Metronomy Ft Sebastien Tellier - Marthe Halvorsen - The Adam Ft Lasse Storm

Metronomy Ft Sebastien Tellier - J'en Ai Assez Vu.

Metronomy share Small World (Special Edition), a new version of their acclaimed seventh studio album Small World that features reimagined versions of the record’s songs by some of the band’s favourite artists, and is available digitally from today via Because Music.

Today, fans can hear Porij’s characteristically sonically expansive version of "Life and Death", and watch the festive video directed by Diane Sagnier, for "J’en ai assez vu", Sébastien Tellier’s version of Small World’s closer "I have seen enough".

Of the collaboration, Metronomy band leader Joe Mount adds: “I once did a remix of the Sébastien Tellier song, La Ritournelle. It was impossible to improve it or to turn it into anything I liked better than his wonderful original. Still, the arrogance of adulthood made me push on. I met Sébastien for the first time about fifteen years later—only last year in fact in Paris. I don’t know which comparison he’d hate most, but I’d imagine it’s that he might be this generation’s Serge Gainsbourg. In this version of the song, I’m aiming to be this generation’s Claude François."

While Small World was an album that saw Metronomy return to simple pleasures and nature by embracing more pared-down, songwriterly sonics, the special edition of the record finds Metronomy and friends embarking on a sprawling journey through genres - from avant-garde electronica and cosmic disco to laidback folk and more.

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Marthe Halvorsen - For the Dreamers & the Bold.

Marthe Halvorsen is a Montreal based Norwegian artist and composer who weaves together dreamy evocative indie folk music. With a unique sincerity in her voice, Halvorsen has a special ability to touch something deep inside the listener.

"For the Dreamers & the Bold," the title track from her upcoming sophomore LP, (out spring 2023), came to Halvorsen at a time when she was feeling a bit frustrated with humanity. She felt that the social political climate was getting harsher and more polarized, creating distance between people. She was longing for another reality with more nuances and compassion, and for a world where humbleness is seen as a virtue.

The song was recorded at the legendary MixArt Studios in Montreal, engineered by Philip Shaw Bova (Feist, Father John Misty) and the final mixing was done by Jonathan Anderson (Ocie Elliott, Rosier) at Protection Island Studio in BC.

On this new album, I have been diving deeper into the producer role, spending time crafting and perfecting my sound. As a woman in the music industry, it is important for me to be in charge of my own sound, and I feel very honored to work with some very talented collaborators who are all helping me bring my vision to life.

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The Adam - I Don't Believe (feat. Lasse Storm).

The Adam returns with a new single taken from his forthcoming debut album The Adam Featuring The Adam. Taking his cues from the golden era of rock n roll’s "British Invasion" of the mid-1960s, this single comes out with vocalist Lasse Storm, on fine form as he rips into the track giving us a fine ol’ list of what he doesn’t believe in. It’s glorious in every way as it pokes holes and fun at modern day society and all its largess and hypocrisy.

‘I Don’t Believe’ rocks and rolls to the urgent cries of Lasse Storm’s vocals, but equally by the soul stirring guitar playing from The Adam, who cranks his sound all the way to rock heaven with a combination of deadly riffs that remind you exactly what great rock n roll can do, while the rhythm section bring the thunder and lightning to complete a perfect storm.

The Adam, real name, Adam Olsson, hails from Copenhagen but has been living near Oslo for the past nine years, combining his guitar and music composition work with filmmaking and visual production. Having started his career in the Danish underground scene playing with instrumental surf rockers The Good The Bad, supporting the likes of BRMC (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club) and playing on stage with Wayne Kramer (MC5), followed by a stint in pop icon MØ’s band, The Adam decided to put down a record which he felt showed his patronage to British rock and pop music of which he’s always adored.

The Adam explains, “I've always hated musicians who come from a band and have to go solo. I’ve always loved the idea of the band, so I don’t expect anything from this, but I had some good people work on the record with me and tried to create that band energy.”

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Erik & the Worldly Savages - Verra Cruz

Erik & the Worldly Savages - Burn My Life.

Erik Mut is a man on a mission, having broken the shackles of Western society and trailblazed his own path of rebellion, adventure, leadership and musical passion. His powerful Folk Punk project Erik & the Worldly Savages musically and lyrically reflects his manifest philosophy of seeking personal freedom, cutting ties with the past, reprogramming your mind and embracing life wholeheartedly.

