Umlaut Records – Why You Should Be Paying Attention…
Umlaut Records – London, England, United Kingdom.
Small, DIY and independent labels are on the rise and London’s Umlaut Records is one that you need to pay attention too and not just because they are admirably doing their bit to keep Punk music living, breathing and pitting.
Umlaut distributes those from their own label as well as bands signed to other DIY and small-time operations and that MFers is both true passion and Punk-Rock community in practice.
We’ve featured label staples Eat Defeat before with both myself and fellow MF staff member Sam Taylor both giving our two-cents on the now released EP, Time and Ride, which you can find – Here.
Despite the labels founding only dating as far back as April, Umlaut now have five bands ranging from the UK, the Netherlands and the US with three more releases planned before the year is out.
All of the following bands have their CD hardcopies available for purchase on the Umlaut records webstore for their current and hopefully following this, new fans, which you can find at the bottom of the page.
Give You Nothing
Punk music and California are well and truly synonymous in this day and age and both Santa Cruz and the great state continue to export their local produce across the sound waves daily and thats where upstarts Give You Nothing come in.
The photo above was taken during their opening for Bad Religion back in June of this year and the band also supported Boston legends Slapshot but a month later. Now if that’s not an achievement then I don’t know what is.
Except I do and its the bands debut EP, Your Revolution, which is easily comparable to the likes of Dag Nasty, Gorilla Biscuits, H2O and much of the early Melodic Hardcore and Skate Punk bred after the birth of Hardcore.
Facebook // bandcamp // Official Website
Coral Springs
Haling from Leiden in the Netherlands, Coral Springs are part of the European bastion Umlaut is itching to expand and with their latest release, the double single, History/Anxiety. The bands heavy and thunderous Pop-Punk is something that needs to be heard.
Having played ‘Punk Rock Holiday’ earlier this year the band themselves itching to grow and with vocalist Jo and her melodic and harmonious vocals, the band tick all the boxes of the contemporary Pop-Punk scene. Combine that with added bite from the instruments passionately thrown around by Remy, Richard, Siebe and Timon and you have a winning combination.
Facebook // Twitter // Official Website // Youtube Channel
Maxwell’s Dead
Maxwell’s Dead are from Dundee and by underground standards can easily by named and praised as grizzled veterans but without the wrinkles to match.
With seven releases including the latest split with label mates Müg, MD’s abrasive old-school Street Punk outfitted with infectious and equally gritty Ska and contemporary melodies and vocal harmonies, ticks more than enough boxes on the lists of many Punk-Rock aficionados.
Whats even better is that the band are still going strong after twelve long years and quite frankly seem as strong as they did on inception and that was just my first impression.
Old school NOFX? A touch of Rancid‘s Ska and Matt Freeman’s bass? 90’s Skate Punk? Or Punk music in general just wanting to have a good time and playing from the heart? Maxwell’s Dead are your band if you are all about any of the above.
Facebook // Twitter // bandcamp
Müg
Umlaut have been working with London born Müg for the last four releases the band have conjured and for good reason. The band are hard hitting, melodic, fast, abrasive, witty and could cut through steel with their socio-political awareness.
Comparisons again, can be drawn to the ground work laid down by Dag Nasty and Gorilla Biscuits and names such as Rise Against, Good Riddance and Bad Religion can also be thrown around. The aforementioned are all fantastic bands for their contribution to the epoch and a comparison to them is no small compliment in any normal case at least, as Müg’s sharpened edge may have its roots but is well its own and slices any issue in two with ease.
Its been medically proven that some people are receptive to sound in such away that they shiver when they hear music that excites them fully and that is how I personally experienced Müg for the first time and I’m very happy about that.
Facebook // Twitter // BigCartel // bandcamp
Umlaut really have a bright future ahead of them and with bands such as all of the above and those they lovingly host off the back of other hard working labels, they are label we at MF are going to keep a strong eye on.
Before we leave all the necessary means to get in touch with and immerse yourself in the mighty Umlaut, we have but one more song for you by a band named Launch Control from Reading. The bands newest release will drop via Umlaut on the 30th October so after you’ve listened to this, head over for the cheeky pre-order.
Facebook // Twitter // Youtube Channel // bandcamp
Umlaut Records can be found below in its entirety, enjoy:
- For updates and info head to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
- For the Umlaut webstore where you can find hardcopies and merch, head to their BigCartel page.
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