The Bulletin: Arts & Culture News | 28 January

IS THIS THE END FOR THE MARS VOLTA?
In a story first reported by Prefix, experimental Texan prog rockers The Mars Volta have confirmed their split. The band's Cedric Bixler-Zavala confirmed via Twitter that the band were no more, saying: "I can't sit here and pretend any more. I no longer am a member of Mars Volta... sadly, it's over." Bixler-Zavala blamed the spliyt on differences of opinion regarding tour dates for the band's latest album, Nocturnicquet. Whether this split also affects the reformed incarnation of At the Drive In is unclear at this point.

NEW MUSIC FROM INSPECTAH DECK & ACTION BRONSON, THE STROKES AND THE HAXAN CLOAK
The new single from Wu-Tang Clan's Inspectah Deck stands head and shoulders above most of the recent crop of Wu-affiliate projects, going back to the loping beats and dextrous wordplay of Deck's work on classic Wu albums and his '99 album Uncontrolled Substance. On the first cut from CZARFACE, a collaboration with 7L & Esoteric, Deck trades lines with Action Bronson - a great pairing reminiscent of classic Inspectah Deck and Ghostface tracks. The track opens with some sampled trash talk from '90s WWE stars The Legion of Doom. CZARFACE is out 19 Feb via Boston-based Brick Records, and is available for pre-order. It also features Ghostface, Mr Muthafuckin' eXquire and Roc Marciano. Check out the comics-themed cover at the 7L & Esoteric website.

The Strokes have unveiled a track from their new, as-yet-untitled album, offering a tantalizing glimpse of the band's new direction. With falsetto vocals from Julian casablancas, analogue synths pushed to the fore, and a driving uptempo beat, One Way Trigger seems to evidence a continuation of the band's experimentation with electronic elements and recording techniques in their work, begun on 2011's Angles. We'll keep you posted with news of the new album as it is revealed. Enter your email at The Strokes' website to download the track for free.

Tri-Angle finished off a strong 2012, which saw the release of critically acclaimed albums and EPs by Holy Other, AlunaGeorge, Vessel and Evian Christ, with the announcement of the new album by electronic drone / noise artist The Haxan Cloak. The album, Excavation, is the second from Bobby Krlic, aka The Haxan Cloak, and follows a year of touring for the young London-based producer in support of his Tri Angle label-mates, and with experimental art-rockers Liars. The first track to be unveiled is The Mirror Reflecting Part 2, a brooding, crepuscular 7-minutes of doom-laden, skeletal ambient atmospherics and understated beats. 

TOUR NEWS: THURSTON MOORE & MICHAEL CHAPMAN, ...AND YOU WILL KNOW US BY THE TRAIL OF DEAD, EMINEM, AND THE WHO
Veteran experimental guitarist and songwriter Michael Chapman will be touring with Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore this year, performing 'unplugged' in a series of gigs they're calling the Acoustic Fire Musics Tour. Although no Scottish dates are planned, this pairing of Chapman and Moore is sure to set venues alight. Chapman's seminal influence is unquestionable - now in his seventies, he is still making incredible albums like Pachyderm, released by Blast First Petite in November last year. The album was inspired by conversations between Moore and Chapman, and was originally released on Moore's own Ecstatic Peace label. The duo play London, Preston, manchester, Birmingham and other cities throughout February.

Another band we're glad to see back on the road are expeimental rockers ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead. Their Lost Songs album got a four-star review from us back in October, with Darren Carle referring to it as a "blistering ride of towering riffage." You can also read our recent interview with mainstay Jason Reece here. Supported by Bristolians Turbowolf, the band play Glasgow's SWG3 on 20 April.

Sixties mod icons The Who are also hitting the road, touring the UK playing the whole of their unarguably seminal album Quadrophenia. The album was the band's second 'rock opera' and inspired the cult feature film of the same name - it is generally thought to be the band's finest album, and the prospect of seeing it performed live will have generations of mods queueing up to witness the spectacle. And spectacle it will be - Roger Daltrey has coneceived and designed an all-new multimedia stage show for the tour, doing away with the narrative used in previous stage versions. The Who come to Glasgow on 12 June at the SECC - tickets are on sale from 1 Feb.

Finally, news of a very special Glasgow gig for rap titan Eminem. The Glasgow Summer Sessions, held at Bellahouston Park on 20 August, will feature Marshall Mathers III alongside 'very special guests' who are yet to be announced. Tickets go on sale on 30 Jan.

FESTIVAL WATCH: FLOW FESTIVAL, HEVY FEST, OTHER VOICES
From tour news to festival news - the Flow Festival, set in the atmospheric environs of an abandoned power-plant in Helsinki, has announced the first few acts from its lineup, namely Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, The Knife, Azaelia Banks, Karenn and Solange. It's the Flow Festival's 10th anniversary - to celebrate, they're offering 10% off tickets to all UK festival-goers. Tickets are now on sale.

