Upset The Rhythm

18/12/2023

Nine lessons and carols and… nine releases from Upset The Rhythm too!

2023 has been a bumper 20th year for UTR with releases by Me Lost Me, Es, Water Machine, Screensaver, The Toads, Terry, Brontez Purnell,Vintage Crop and Historically F*cked. If you like spontaneous rock throttles, gothic restlessness, time-straddling folk role-play or snappy postpunk we’ve got you covered. So many highlights! All of these records are streaming through the digiverse now, whilst you can find pristine vinyl copies in all the best shops and via own webstore here too: https://upsettherhythm.bigcartel.com/

Thank you for supporting us as ever by listening, it really means the world.

May many merry times be bestowed upon thee!
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12/12/2023

Ho, ho, woah!
Tis the season for jolly merch!
Today we added to our webshop our Upset The Rhythm ‘20th anniversary’ t-shirts and risograph posters designed by the wondrous Meg Woof. Our new pin badges and stickers are up there too, joining this year’s UTR releases by Brontez Purnell, Screensaver, Me Lost Me, Vintage Crop, Water Machine, The Toads, Terry, Es and Historically F***ed.

To celebrate we’re offering everyone here a festive 20% discount, just use the code UTR20 before January and get merry!

UTR webshop: https://upsettherhythm.bigcartel.com/
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06/12/2023

Seasonal greets!

We're donning party hats this Saturday at Cafe OTO as Upset The Rhythm is celebrating 20 years of rigorous DIY musical operation: 2000 shows, 160 records and a whole lotta late nights!

Come and help us blow out all those candles! We have thee best company as Linda Smith & Nancy Andrews will bring their lo-fi pop marvels, ethereal ballads and noir soundscapes to London for the first time. Long-standing UTR kith and kin Rattle and Russell Walker (of The Pheromoans) will also be providing entertainment during the evening, plus Simon Marchant (of Normil Hawaiians) will be sharing his DJ talents with us throughout.

We'll have records for sale, risographed posters and bright orange t-shirts (designed by Meg Woof) to help mark the occasion, read on for the full story. Mince pies vs birthday cake hmmmm!

Upset The Rhythm present their 20th birthday party with…

LINDA SMITH & NANCY ANDREWS
RATTLE
RUSSELL WALKER
SIMON MARCHANT (Normil Hawaiians) - DJ SET
Saturday 9 December
Cafe OTO, 18-22 Ashwin St, London, E8 3DL
7.30pm | £12 | Tickets: https://link.dice.fm/Y1c88667d259

04/12/2023

There was an Upset The Rhythm 20th anniversary special on the radio over the weekend. Huge thanks to deXter Bentley & Hello Goodbye on Resonance FM for inviting Chris to chat about two decades of activity, our party at Cafe OTO this coming Saturday and why his right arm is two inches longer than the left. Starts from 7 minutes! Featuring tracks from Brontez Purnell, Linda Smith & Nancy Andrews, The Pheromoans (exclusive first listen) and Rattle (live in session). Nick Carlisle from Bamboo even pops up for a chat too! Magic!

Listen again: https://www.mixcloud.com/Resonance/the-hello-goodbye-show-2nd-december-2023/

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22/11/2023

Look at these handsome risograph posters celebrating Upset The Rhythm’s upcoming 20th anniversary. The hugely-talented Meg Woof drew this mountainous vista of bonfires, beacons and the seashore, thank you to the moon! These will be available at our Dec 9th party at Cafe OTO w/ Linda Smith & Nancy Andrews, Rattle and Russell Walker. Uncanny times!

21/11/2023

Love this in depth interview with Me Lost Me in Clot Magazine, check it out: https://clotmag.com/interviews/me-lost-me-jayne-dents-imaginative-odyssey-virtual-voyage-bridges-ancient-futuristic-sounds

10/11/2023

Time to party!
Today we’re releasing a new album from supreme multi-talent Brontez Purnell! ‘Confirmed Bachelor’ is out now on crystal-clear vinyl and digitally everywhere, go check it out!

