Oh Yeah Centre releases EP of bands on this year’s talent development programme Scratch My Progress
The Belfast music hub Oh Yeah Music Centre has released the five-track EP featuring the recordings of the five bands who participated in this year’s talent development programme – Scratch My Progress.
Five artists participated in the 13th year of the Northern Irish music programme, and all of the songs were recorded for the EP, as part of SMP, whivh runs from September to May each year.
Touzai, Aqua Tofana, Madams Last Discovery, Sophie French and Moon Landing all received mentoring, showcasing, practical and recording support from the programme.
Since 2011, Scratch My Progress scheme has mentored a diverse range of talent including NI Music Prize Winners Problem Patterns, Kitt Philippa, Sasha Samara and Sister Ghost, music and media personalities Gemma Bradley (BBC Radio 1) & Emer Maguire and artists representing the rock, alternative, acoustic, rap, pop, punk, folk and electronic genres.
Since graduating from the development programme musicians have gone on to play shows at Glastonbury, receive national radio support via BBC Radio 1 and Radio 6 and sign sustainable record label and publishing deals.
More info on the band’s and the programme below.
Track Listing
- Unconditionally – Aqua Tofana
- Tiger Song – Touzai
- Friday Feels – Sophie French
- It’s a Big Small World – Moon Landing
- Champagne – Madams Last Discovery
Venture into the sonic universe of AQUA TOFANA, and you will be met with a dark dreamscape of gauzy guitar, dizzying melodies and powerhouse vocals—think Alice in Wonderland directed by Quentin Tarantino.
“Take me back to when the Tiger used to smoke” sings Ethan Hollan on new single ‘Tiger Song’. It’s an anthemic, soaring single full of poignant one liners, lacerations, and musings on existence as a young man in a complex world.
Despite hailing from a small village in county Antrim, singer-songwriter Sophie French’s sun-kissed pop has the ability to immediately transport the listener to warmer climes. Influenced equally by contemporary stars like Olivia Dean and jazz icons of the past.
Emerging as masters of their craft and adept at creating soaring soundscapes full of wonder and emotion. The sky no longer feels like the limit, more of a starting point.
The new sound was born out of curiosity and virtuosity. The exploration of new sonic territory as treaded by Talking Heads, Gilla Band and the Murder Capital before them. It was darker, moodier, even more bombastic than they had dared imagined in the halls of their school.
