23 November 2005
Flyer for Heliconia and Astra gig
As previously announced, Isolation artists Astra and Heliconia are playing all-dayer Brighton Rocks - A Christmas Special on Sunday, December 4.
The gig is at Concorde 2, Madeira Shelter Hall, Madeira Drive. Doors open at 3pm and Astra is first onstage. Heliconia are due to appear at around 6pm.
Tickets are £5 or £4 with flyer. Click for the flyer.
Also appearing on the bill are: Jacob Stories, Young Soul Rebels, The Muckys, Super U, La Momo, Ox, Magic Bullet Band, Clearlake.
14 November 2005
Heliconia link
Heliconia now have their own page at http://myspace.com/heliconia.
The page includes a forum, band blog and unreleased tracks to download.
Heliconia's next gig is at Brighton Rocks on Sunday, December 4. Flyer to follow.
7 November 2005
Troy Enclosure review
A review of The Troy Enclosure Lucky Us EP on the OxfordBands website has been added to the Reviews section of the site.
The detailed and positive review of the EP concludes by describing The Troy Enclosure sound (and artwork) as "baffling but beautiful".
5 November 2005
Astra and Heliconia play
Brighton Rocks - A Christmas Special
Isolation artists Heliconia and Astra are playing at Brighton Rocks on Sunday, December 4.
The all-dayer features 10 artists, with doors opening at 3pm.
Astra is due onstage first, with Heliconia scheduled to appear mid-way in the bill.
The full line-up is: Astra, Jacob Stories, Young Soul Rebels, The Muckys, Heliconia, Super U, La Momo, Ox, Magic Bullet Band, Clearlake.
Further details to follow.
Heliconia and Astra have currently putting the finishing touches to their debut albums, both of which are scheduled for release on Isolation early next year.
3 November 2005
Heliconia single ... and baby
Heliconia are to feature on a three-track CD single being released on Club AC30 early in the new year.
The band's track is Witness, which was recorded in the summer with producer Pat Collier and is scheduled to appear on Heliconia's debut album on Isolation.
Contributing the other tracks to Club AC30 CD#7 are Daydream Nation and thebrotherkite.
In September, Heliconia's version of Ride's shoegazer classic Drive Blind was released on Club AC30 compilation Never Lose That Feeling #1.
Congratulations from everyone involved in Isolation to Neil from Heliconia and his partner Clem who recently became the proud parents of Raphael.
11 October 2005
Heliconia at Recognition
As previously announced, Heliconia are playing at the Recognition all-dayer at Clockwork, at Angel, London, on Sunday October 16.
This could be one of the last Heliconia gigs for a while.
After gigging extensively this year in London and Brighton, the band are taking time out to put the finishing touches to their debut album - sounds and artwork - and, in the case of bassist Neil, preparing for a new arrival.
The gig is from 2pm till 12am and tickets are £5 with flyer/mailing list/NUS, £6 without. Click on the thumbnail image for full-size flyer.
Heliconia are due to play at around 5pm.
1 October 2005
Heliconia and Astra Brighton gigs
Following their very successful gig in Brighton last month, Heliconia and Astra have more dates coming up in the town.
Heliconia are playing a free gig at Audio on Marine Parade on Tuesday, October 4.
Also on the bill are Dazeone and Early Morning Soundtrack. Doors open at 8pm.
Then on Monday, October 17, Astra is playing at the Ocean Rooms on Morley Street.
Also appearing are The Late Greats and David Ford.
Astra is due onstage at 8.30pm.
20 September 2005
Heliconia play London all-dayer
Heliconia are playing a new Recognition all-dayer at a new London venue, Clockwork, at Angel on Sunday October 16.
Also appearing are The Bazaars, Kellerton Road, The Last People on Earth, Scanners, Escobar and a DJ set from IDC.
And, to help launch the new all-dayer, there will be drinks promos and giveaways from clothes label WornBy.
Clockwork is at 66-68 Pentonville Road, nearest tube Angel. The gig is from 2pm till 12am and tickets are £5 with flyer/mailing list/NUS, £6 without
Heliconia are due to play at around 6.15pm.
14 September 2005
Never Lose That Feeling #1 released
Heliconia are featured on a compilation of contemporary artists covering 1980s and 1990s indie classics just released by Club AC30.
The Isolation band contribute a noisy take on the Ride classic Drive Blind to the release, Never Lose That Feeling #1.
