial wastelands of the north of England. Their new record “Matador” is their first with new frontperson Holly, who has brought fresh energy and renewed focus to their already devastating metallic bludgeoning. Riffs, rage, zero fucking about, I can already see the mosh ruckus kicking up in basement and outdoor stages across the country, like Download or Bloodstock!
DespAIR Jordan is a fresh new romantic / 80s-inspired post-hardcore band from Denver, Colorado; a collective of seasoned punks old enough to know better but young enough to play the music we all (secretly) love. This is super-hooky infectious power-pop with a hint of the chart-topping power ballad with layers of luscious emo guitars. This song will be in your head for days. “Before Your Wings Gave Out” EP out on Snappy Little Numbers.
Gravedancer is an incredible roots country / folk / punk collective originally from Fayetteville, Arkansas. With singer/songwriter Baker McKinney having relocated to rural Perthshire, I met him in the basement and was introduced to his amazing songwriting and band. This is top drawer salt of the earth roots rock recorded live and stripped to it’s very core, kinda like Lucero/Tim Barry/John Moreland. Stunning stuff.
Rarely has a song title been so apt; “Redefine” is the first single from Minerva Wakes, the transformative new project from Jo D’Arc, otherwise known as the bassist/vocalist of Scottish noise punks The Twistettes. Whilst retaining the power and fury of previous projects, Minerva Wakes explores an altogether darker realm of dirty drum’n’bass, pulsing electronic beats and the apocalyptic hellfire of a chemical underground. Taken from the “Mirrored Moon” LP.
Neslon Savage are a Scottish melodic rock treasure featuring seasoned musicians who’ve been in a plethora of consistently incredible Scottish bands (Paper Rifles, Today We Fight, Curators, etc) who are keeping the tradition alive with their latest offering. “Auctioneering” is taken from the ace “Cracked Beyond Repair” EP released in January this year via our comrades Anti-Manifesto.
Could Dog Eared be the shape of cowpunk pop to come? Ploughing an Off With Their Heads / “Insomniac”-era buzzsaw melodic punk rock field, Dog Eared display an intelligence in their songwriting that may not be immediately apparent; smart sonic earworms that bury their way into your brain. This zinger was the “digital b-side” to the awesome “Pissing In The Wind” single. The stuff sounds magic too!
Concept Car is the new project from ex-Fat Goth frontperson Fraser Stewart, covering vastly different terrain, exploring skyscraping instrumentalism with soaring guitars, dancing synths and the top-down, stereo-up vibes of the open highway, played as a video game. Immersive, expansive, introspective, reflective and a movement from darkness to light. The “Luxury Interior” EP was our first lockdown release.
“seick” is an exclusive jam from platitudes. platitudes is my solo experimental noise project that I’ve been working on since lockdown and there are three EPs available; “meaningless”, “further meaningless” and “damaging”, all of which are up for free/pay-what-you-want download. I might try this live someday but I’m starting to miss guitars.
Buffalo Heart is sometimes an emo-influenced alternative rock three-piece, other times a stripped back acoustic ensemble, as is on this brand new and exclusively available track. Taken from the forthcoming “Love Your Bones” EP, “Rowan’s Song” rounds out “a shout from the abyss ii” in sombre yet hopeful style, birdsong leading us into spring and the possibilities of the future.
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THE SHIRT!
Designed by Nic Ilic of ALLDEEPENDS, the “Dancing Cow” shirt is a super-limited one-off design available only through preorder now at our Bandcamp and Bigcartel pages.
The shirts will be screen printed locally using vegan inks by our long-time collaborators Merch Central UK and printed on ethically and sustainably-sourced shirts courtesy of No Sweat.
We have a range of sizes available but if there are any discrepancies or sizes that ye require that we may be missing, please do get in touch through makethatatakerecords at gmail dot com (same address applies to get in touch about anything at all).
Preorders will be live for ONE MONTH and come with a free instant download of the compilation. All orders will come with the requisite COOL FREE SHIT and the first twenty five orders are guaranteed to get themselves a super cool free MTAT pin badge, obviously the essential springtime style accessory!
Cheers to everyone who’s grabbed one so far!
IN OTHER NEWS!
A test press seems to have arrived!
MTATV024 is the “LEGACIES” LP from the mighty Stonethrower. I’m obviously massively biased (as I am about everything I write on this blog, obviously!), but this is an absolutely essential addition to the ecossemo canon.
One of the most intense live acts we’ve had the pleasure of witnessing evolve over the last half decade, “Legacies” is the sound precision sound of barely contained rage in eight weapons-grade slabs of industrial-strength Scottish emotional hardcore.
Thank you so much to everyone who got involved in the Pre-Press Preorder and helped us finally get this record to press. Your support has been invaluable. We’re very grateful to say that this is the quickest test press turnaround we’ve ever had, so here’s hoping we don’t have to wait another six months.
Much respect also to our collaborators Clever Eagle Records in Minnesota from taking care of North American preorders. Pals Stateside can grab one here.
Preorders are still available from MTAT and we still have a few copies of the album on cassette tape thanks to our friends at Gold Mold Records. 50% of proceeds from digital-only downloads of the album continue to be donated in solidarity with our comrades at CRER Scotland (Campaign For Racial Equality and Rights).
Kaddish were the subject of a double-bill episode of Skramz Jamz; A Screamo Podcast. Part one is an amazing dissection of the landmark “Thick Letters To Friends” LP, with part two being an in-depth interview with Dom. Well worth three hours of your time!
Seas, Starry have had a bunch of rad press recently. Check them out on Breakfast Punx Podcast, in the Aberdeen Evening Express, featured at Idioteq and reviewed by Small Music Scene. They do a live stream from The Blue Lamp on May 16th.
Paper Rifles and Flinch have released a collaborative single called “Do Better” in solidarity with Sisters Uncut.
Solidarity Not Silence released the “THIS IS SISTERHOOD” single and reached the upper echelons of the UK charts.
We have 123 releases on our Bandcamp page.
We have STACKS of vinyl, CDs, tapes, zines and swag in our web shop.
It’s Sunday and I’ve spent too long behind a screen.
Hope awbody is sound!
Derrick.
