Blips | Under The Radar Acts – Gerhardts And Bipolar Sunshine

In our never-ending quest to dig up great bands whose tickets cost less than a corned beef sandwich at your local deli, we bring you our latest round of Blips here on JamBase. The idea behind Blips is to form a lasting relationship with acts we believe to have bright futures and stick with them as they develop and grow. We view Blips as a progression that begins with a mention in a Blips segment, then leads to a Blips Update, and ultimately culminates in a feature length interview. In this edition, we have some really cool new music, so take a sec, poke around the bands’ various websites and see what you think of these two under-the-radar acts…

Gerhardts

Facebook / Twitter / Bandcamp

Last month a group of friends who had played in a variety bands together over the course of a decade finally set out to record more than a one-off single. The result was Gerhardts’ debut, self-titled EP. The five-song set weaves big chunky guitar riffs with propelling rhythms to create compelling rock ‘n’ roll. Comprised of guitarist/vocalist Justin Desilet, guitarist/keyboardist Andrew Hackett, bassist/keyboardist Paul Hermann, vocalist/guitarist Joshua Hollander and drummer/vocalist Justin Wilmore, the quintet formed in Seattle in 2011.

With a D.I.Y. approach the EP was recorded, produced and released directly by the band. It primarily was recorded in their hometown of Seattle at HMS Studios, with vocal recording sessions taking place at Slate Coffee Roastery in the Ballard neighborhood.

Bipolar Sunshine

Facebook / Twitter / Soundcloud

Based in Manchester, England, Bipolar Sunshine has been generating buzz on both sides of the Atlantic on the heels of two acclaimed EP releases. Formerly a member of the Manchester ska outfit Kid British, lead singer Adio Marchant made his debut as Bipolar Sunshine after the band’s demise in 2012. Leaving the reggae tinged sound behind, Bipolar Sunshine features Marchant‘s brand of R&B, soul and rock with hints of pop and electronic dance music.

Earlier this year Bipolar Sunshine released his debut EP, Aesthetics, which featured four songs including a remix by Toyboy & Robin of the single, “Rivers.” He quickly followed with a second EP –another four song set (including one Woz remix) entitled Drowning Butterflies, which was released in December. The two EPs show off his penchant for soulful R&B that you can dance to and a full length release is expected early in 2014.

Written By: Andy Kahn