Other tracks see everyone from Spiritualized to Swervedriver through Curve, House Of Love, My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive given a modern twist by artists such as Ulrich Schnauss, Ecstasy Of Saint Theresa, Douglas Heart and Amusement Parks On Fire.
Never Lose That Feeling #1 is released in North America through Clairecords and on Ac30 elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Heliconia and fellow Isolation artist are appearing on Friday at Freebutt, Phoenix Place in Brighton.
Astra will be on-stage at 8.15pm, with Heliconia following at around 9pm. Tickets are £5 on door, £4 with flyer.
Click for the flyer.
13 September 2005
Heliconia and Astra flyer
As earlier announced, Isolation artists Heliconia and Astra are playing on the same bill for the first time on Friday, September 16, at The Freebutt, Phoenix Place, Brighton.
Astra is due on first, at about 8.15pm. Tickets are £5 on door, £4 with flyer.
Click for the flyer.
7 September 2005
Heliconia and Astra Brighton gig
Isolation artists Heliconia and Astra are playing a gig in Brighton on Friday, September 16 - their first appearance on the same bill.
Heliconia, who have recently been working with producer Pat Collier (The House Of Love, Primal Scream) on their debut album, and singer/songwriter Astra, who has recorded an album for release on Isolation, are playing at The Freebutt at Phoenix Place.
Also on the bill is The Delphinian Complex.
Astra is due onstage at 8.15pm, while headliners Heliconia will play at 9.45pm. Tickets are £5 on door, £4 with flyer. Flyer to follow.
Heliconia also have another gig coming up on Saturday, October 15 at The Apple Tree, Farringdon in London. Details to follow.
22 August 2005
Heliconia London gig
Fresh from recording tracks for their debut album with Pat Collier (The House Of Love, Primal Scream), Heliconia are playing in London at the end of this month.
The band are appearing at The Comedy on Tuesday, August 30 in a deadoralive promotion. Also featuring on the bill are Somebody's Mind.
Tickets are £4 with flyer, £5 without. Click on flyer image to download full-size flyer.
The Comedy is on Oxendon Street, next door to The Comedy Store.
11 August 2005
New Astra demos to download
New demos by Astra, whose debut album is scheduled for release on Isolaion later this year, are now available for downloading.
The four tracks were recorded by singer/songwriter Astra in Brighton in June.
While these demos feature only vocals and guitar, the Brighton-based singer often works with other musicians, with line-ups including guitar, viola and keyboards.
The combination of viola and Astra's haunting vocals create a unique and beguiling sound.
An 11-track Astra album is currently being mixed and produced for release in the autumn.
In the meantime, these tracks are available for download. All the files are MP3s.
She's Comin' Over
She Once Was
Pour Your Love
Mother Please Don't Leave
Send any feedback on these tracks to info@isolationrecordings.com
10 August 2005
Troy Enclosure radioplay and review
The Troy Enclosure Lucky Us EP, just released on Isolation, has been played on BBC Radio Oxford and reviewed in Oxford music magazine Nightshift.
Lucky Us is the debut release by Oxford-based Troy - aka Brandon Toy.
The EP received its first airplay on Tim Bearder's Saturday show on BBC Radio Oxford on July 30.
A review of Lucky Us in Nightshift described Lucky Us as "a dark, ambient oddity, with a lopsided, out-of-focus feel".
It added: "The strength here is the way Brandon uses simple, uncluttered textures and the spaces between the instruments to weave fine threads of sound together."
Read the full review.
Another highlight from Lucky Us is now available for download. When Nothing Comes Along can be downloaded as an MP3.
22 July 2005
Troy Enclosure CD released
The Troy Enclosure debut CD-R, entitled Lucky Us, is now available on Isolation Recordings.
Troy's dark, fragile ambient sound on the 4 tracks reminds a little of Labradford, though is distinctive in its own right.
The track listing is:
Footnote
Dreamless
When Nothing Comes Along
Lucky Us
Footnote is available as an MP3. Download it here: Footnote
Lucky Us (Isolate_006) comes in a limited edition of 100, with beautiful artwork by Melissa Jeacock. It is available for £2.99 (plus p+p). Order from Pulse Records.
15 July 2005
Troy Enclosure download, Heliconia London gigs
As a preview of the forthcoming Isolation release by The Troy Enclosure, one track - Footnote - is now available for downloading.