An expat since 2008, Erik left his home in Toronto, Canada at the age of 25 to let the cultures of the world wash over him, inspiring his life, work and music. Erik & the Worldly Savages formed in 2008 while Erik was in Belgrade, Serbia. While based in London and Belgrade, the band played over 250 shows across Europe with lineups of musicians from many countries. In 2016 he started Support Adventure, a company which gives remote jobs to expats and digital nomads, now with more than 160 staff members living in over 20 different countries, creating a business manifestation of the band’s message of trans culturalism.

"Burn My Life" comes with an accompanying music video. Using archival video and photos from his childhood and youth, Erik explores his peaceful upbring in Canada and how he sacrificed the idyllic “1st world” life behind to embrace a life of excitement abroad.

"I wrote this song recalling a time in 2008 when I was leaving my life in Canada and moving to Serbia to launch Worldly Savages, become a singer songwriter and take music seriously. I knew that I had to leave my life in Canada behind to find inspiration and possibility in a new country. At the time, somebody said that the hardest part was to get to the airport, where you could see all of your past as a finished chapter. This brings possibility to the future.

 

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Photograph - Jerry Kirkman

Verra Cruz - The World Is Crashing In.

British alt-rock infused trio Verra Cruz are back with their new single “The World Is Crashing In.” Verra Cruz form the British alt-rock infused musical project of trio Marc James (guitar/lap steel/vocals), Henry Cross (bass) & Jimmy Cooke (drums). Known for their hard-hitting anthems and signature lap steel guitar, of which they stumbled upon in a small boutique guitar shop in Memphis, TN, the three-piece band have been creating mighty, raucous tracks, laced with spiritual and personal themes. The band admits, "We’re not afraid to sing out about injustice in the world."

Following an incredible repertoire to date, the trio are back with their next single “The World Is Crashing In”, a gripping ode to love, loss and simply raw emotion.

Marc explains, “The World Is Crashing In” was written during the painful season of Henry's divorce. It was tough going for all of us to watch 2 people we loved dearly, separate. For me it brought up painful memories from my own childhood. The second verse was written from a time in my own childhood. Our family home had been flooded due to a burst pipe, it wrecked so much stuff including my mum's wedding dress that she had kept. It seemed like a dark and apt metaphor for the impending carnage of what was to come.”

Recorded in Germany with producer and engineer Udo Rinklin, their compelling chronicles pair sublimely with sonic abilities to produce a tune that mirrors their subject matter sublimely. They continue, “We re-recorded the drums at The Old Chapel Studios down the road from Jimmy. Bob & Jen at CatBeach hired Bryan Cook to mix and we loved his mix instantly!”

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Dayna Kurtz - Fe Salomon - Mazey Haze

Dayna Kurtz - Lulu and the Broadsides (album).

New Orleans music is for dancing. From King Oliver’s hot jazz to Big Freedia’s frantic bounce, whether the sounds are made for quick-stepping in a parade or swaying slow in your sweetheart’s arms, the common thread running through nearly all of it is that it’s made to move to: wiggle, shimmy, shake your hip and let your backbone slip.

With a wide-mouthed, window-rattling sound that stacks up solidly alongside the great blues shouters – Big Maybelle, Big Mama Thornton – Lulu and the Broadsides double-dog dare you not to get out there and move what the good Lord gave you. There’s the whomping “Pretty Good Love,” their scorching, primal take on Iggy Pop’s “I Need Somebody,“  the noirish strut of “You’re Trouble” and Dayna’s tender, aching sounds-like-a-classic soul-ballad “How Do I Stop.”

This is heart-thumping, pulse-pounding blues for both body and spirit, for joy and desire – scorching ballads for slow grinds side-by-side with red-hot movers to jump and jive to, with a nasty beat and a wild guitar. You’ll sweat through your dress, kick off your heels and get back on the dance floor barefoot - Alison Fensterstock.

 
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Fe Salomon - Interstate 10.

Worlds away from the twisted Middle England countryside Fe Salomon tapped into on earlier release “Quintessential England”, “Interstate 10” transports listeners to the endless metropolis of the United States.