These twelve songs are of the no-time-wasted variety. Fuzzed-out pop songs, hotly delivered from the heart, often sassy, sometimes sappy, always snappy! We’re talking about jagged riffs galore, bubblegum bounce and Brontez’s vocal racing to bopsome effect.

So much to celebrate! ‘Confirmed Bachelor’ is available to order now: https://upsettherhythm.bandcamp.com

UPSET THE RHYTHM is a live music promoter and record label based in London, UK - collectively run, with a sense of fun and a DIY ethic!

10/11/2023

Time to party!
Today we’re releasing a new album from supreme multi-talent Brontez Purnell! ‘Confirmed Bachelor’ is out now on crystal-clear vinyl and digitally everywhere, go check it out! These twelve songs are of the no-time-wasted variety. Fuzzed-out pop songs, hotly delivered from the heart, often sassy, sometimes sappy, always snappy! We’re talking about jagged riffs galore, bubblegum bounce and Brontez’s vocal racing to bopsome effect.

So much to celebrate! ‘Confirmed Bachelor’ is available to order now: https://upsettherhythm.bandcamp.com

25/10/2023

screensaver - Future Trash Screensaver, out of Melbourne, churns out a sleek and stylish roar. Bass lines pulse like throbbing veins. Guitar chords clash and clang. Drums rumble like seismic tremors,...

24/10/2023

'Bachelors Theme' by Brontez Purnell is one of God Is In The TV Zine. 's tracks of the week! Thanks lots!

A whole bunch of heavy hitters including Father John Misty, Regina Spector, Devendra Banhart, Lou Barlow, The Lemonheads, The Cribs, and The Libertines have

20/10/2023

Exceedingly happy that our 158th release stormed into the world today! 'Decent Shapes' by Naarm/Melbourne synth-fogged post-punks SCREENSAVER is a triumph of mood and function.

Pin-sharp dynamics, twisting melodies and seismic tremors of delirious urgency all jostle to stare deeper into the black mirror of now. Krystal Maynard’s dramatic / cavernous vocal is always on point and all ten songs shudder and shimmer into stark reality. Couldn't recommend anything more!

'Decent Shapes' is streaming everywhere from today + a glam gold-pressing is available on LP in all the best shops, including Upset The Rhythm's webshop too.

If you're reading this from the southern hemisphere go and pick this up from PPoison City Records sscreensavermusicare also launching the album tomorrow at The Curtin in Melbourne too, lucky everyone!

17/10/2023

Now we’re talking!
Brontez Purnell returns today with an absolute thunderclap of a single from his forthcoming album ‘Confirmed Bachelor’! ‘Bachelors Theme’ is out now digitally, accompanied by a video made by compelling actor / sad clown / muse, Brandon Flynn. ‘Bachelors Theme’ opens the album and sets the scene perfectly with the heady rush and swoon of it all. Jagged riffs, bubblegum bounce and Brontez’s vocals effortlessly racing to dizzying effect. It’s a tour de force of bop and bravado.

Brontez Purnell - 'Bachelors Theme' VIDEO: https://youtu.be/j3vbYGpaVEE

'Bachelors Theme’ is taken from Brontez's cracking new record 'Confirmed Bachelor', out Nov 10th on Upset The Rhythm, available to pre-order now on crystal-clear 180g vinyl here: https://upsettherhythm.bigcartel.com/

Special thanks to Maria Cecila Tedemalm for the ace edit too!
Enjoy!

Brontez Purnell Forced Exposure Southern Record Distributors

'Bachelor Theme' is taken from Brontez Purnell's forthcoming album 'Confirmed Bachelor' out Nov 10th through Upset The Rhythm.Video made by and starring Bran...

16/10/2023

To celebrate our new album from SCREENSAVER coming out this Friday, the Australian synth-punks have made an amazingly atmos-heavy vid for ‘Future Trash’, let’s set the scene: moody lighting, abrading live performance and eerily empty shopping centres!

'Future Trash': https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW2HHskV4Yo

Supply dictates demand, pre-order our gold vinyl version of 'Decent Shapes' now: https://upsettherhythm.bigcartel.com/

screensavermusic Southern Record Distributors Forced Exposure

'Future Trash' is taken from screensaver's forthcoming second album 'Decent Shapes', out October 20th through Upset The Rhythm & Poison City.Video by James B...