Closer to home, the metal and punk-centric Hevy Fest have announced a major coup for 2013 - namely the first UK appearance of a reformed Black Flag. This will be the seminal hardcore band's only UK appearance this year. Then there's the added attraction of the festival taking place in a wild animal park. More acts will be announced soon. Tickets are on sale now.

Taking place in an intimate setting, and featuring hushed, involving performances from Beth Orton, Daughter, James Yorkston, Marina and the Diamonds, Neil Hannon (of The Divine Comedy) and Two Door Cinema Club, Other Voices is a unique festival, in that you cannot purchase tickets for it. Described by The Guardian as "Ireland’s secret festival," for a decade Other Voices has been attracting big names such as Jarvis Cocker, The National and Richard Hawley to the tiny Dingle church with an audience of just 100. Amy Winehouse’s performance here in 2006 was billed by the London Times as the 17th best gig of all time. So how do you get tickets? the organisers will be giving away a limited number via their Twitter page and their Facebook page - so follow them closely, and keep your eyes peeled! The festival will also be coming to London this year - we'll keep you posted about that event as news becomes available.

NEW VIDEOS FROM DEAP VALLY, HEEMS, THE KNIFE
As anticipation builds for The Knife's new studio album Shaking The Habitual, the band have released a transgressive new video directed by feminist erotica director Marit Östbergk. See if you can spot Karin Dreijer Andersson and Olof Dreijer in the video. Watch the full ten-minute film below.

LA all-female rock duo Deap Vally invoke classic rock - Led Zeppelin riffs, Joan Jett vocals and Keith Moon drums combine to make a devastating sonic assault. Their debut album, produced by Lars Stelfors of recently-split The Mars Volta (see our story at the top), is due this year, and they've just unleashed the first single, Lies, to coincide with some UK tour dates. They play King Tut's in Glasgow on 4 March.

Das Racist alum Heems hasn't been idle since the band's untimely split late last year - he's just released a new video for the fantastic song Soup Boys, which is a reeling, tripped-out meditation on the US government's use of unmanned aerial drones in combat, and their possible application in civilian settings. It maintains the humour and strangeness of Das Racist's output while engaging wittily with a very serious political issue. Promising stuff from Heems, who we'll be keeping an eye on throughout 2013.

NEON NEON AND DEPECHE MODE ANNOUNCE NEW ALBUMS
Neon Neon is the collaboration between Boom Bip and Gruff Rhys of the Super Furry Animals. Their debut, Stainless Style, got a rave review from us back in 2008, and the duo gave us a revealing interview to boot. So we're thrilled with the news that they've recorded a new album - Praxis Makes Perfect - due for release on 29 April via Lex Records. The new album is reportedly inspired by the life and work of Giangiacomo Feltrinelli, author of Doctor Zhivago. The band have also teamed up with playwright Tim Price, director Wils Wilson and National Theatre Wales to create unique Neon Neon live performances. An initial run of shows will take place at an undisclosed Cardiff location from 2 to 5 May. Tickets are on sale here. 

Another hugely exciting new album announcement comes from the Depeche Mode camp - the seminal '80s synthpop band have annnounced their first album since 2009, to be titled Delta Machine. The band's Martin Gore previously told Pitchfork that the new album echoes the sound of Songs Of Faith And Devotion and Violator, the band's two most celebrated albums. The album is out 26 March.

J.J. ABRAMS CONFIRMED FOR STAR WARS XVII
Last week we reported the rumour, now we can confirm the fact - J.J. Abrams has been confirmed as the director helming the first of the new Disney Star Wars movies, with Little Miss Sunshine and Toy Story 3 scribe Michael Arndt confirmed to write the script. The Guardian quotes series creator George Lucas as saying "the legacy couldn't be in better hands." Intense speculation over whether the new film will feature original cast-members, what the timeline will look like in relation to the original trilogy, and how much money Abbrams will be given to play with is sure to follow. Who would you like to see playing Han Solo? Can anyone but Harrison Ford pull off the role? Tell us in the comments below!

MARVEL GREEN-LIGHTS DR STRANGE MOVIE
Marvel Studios have given the green light to a new character from the Marvel Universe, who will now make his way from the pages of their comics to the big screen: Dr Strange, Sorceror Supreme joins Ant-Man on the slate as the studio's next project, following Avengers 2, and the new Thor, Iron Man and Captain America movies. Edgar Wright is helming the Ant-Man project, while a director for the mooted Dr Strange film has not yet been announced. The character, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, is a powerful magician who learns his magical skills only after losing the use of his hands, and abandoning his career as a neurosurgeon. Trained in the Himalayas in 'mysterious arts' he goes on to become one of the most powerful figures in the Marvel Universe. In 2007, an animated Dr Strange tale was released, featuring a darker tone than any previous Marvel animated movie. Dr Strange: Sorceror Supreme is probably a good taster of what to expect from the live action movie, due some time in 2015.