Synced to majestic and widescreen arrangements cut straight from a Hollywood flick, “Interstate 10” finds Fe ruminating on her earliest experiences of touring America at the tender age of 19. A backing singer at the time, with no money and only a futile fake ID to make-do with, she remembers:

“”Interstate 10” connects far-flung events that occurred during my travels around the US, including having to escape from a violent manager who gambled all the money away in Vegas. The song was written with my old friend, producer Ru Cook, and it was originally envisioned as a country song.”

With a filmic narrative that deftly conjures the ceaseless stretches of the country’s great highways to the perils of pursuing the American dream, Fe’s dreamily despondent vocals add drama and intrigue, to a cinematic score that builds towards a grandiose, atmospheric climax.

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Mazey Haze - I Feel Like A Child.

Indie-rock rising talent Mazey Haze has announced her new EP 'Back to the Start' will be released on 7th April 2023 via LUSTRE. The EP announcement coincides with the release of its second single "I Feel Like a Child", quickly following a string of European tour dates supporting Paolo Nutini and Feng Suave.

On new single “I Feel Like a Child”, with its whimsical, bossa nova flavour and euphoric choruses, Mazey Haze finds release in accepting that it’s okay not to be on the same page as someone else. The song was written as she looked out her bedroom window... “The trees are really pretty in the summer, and you can see the sunshine and all the leaves moving”, she recalls. The opening verse follows her trying to articulate the scene through her own lens, finding delight in mundanity, just like a child would. “The song is about the fact that everyone has their own perception, and that’s fine. There’s no right or wrong. There’s no truth. But what’s important is keeping in touch with your imagination.”

The Amsterdam based artist's forthcoming second EP is reflective of this desire for simplicity: a collage of self-reflection, where thought, feeling and a powerful sense of place merge to make singular worlds that are entirely her own. Toning down the more ethereal, synthetic textures present on her debut EP, Mazey Haze's new material finds her rooting herself to the earth, together with a little less perfectionism. Organic, acoustic sounds, her love of French New Wave cinema, Italian film scores and 60s psych-rock informs the vein of nostalgia that runs through it, finding its way back to a distant world.

Speaking more on the lyrical inspiration of "I Feel Like a Child", Mazey Haze said: "I Feel Like a Child is a song about beautiful mundanity in comparison to superficial humanity. I think these two have an amazing contrast next to each other and they’re two things that have always fascinated me. I want to try and understand why I feel so wonderful and calm when I’m alone looking at some birds in the sky, leafy trees or listening to classical music. And why I feel overwhelmed and confused by so many people (including myself) so much. But mostly, I've figured out that there’s no sense in thinking about these things, but more so to act upon it and feel it."

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Bad Hammer - Emily Breeze - SOMOH

Bad Hammer - Away.

Berlin-based shadow-pop newcomers Bad Hammer have shared sombre love song, 'Away'. The track and accompanying video are the final pieces to be shared ahead of the release of their debut album, End Of An Age, which is due out this Friday. On their new album, the duo blend melancholic melodies with poignant guitar riffs, meandering along warm synth pads and subtly driving drum beats to dazzling effect. Thematically the songs that make up their forthcoming debut, End of an Age, are connected by referring to a state of being on hold, undetermined, between looking forwards and back, holding on to something and anticipating change.

Bad Hammer are Lisa Klinkhammer (synthesisers, vocals) and Johannes Badzura (guitar, drums, vocals). In 2019, they released their debut EP, Extended Play, and have been touring extensively throughout Europe ever since, opening for like-minded artists including Molly Nilson, Sean Nicholas Savage, Jaakko Eino Kalevi and more.

The album’s title was inspired by a photobook of the same name by British photographer Paul Graham. The images were taken at the turn of the millennium, not long before 9/11. “Somehow we felt that these pictures captured a feeling that we were also observing in our surroundings, some kind of coming of age on our own personal level as well as sensing a change to come on a much larger scale,” explains Badzura.

Bad Hammer's timeless pop songs take inspiration from the past. “We use analogue synths from the 80s and a drum machine from the early 90s so the sounds are kind of nostalgic but we like to subtly mix genres, like putting some dubby rim shots onto a pop beat,” says Klinkhammer. “On some of the songs we like to try and subvert traditional songwriting techniques by occasionally denying the ultimate climax. Or in some simply destroying it! Like the way our rather candy 60s song ‘Away’ is destroyed at the end with some guitar shreds,” she continues.