13/10/2023

Super interesting feature with SCREENSAVER, talking about how they wrote brilliant track ‘Future Trash’ in detail, in this month’s Songwriting Magazine, pick up a copy in your local paper shop or here, insightful reading: https://steadyhq.com/en/songwriting/about

screensavermusic Songwriting Magazine
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12/10/2023

This gold pressing of SCREENSAVER's forthcoming 'Decent Shapes' album looks pretty snappy and sounds huge, excited for this to come out next week!

screensavermusic
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05/10/2023

"The track itself conveys a frantic energy that captures the speed and intensity at which we’re hurtling towards global climate crisis if we don’t start to do something about it now."
Thanks Northern Transmissions!
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"Future Trash" by screensaver is Northern Transmissions Song of the Day. The single is from their upcoming full length "Decent Shapes."

04/10/2023

“Must haves, must haves!”

Screensaver return today with their third compulsive single from forthcoming album / synth-punk whirlwind ‘Decent Shapes’ (out October 20th through Upset The Rhythm and Poison City). ‘Future Trash’ ponders the transience of man-made objects vs the permanence of landfill in a moody and twitchy 3 mins 50.

Sublime and mercurial in equal parts. ‘Future Trash’ is out now everywhere digitally, whilst ‘Decent Shapes’ is available to pre-order on gold vinyl courtesy of UTR right now here: https://upsettherhythm.co.uk/

Listen to Future Trash here: https://on.soundcloud.com/MEffP

04/10/2023

“Must haves, must haves!”
Screensaver return today with their third compulsive single from forthcoming album / synth-punk whirlwind ‘Decent Shapes’ (out October 20th through Upset The Rhythm and Poison City). ‘Future Trash’ ponders the transience of man-made objects vs the permanence of landfill in a moody and twitchy 3 mins 50.

Sublime and mercurial in equal parts. ‘Future Trash’ is out now everywhere digitally, whilst ‘Decent Shapes’ is available to pre-order on gold vinyl courtesy of UTR right now here: https://upsettherhythm.co.uk/

Listen to FUTURE TRASH: https://on.soundcloud.com/MEffP

Poison City Records screensavermusic Forced Exposure Southern Record Distributors One Beat PR

15/09/2023

Phil Tyler & Sarah Hill, The Smashing Times and Apostille are all playing London for us this September, here’s the full story... https://ymlp.com/zZZCkz

08/09/2023

Chase the sun with Vintage Crop as the green shoots of their new 7” ‘Springtime’ bear fruit today. Out now digitally and as a limited edition black vinyl pressing, hop to it!

2 track album

05/09/2023

Only one place to be tonight, New River Studios! Thrilled to be hosting Water Machine, LASH and Gross Misconduct, tickets £7, amps on 8pm, lucky London!
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Upset The Rhythm presents…

WATER MACHINE
LASH
GROSS MISCONDUCT
Tuesday 5 September
New River Studios, 199 Eade Rd, Harringay, London, N4 1DN
7.30pm | £7 | Tickets: https://link.dice.fm/Lf7063042bcf

WATER MACHINE is an office romance between Hando Morice (they/them), Flore de Hoog (she/her) and Jimmy Gage (he/him). An unassuming supergroup formed out of Glasgow institutions including Goth GF, Passion Pusher, Brenda and Soursob, their sound careens between punk, country and alt-rock underpinned by the unique quality they call “Raw Liquid Power”. Following last year’s self-titled demo tape on Gold Mold Records, the four-piece released their highly-anticipated first studio effort ‘Raw Liquid Power’ on Upset The Rhythm on August 4th.

LASH are a new group featuring members of Es, Suep, Findom & Sealings. New Wave with a psychodynamic edge; Neuro-Romantic if you will. Think Pylon, AC Marias, Pink Industry style lamented & mutated pop music.

