Free Manchester Music : January

Bands both well-established and those just starting out are giving away songs/EPs/albums for nothing, with the realisation that a) money is sparse, b) there are more bands around than ever and c) it’s much easier and cheaper to release tracks digitally, so why not go for broke and put them up for grabs.

Each month we’ll be highlighting the best free music around; mostly of bands and artists from Manchester and the surrounding area, but also if we find any goodies of acts set to grace our city in the near future, then we’ll chuck them in too.

First up, Golden Glow – the solo stripped-down project of ex-Lead Balloons‘ frontman Pierre Hall. He’s giving away a 3-track EP via Holiday Records; a label ran in part by a member of US surf-pop band The Drums. http://www.holidayrecords.net/

Sonic Boom Six, Manchester’s genre terrorists aren’t busy enough with their high-energy band touring constantly. No, in the past year they’ve started their own record label under the name of Rebel Alliance Recordings. Featuring the punk & ska likes of Random Hand, The Babylon Whackers, Mouthwash and SB6 themselves, they’re giving you the chance to download a label sampler with brand new and exclusive tracks from all the aforementioned. Here you go. http://www.rebelalliancerecordings.com/freedownload.cfm

Sticking with the ska vibes, you would have to have been hiding under a pretty sizable rock for the majority of last year to not have heard of Kid British. These local lads are the modern day equivalent of The Specials, and with their hip-hop influences, reggae-pop just got a 21st century twist. Sign up to their mailing list for a free early demo. http://zaphod.uk.vvhp.net/reg/reg.pl?id=3853-80627

Yorkshire’s obscure rockers These Monsters have an album coming out on Brew/Function Records at the start of March, and this is a free sample of that surefire beast of a record. They’re playing Manchester twice this month (21st @ Retro Bar / 31st @ Satan’s Hollow), and we’ll see you at one of those, plus a rather tasty-looking all-dayer in Leeds next month starring Kong, Blakfish, Humanfly, That Fucking Tank, Hot Club De Paris and more. http://ilikepress.co.uk/audio/TheseMonsters/01-These_Monsters-Call_Me_Dragon-Call_Me_Dragon.mp3

Another non-local band playing Manchester this month are New Jersey psychedelic surfers Real Estate. Appearing at The Deaf Institute on Wednesday 27th, their song ‘Beach Comber’ is available here for zilch. http://www.yousendit.com/transfer.php?action=download&ufid=TzY3S3dpeFVvQnZIRGc9PQ

If, like us, you were pretty gutted when local troubadours Hail Brethren split up last year, and/or if you like the new band 4/5ths of them are in currently – Well Wisher - then you’ll be happy to hear that 3 ‘lost tracks’ from a planned HB split have been found. They’re much in the vein of the original emo that their self-titled EP was full of; very Rites Of Spring and very good. These aren’t fully mixed or mastered, but are still perhaps a look at where HB were headed and how Well Wisher emerged. http://www.mediafire.com/?3hnwkm0ggqz

Moving onto undoubtedly one of the hottest bands of last year and the name on everyone’s lips in 2010, Delphic. Having supported Orbital on two sell-out Academy dates, being under the bill of Doves at their massive homecoming gig and also playing to the masses beneath the streets at Warehouse Project, the Manc trio have expanded their free EP by another mighty track. Unreleased song ‘Alterstate’ accompanies live versions of the monster singles ‘Counterpoint’ and ‘This Momentary’, as well as a remix of the former. Simply sign up to their mailing list and download the goodness. http://delphic.cc/

Describing themselves as having ‘one foot firmly planted in the glitch side of electronica, and the other in the world of future dub & experimental hip-hop’, local quartet From The Kites Of San Quentin offer up a very teasing two-track sampler for nowt via one of our favourite online outlets, Bandcamp. With new songs ready in the wings, get these ones downloaded in anticipation. http://fromthekitesofsanquentin.bandcamp.com/

And lastly, another full free EP, this time from electronica/prog emitters, Borland. We haven’t had the pleasure of catching them live yet, but they sound like they’d be a treat. And we’ve got the chance to confirm that with two free gigs this month (22nd @ The Green Room / 23rd @ Kraak Gallery). Join us, won’t you? http://borland.bandcamp.com/album/house

What’s that? You want more?! Stop being greedy and wait ’til next month.