AMMO – “ROSE + CROWN”
A SPILL EXCLUSIVE MUSIC PREMIERE
Once again, we turn our attention to one of America’s hustling hubs of music – Los Angeles. In our spotlight today is singer-songwriter / multi-instrumentalist AMMO, with her new single “Rose + Crown” , which is being released via California-based indie imprint Mourning Sun Records.
AMMO recalls so many different artists (Kate Bush, Jane Siberry, Cocteau Twins, Slowdive), while not sounding particularly like any of them very much. This is melancholic loaded reverie, capable of entrancing you into Lynchian territory. This is a strong introduction to the world of AMMO and we look forward to exploring this more.
The B-side “Total Recall” was originally released as part of “Do You Feel That Way Too? A Tribute to The Sound”, the first charitable compilation on the Dune Altar label, aimed at increasing awareness to the mental health conditions plaguing millions today. Inspired by Adrian Borland (frontman of criminally underrated, yet tremendously influential 1980s UK band The Sound), who suffered from schizoaffective disorder and severe depression.
A rock and roll photographer, musician and songwriter, AMMO spent her youth ditching school to delve through record store bins and scour the LA music and art scene in hopes of running into like-minds. Pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo is a constant in her life. She has shot and produced a feature film, co-founded PLAG Presents, a platform for women musicians and the LGBTQ community voices to be heard.
AMMO’s distillate aesthetic can be described as otherworldly ethereal shoegaze, driven by the pulse of primordial percussive rhythms that provide a backdrop for haunting vocals and lush, atmospheric guitar lines. Siouxsie and the Banshees, Rudimentary Peni, Dead Can Dance, Cranes, Cocteau Twins and Enya act as the influential foundation, supporting the lens through which AMMO channels her art.
AMMO has enveloped herself in a number of music, photography and film projects. Her band Brass Box released their full-length LP The Cathedral in 2019. Past music projects include Black Flamingo, Darklands and Tête. Her music has been said to “shackle the living or free the dead…” by creating mystical magnetic soundscapes – “the kind of music that should soundtrack a sand-dune-to-shoreline road movie by David Lynch”.
The “Rose + Crown” single was born of the isolation and swift emerging darkness wrought upon the world by the current pandemic, echoing themes of catharsis and freedom from self-imposed shackles, whether physical or psychological. Written by AMMO, it was co-produced and recorded with Alex Posell, former Black Flamingo bandmate, who also contributes drums and percussion, and mixed and mastered by Robert Duncan IV.
AMMO’s storied history in shooting fashion editorials and directing short films and music videos have given her the tools to achieve a deeper connection with her listeners. These artistic mediums empower her exploration of illusive and melancholic topics which offer listeners an emotional and visceral experience by creating a dialogue between the imagined and physical.
As of June 4, the “Rose + Crown” single will be available across online stores and streaming platforms, including Spotify. It can already be pre-ordered via Bandcamp at https://musicbyammo.bandcamp.com/album/rose-crown and also pre-saved at https://orcd.co/rose-crown.
Credits
‘Total Recall’ written by Adrian Borland
‘Rose + Crown’ written and performed by AMMO
Drums and percussion by Alex Posell
Produced by AMMO and Alex Posell
Mixing and mastering by Robert Duncan IV
Video directed by AMMO. Camera by Christopher Slater & AMMO
Also enjoy the self-produced video for b-side “Total Recall”
AMMO
[Single]
(Independent)
Release Date: June 4, 2021
Artist Links
Background Photo Credit: Kristin Cofer
