Nothing really beats the joy and excitement of listening to something good for the first time, and realizing it, and then listen again, witnessing your own senses evolve around it. Surprise Chef here out of Melbourne produce this kind of music. The five of them create a wonderful mix of influences and styles, opening up spaces for your ears to dive into at ease.
They released three great albums since 2020 and have a new EP lined up for launch on June 2nd via Big Crown Records, titled Friendship. To celebrate the occasion, they are touring relevant parts of Europe right now, making stops in Leipzig tomorrow, May 16, Thursday 18th in Berlin, Friday 19th in Hamburg, Saturday in Amsterdam and Sunday in Cologne before taking on Bruges, Paris, Lille, Manchester and London and then a number of dates in the US and Canada all the way through August. Find all dates nicely listed here, in order of Surprise Chef’s appearance.
Talent Stick off their upcoming EP is attached below at your convenience.
Title photo credits go to Izzie Austin, and Izzie Austin only.
Malmö’s Talking Flowers here is busy keeping an eye on all things backyard – and also just signed with Sweden’s wonderful Rama Lama Records to release a flowing stream of singles and albums. Her first and latest track is titled Storytelling and evolves around a 60s-fused sense of haze and mystery: a dreamy combination of charismatic vocals and playful melodies enveloped by fuzzy layers of synthesizers. One of those first class tunes that lure you right in and take care of the rest. It’s all been strung together quite beautifully by Tambourine Studios’ Joar Sylvan.
Avid followers of Poule d’Or will probably have heard the single in our revolving rotation on Spotify over here. The excitement is real and was reason enough for the young Buddhas at Poule headquarters to reach out to her and hear/see what makes up the system that is Talking Flowers, in another edition of our prized Photo-Interview series.
Iceland’s superstars extraordinaire VÖK returned with new material last fall, with an album carrying their own name. The trio is now getting ready to leave their Atlantic home and take their tunes on a tour across the mainland, Europe.
The German-leg of the tour is co-presented by your friends at Poule d’Or and it’s your chance to win big and get your hand on a pair of tickets to the shows in Hamburg or Berlin:
March 5, Berlin Zenner | March 7, Hamburg Molotow
Hit us up at win-big@pouledor.com with your name and desired location – the winner will be picked at random, on March 1st at 12pm noon CET sharp, and be notified immediately with adequate time to prepare for the occasion. In the meantime, find their wafting single Cold attached below at your convenience.
All credits for the title image go to Dóra Dúna only.
The musical year is picking up speed nicely and next week the one and only John Moods is set to play some fine stages across the old Bundesrepublik of Germany. He will be busy celebrating the release of his new album The Great Design from November, via the cool Mansions and Millions.
The record is a clean cut throughout, neatly combining his keen touch for vast electronic soundscapes, cool vocals and crisp harmonies. A firm statement after a line of smooth EPs and pleasing aesthetics, too. Exhibit A is attached below, in the great single Such A Thrill.
On his journey through Europe‘s heartland, him and his phenomenal live band will stop in Hamburg Feb 9, Kiel on the 10th, Mainz on Valentine’s Day (no brainer), Düsseldorf Feb 15. Also on the itinerary are Zürich, Munich, Leipzig, Erfurt and a whole lot more. Find them all nicely listed in order of appearance, here.
Australian professional Cool Sounds is heading northward, into the heart of European winter, with a new album attached. Like That came out last year via the slick Chapter Music out of Melbourne. The LP is a stellar listen and features his trademark sense for smooth electronic production and a keen eye for funky melodies and when to throw the handbrake on, drifting on the inner lane.
From next week on, him and his six piece live ensemble will embark on a European tour that will see them stop in Germany, Denmark, England, France and Belgium – with Berlin‘s Schokoladen on January 25th, Hamburg‘s Aalhaus on the 26 and Copenhagen‘s Loppen on the 27th before heading over to Sebright Arms in London, Jan 30th. Further dates include Aalborg, Paris, Amiens, Lille, Rennes, and many more. Find them nice listed in order of appearance, here on Instagram.
All credits for the cool title image go to James Morris, and James Morris only.
Bit late to the party with this, but let’s keep the record straight and give the musical year 2022 the attention it deserves. We here at Poule headquarters really enjoyed the chart-topping releases by Wet Leg, Fontaines DC, Warpaint and Dry Cleaning, as well as those by Earl Sweatshirt, Pip Millett, Danger Mouse & Black Thought, Khruangbin x Vieux Farka Touré and Makaya McCraven. And even Nas!
Notable mentions should also go to yet another Beach House album that was just wonderful, a new Lykke Li album that hit well and went largely unnoticed and also a proper Radiohead side project in The Smile.
There were also a range of records that stayed on Team Poule’s rotation throughout 2022 and still are spinning as we speak, but flew somewhat under the radar. This list is dedicated to them, in no particular order. [continue reading…]
Nothing really beats the joy and excitement of listening to something good for the first time, and realizing it, and then listen again, witnessing your own senses evolve around it. Surprise Chef here out of Melbourne produce this kind of music. The five of them create a wonderful mix of influences and styles, opening up spaces for your ears to dive into at ease.
Malmö’s 
Iceland’s superstars extraordinaire 
Australian professional 