Representative of Troy's dark ambient sound, the track is built around a haunted chiming motif. Within the spaces a murmured vocal sample, stark slabs of distortion and brittle drums fade in; fade out.
The Troy Enclosure CD is entitled Lucky Us, and will have the catalogue number Isolate_006.
The track listing is:
Footnote
Dreamless
When Nothing Comes Along
Lucky Us
Footnote is available as an MP3. Download it here: Footnote
Send any feedback to info@isolationrecordings.com
Meanwhile, Heliconia have announced two London gigs.
The band will be playing at The Windmill, 22 Blenheim Gardens, Brixton on Tuesday, July 26. Also on the bill are Air Formation and Somebodys Mind. Admission is £3 on the door and the nearest tube is Brixton.
Then, looking slightly further ahead, on August 30 Heliconia are playing at The Comedy, Oxendon Street, near Haymarket.
08 July 2005
Astra and The Troy Enclosure releases
Isolation Recordings plans to release an album by Brighton-based Astra later this year. Singer/songwriter Astra uses a variety of musicians to back original compositions. Line-ups involve guitar(s), viola, and keyboards, producing a haunting mix of viola and beguiling vocals.
After seeing Astra play live in Brighton, Isolation commissioned the recording of 11 tracks by Astra . These are currently being mixed and produced for a forthcoming limited edition album, due to be released autumn 2005 on vinyl. A video - by powerplay productions - is being made to tie in with the release.
In the meantime, unreleased Astra material is available for downloading. These are all MP3s.
Astra Live at Something Else Studios December 2004
Send any feedback on these tracks to info@isolationrecordings.com
Before the Astra album, Isolation is planning to release a four-track CD by The Troy Enclosure. The EP, entitled Lucky Us, shows Troy's dark,spare ambient work to good effect.
The track listing is:
Footnote
Dreamless
When Nothing Comes Along
Lucky Us
Artwork and download to follow.
13 June 2005
The Troy Enclosure
Isolation is next planning to release some work by The Troy Enclosure.
His dark, spare ambient tracks remind a little of Labradford; fragile looped melodies overlain, on some tracks, by whispered vocals.
Further details on The Troy Enclosure and downloads of some of the tracks to follow.
22 May 2005
New Heliconia tracks to download
As previously mentioned on this site, Heliconia have been recording new material for their debut album.
Here are versions of two tracks the band have been working on, which are more representative of the band's present live and studio sound.
Marina captures Heliconia's powerful, guitar-driven live sound, while Beat Down (Slowdown version) offers a more laidback stoner groove.
These tracks are available as RealMedia downloads:
Marina
Beat Down (Slowdown version)
Send any feedback on these tracks to info@isolationrecordings.com
Heliconia are playing a Recognition night at The Apple Tree, 45 Mount Pleasant, Clerkenwell, London WC1A on Saturday June 11.
15 May 2005
Heliconia London gig
Following a recent series of successful gigs in Leeds, London and Surrey, Heliconia have announced another London date.
The band are playing a Recognition night at The Apple Tree, 45 Mount Pleasant, Clerkenwell, London WC1A on Saturday June 11. The venue is opposite Mount Pleasant sorting office, the nearest tube stations are Farringdon, Chancery Lane.
Heliconia are due on-stage at 10pm.
The band have been busy recording impressive new tracks, and versions of some of these will be added to the site shortly.
1 May 2005
Heliconia gigs
After a few months working on new material, recording tracks for the album and doing the odd gig, Heliconia have lind up a couple of gigs in May.
The band are playing:
May 7, Dog and Duck (an Isolated pub near Smallfield in deepest Surrey)
May 10, The Water Rats, London (Club AC30 nite)
Yesterday, the band headed up north for a gig at Royal Park Cellars in Leeds.
10 February 2005
Heliconia gig in London
In their first gig of 2005, Heliconia will be appearing at the Club AC30 night at Betsey Trotwood in Farringdon on Tuesday, March 29.
Also on the bill are Air Formation, Sennen and Sleepless + Club AC30 djs. Doors open at 7.30 pm and Heliconia are first band on. Tickets are £5 Adv, or £4 with flyer. Click here for tickets
Heliconia have been working on new tracks; laidback stoner grooves and sheets of guitar and distortion. Details to follow.
