The Process Records

Written By: Jordannah Elizabeth

Spice Mouse - Tallinn, Estonia (Listen if you like Bjork, Coco Rosie)

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The experimental music that is being produced in Eastern Europe is second to none.  Last year, I completely immersed myself in Eastern Europe’s experimental rock music while learning about and interacting with artists like Amazing Electronic Talking Cave (St. Petersburg, RU) and Rachael (Warsaw, Poland), I came across the music of Ms. Laura Vunk of Spice Mouse.

Spice Mouse is a talented and intriguing artist who has an amazing sensitivity to musical atmosphere.  Listening to a Spice Mouse song is like walking into her world of fantasy that is accompanied by a psychedelic and trip hop soundtrack that’s graced with her milky vocals.  She’ll also completely woo you with lyrics expressed in her native language. I really appreciate international artists who sing in their first language. Her production value is also something to be praised and recognized.  Get into Spice Mouse. She is quite incredible.

The Seed Coat - Åre, Sweden (Listen if you like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club)

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The Seed Coat is a surprisingly modern and bluesy band from Sweden.  It is always lovely to open my inbox and find submissions from all over the world, but The Seed Coat exceeded my expectations by stepping away from the washed out psyche sounds that is dominating underground rock and roll right now, and really touching on melodies that derive from blues, classic rock, and R&B.

Their music is funky, sexy, and well produced.  You won’t be able to help but move when you listen to their sounds. The Seed Coat is HIGHLY recommended.

Dead Horse One – Valance, France (Listen if you like Slowdive)

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France seems to consistently produce great bands that truly understand their genres and represent the classic elements of their chosen genres well.  Dead Horse One was submitted to me by a fan of the band’s on Facebook.  Their classic shoegaze rock sound is solid, and their songs are well written.  I really enjoy a tight (a band who stays on beat, and in key to maintain a professional sounding musical execution) band, and Dead Horse One sounds great on their recordings.  Make sure you dig into their music.  They’re an amazing band!

Stereowoolf – Marburg, Germany (Listen if you like Sleater Kinney)

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Stereowoolf is one of my new obsessions, but I just got wind that the band just broken up.  I don’t really have time to be heartbroken because I don’t want to accept that it is true!

Stereowoolf had a very unique sound, that mixed storytelling, a riotgrrrl punk attitude, and a minimal rock aesthetic without sounding overly bizarre.  The beauty of the band was that they had a lot going for them, as riotgrrrl rock is returning quietly to underground music, and their song “When I Was a Baby Feminist” was listenable and exciting without being overwhelming. The song had humor and brought nostalgia of the 90’s and the amazing girlcentric rock scene that dominated during that time.

They were also getting acclaim from being featured on Riotgrrrl Berlin’s music compilation.  They would have gone really far.

RIP Stereowoolf.  We love you.

RIDE INTO THE SUN – Adelaide, Austraila (Listen if you like Brian Jonestown Massacre)

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Ride Into the Sun is an energetic shoegaze/psyche band that injects a new level of quality into a style of music that that has been done so well, many times.  Ride into the Sun is another professional sounding, and exciting band that incorporates aboriginal sounds and layers of fuzz, reverb, and sex appeal that makes their music very hard to ignore.

I’m very happy to have learned about their music because musicians need standards to reach for and Ride Into the Sun sets a very high standard for psyche bands to achieve. They’re an amazing band with great taste.

By: Jordannah Elizabeth

I usually write a lengthy prelude about some encounter I’ve had with the musicians I interview on this blog.  Nonetheless, I don’t really remember how Eric and I came into contact.  I think he knew about the label and reached out, and eventually, I reached back.  It’s not a very interesting story. Anyway, the beautiful thing about The Process Records being an International music collective is that I get to interact with people from all over the world.  Sometimes, I’ll listen to demos from three or four different countries in one sitting.  

Eric Alexander is an enthusiastic and talented musician from Sweden.  His band, The Orange Revival has made a name for itself over the past few years as an excellent shoegaze/ psychedelic ensemble.  In light of Austin Psyche Fest, I thought I’d share Eric’s jolly insights about music, guitars, and travel:

When was the first time you heard psychedelic music?

1987

What’s your favorite guitar?

I guess my favorite guitars is the one I play the most: Gretsch country gentleman. But I also like my Rickenbacker 330 and my vox stereo 12 .

Have you ever played in America?

We haven´t played in America before, only Europe, so it (Austin Psyche Fest) will be fun.

What do you like about American music?

I don´t think I like anything special about American music. I like the sound of many American bands, but I also love the music from the rest of the world so, I don´t care where the bands come from as long as they sounds good to me!

What have you learned from hearing Swedish music all your life?

Ohh, I have been listening to mostly music from outside of Sweden, I guess.  But there are many good Swedish bands!

If you could move to any city as an artist, where would it be?

Probably a place where the Sun shines and it’s not to much stress, and where I have a good view. It doesn´t really seem like I would move to a city, but maybe I will find a good city and want to move there. The place where I live now is really good actually!! It’s in the North of Sweden with the mountains just outside my door! It’s beautiful and pretty mellow.

What do you hope to get out of playing Austin Psyche Fest?

Something like this: Click Here

Who’s your favorite psyche band right now?

I don´t have a favorite psych band right now. There are too many good bands! I’ve been listening to a lot of Townes Van Zandt and Daniel Johnston lately.

What do you see your band five years from now?

Our ¨The best of ¨ album release is set for May 2017 so it will be a good year.