GROSS MISCONDUCT are a conceptually foggy, bureaucratically sound landfill punk band from South London. Featuring members of Killjoys, MILKY, Strong Arm and Surplus. FFO Exit Order, The Cribs, Be Your Own Pet and corporate telephone hold music. Fresh off probation, mandatory training completed and ready for synergy. Check out their new EP and demo now!

WATER MACHINE is an office romance between Hando Morice (they/them), Flore de Hoog (she/her), Jimmy Gage (he/him) and Goda Ilgauskaitė (she/her). An unassumi...

02/09/2023

Today Aussie punks Vintage Crop offer up their new single 'Springtime.' With 2022’s 'Kibitzer' album still glinting in the rear-view mirror, Crop now speed

01/09/2023

Two surprises!
Next Friday we’re releasing a Vintage Crop 7”, woah, secondly it is in praise of spring, OK it’s only just autumn here, but in the other hemisphere the birds are building nests again. Check out the ace video premiered by Raven Sings The Blues, featuring Jack Cherry in three parallel dimensions:
https://bit.ly/45uDRzj

Vintage Crop’s ‘Springtime’ 7” will be released on September 8th by Upset The Rhythm and Anti Fade, plus the band will have loads of copies on their upcoming US tour too, check out the dates on the poster!

Order now: https://upsettherhythm.bigcartel.com/

01/09/2023

New Vintage Crop!

Vintage Crop moves the needle a bit from their tumultuous, rhythm-forward records. On “Springtime,” the band lays into a drape of melody, letting a certain wistfulness lace in between buzzing keys and the clash of guitars. Upset The Rhythm https://bit.ly/45uDRzj

01/09/2023

Listen again to the wondrous Water Machine live in session for Marc Riley last night: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001pv1t

Four amazing songs shared, plus top chat about car prangs, grannies and Pat The Dog! Enjoy!!
Thanks a ton Marc!

Remember… Water Machine’s UK tour starts tonight in Manchester, check out the tour poster, London on Tuesday!

25/08/2023

Water Machine are a compulsive itch of a band, so liberating, keen-eyed and catchy!

In celebration of their first 7” EP entitled ‘Raw Liquid Power’ (out now on Upset The Rhythm) the Glasgow group are hitting the road in September! We’re lucky to have them playing in London at New River Studios on Tuesday 5th September, they’re also going to be live in session with Marc Riley on Thursday 31st August for BBC 6 music. So many opportunities for refreshment!

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‘Raw Liquid Power’ opens with a menacing, modulating synth melody. Gage’s guitar enters with a mighty bend before breaking into the chugging rhythm of ‘Water Machine Pt. 2’. This timely reminder to refill your water bottle - “don’t be late, hydrate!” less a wellness mantra than a threat - builds to a spacey outro with flashes of the art-punk weirdness of Suburban Lawns. ‘Stilettos’ marches on indignantly with a spiky riff punctuated by Ilgauskaitė’s cowbells. Staccato talk-singing tells a playful tale of stray cats following you home, but belies a darker subtext as the breakdown gives way to paranoid duelling guitars evoking The Fire Engines.

The anti-anthem ‘At the Drive In’ skewers joyless DIY crowds, reminiscent of much-missed Glasgow punks Breakfast M**f. Water Machine’s irrepressible sincerity can’t help but shine through in the final moments though, as jibes about “late night trade potential” give way to plaintive vocal harmonies. Morice tears public transport a new one on closer ‘Bussy’, a First Bus diss track bemoaning precarious employment amidst crumbling infrastructure. “That’s why I’m not on time!” they roar over de Hoog’s frantic, pounding bass, bringing the record to a skidding, screeching halt.

23/08/2023

Here’s screensaver’s new single ‘Drainer’, a fiery anthem for those everyday frustrations that edge you into downer mode. Full video by REBEL YELL up on YouTube now in all its flickering VHS glory. ‘Drainer’ features on the band’s forthcoming album ‘Decent Shapes’, out October 20th through Upset The Rhythm and Poison City in Australia. Available to pre-order now, hup hup!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTzO5Sh5k2k

screensavermusic Southern Record Distributors Forced Exposure

'Drainer' is taken from screensaver's forthcoming second album 'Decent Shapes', out October 20th through Upset The Rhythm & Poison City.Video by Grace Steven...

08/08/2023

* Thanks HIT THE NORTH *

"This new single, a riotous cover of the Julie Ruin song, Stay Monkey, is absolutely badass. I’m so grateful every day for Indies like Upset The Rhythm, because they’re genuinely alternative, excited about music that’s completely out of the mainstream playlist of curated crap, designed for algorithms."

https://hit-the-north.uk/2023/08/08/new-release-brontez-purnell-stay-monkey/

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This new single, a riotous cover of the Julie Ruin song, Stay Monkey, is absolutely badass. I’m so grateful every day for Indies like Upset The Rhythm, because they’re genuinely alterna…

03/08/2023

Party hats on!

Today we’re announcing our new album from supreme multitalent Brontez Purnell! ‘Confirmed Bachelor’ (best album title ever award bagged) will be released on September 15th on crystal-clear vinyl and digitally. These twelve songs are of the no-time-wasted variety. Fuzzed-out pop songs, hotly delivered from the heart, often sassy, sometimes sappy, always snappy! We’re talking about jagged riffs galore, bubblegum bounce and Brontez’s vocal racing to dizzying effect.

We’re sharing the first single from the album, a cover of a long-loved Julie Ruin song. ‘Stay Monkey’ is as lively and bopsome as it is lovelorn and restless. Enjoy the music, the cake and the rogue king of rock-n-roll, this is worth celebrating!

‘Confirmed Bachelor’ is available to pre-order now: https://upsettherhythm.bigcartel.com

'Stay Monkey' video: https://youtu.be/dxWGFH2-dEo

02/08/2023

Glasgow marvels WATER MACHINE release their debut 7" ep 'Raw Liquid Power' with Upset The Rhythm on Friday, to celebrate they are heading out on tour next month, go SEE&HEAR them! They are thee best!

Brilliant video by Alice Smoth x

28/07/2023

Behold the gold!

Australian synth-punks screensaver return this October with an immense, brooding second album titled ‘Decent Shapes’. Loaded with simmering tension, ‘Decent Shapes’ finds screensaver exploring existence eeked out across an ever-growing trash heap of materialism and detachment. Available on sardonic gold vinyl through Upset The Rhythm on October 20th. Check out first single ‘The Guilt’ now, a spirited call to arms for all who succumb.
https://youtu.be/cvz2uw79oHo

Pre-order available… now: https://upsettherhythm.bigcartel.com/
Also available through the brilliant Poison City in Australia!

Southern Record Distributors
screensavermusic
Forced Exposure

27/07/2023

“Grooving through a gloomy cosmic pulse, the rhythm locked in and thriving”!

Our new screensaver video for ‘The Guilt’ just premiered on Post-Trash AND it's excellent: http://post-trash.com/news/2023/7/25/screensaver-the-guilt-post-trash-premiere

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Post-Trash Southern Record Distributors Forced Exposure

21/07/2023

Hello everyone!

Next week Upset The Rhythm have two terrific concerts coming up in London and no tube strikes on the cards now too! Hurrah!

On Monday we're pairing up with Cafe OTO to bring you a rare Barbara Manning (28th Day, World of Pooh, S.F. Seals) concert. Barbara hasn't played in the UK for 30 years, so we're ecstatic to welcome back this legend of the US indie underground to a warm reception. We're very lucky to have Jowe Head (Swells Maps) playing this gig in group formation too.

Then next Wednesday we're thrilled to have Current Affairs return to London for a show at The Lexington. Expect some ferocious post-punk, offset by 80s pop sensibilities, plus The Plan and Gross Misconduct will both be performing also, see you very much down the front for that.

Read on for all the particulars on both of those and also for more info on our upcoming Deerhoof concert next month. Enjoy: http://ymlp.com/zZRoQi

18/07/2023

Brilliant to hear Me Lost Me on Riley & Coe's ace show last night! 'Mirie It Is While Summer I Last' reps a keen 13th century longing for the summer to return which I'm feeling today myself!

Listen again: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m001nnk3

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