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Emily Breeze - The Bell.

The Bell is the third single from Emily's upcoming solo album Rapture due for release February 2023 which Emily describes as "A collection of coming-of (middle) age stories which celebrate flamboyant failure, excess and acceptance", recorded at Rockfield Studios with Stew Jackson (Massive Attack).

A story teller through and through, Emily describes the single as "a love song to nights spent in the local pub where you swing by for a quick pint after work. You are probably meeting a friend who is having a crisis, just one quick pint and then straight home. Your first glass is empty just as the conversation is getting to the important part but it's fine, two pints on a work night is totally fine.

Crisis friend leaves to put the kids to bed and just as you are putting your jacket on, in walks an old mate who you haven't seen for ages. Go on then, just a half, oh alright yeah a pint, you have a lot to catch up on. You crack jokes and reminisce in the sepia glow of the golden hour and it is fun. Real actual fun. You talk of good times and desperate times, you're getting sentimental now, this is some grade A lager fuelled nostalgia.

You stop counting drinks as it’s just started raining and somehow everyone you have ever known and loved is here. A Little Richard song comes on the stereo and you declare that soul and rock n roll are the highest forms of art. You seem to be making a speech and enter a heated debate with that weird guy who always sits at the bar as the quiet voice inside telling you to go home surrenders completely to the pub, the conversation, the good tunes, the cold beer and the old friends.  F it tomorrows gonna be alright.”

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SOMOH - I Know You Care.

London’s SOMOH impresses once more on her sophomore single ‘I Know You Care’ further cementing herself as an artist worth keeping an eye on throughout 2023 with her brilliant debut EP ‘A Plan To Get Home’ being a stunning piece of work out in the first quarter.

Speaking about this mellow, cathartic new single, SOMOH said “This song is about how people’s intentions don’t always reflect well in how they act towards you. I tend to just walk away from situations that hurt me, without holding the person accountable because I’m not the best at confrontation. At least I can get my anger out in writing songs!”

Last month SOMOH released her debut single ‘Anything’ which amassed lots of tastemaker support from the likes of BBC Radio 1, Clash & The Line Of Best to name but a  few.  Along with today’s new song, Anything will also make its way onto the tracklist of her debut EP ‘A Plan To Get Home.’ The song’s lyrics spoke of the meaning behind loving somebody deeply. 

She said “This song is about coming to terms with your love for someone & knowing that you’d do just about anything for them. It’s a scary but beautiful feeling to fall that deeply for a person.” The song was produced and mixed by Joel Johnston & Mack Jamieson, who has also produced and mixed the entire EP that will be released on Tiny Library Records.

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Nigel Wearne ft Lauren Housley - Welcome to the 21st! - That Old Quiet Lighthouse - Astro Yeti

Nigel Wearne ft Lauren Housley - To The Edge.

Ominous, poignant and mysterious; To The Edge is a potent lament of fate gone wrong. Two lovers by the riverside grappling with truth; that irrevocable moment when the past cannot be undone and everything changes. Why was the timing so wrong? “We needed truth / But now there ain’t time to heal”.

Wearne’s lush Gretsch guitar swathed with spooky Hammond organ, drums and double bass set the scene. Morricone-esque horns tug at the heartstrings, as Wearne and Housley croon and cast shadows across the tale in all its mystery. A soulful, minor-key slow-burn that skirts the fringes of jazz and 60s rock ‘n’ roll.

It was early 2019 in the bustling Arts Café in Montreal, Canada. Nigel and Lauren were both in town to showcase at Folk Alliance International and found themselves on camera as part of a documentary on theconference. Instantly hitting it off, they spoke about the future of folk music and their mutual admiration of John Prine, all the while sharing their dry wit. After reconnecting in New Orleans in early 2020, they got to work during the pandemic and the rest is in the tape-reel.

 

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Welcome to the 21st! - Dyatlov Pass (Album). 

As concept albums go this one is something very special. The subject matter is well chosen and intriguing to say the least, however it's the musical compositions and fabulous arrangements that really grabbed our attention. We will let the band fill you in on the rest.

Dyatlov Pass is an 8-song historical concept album by Welcome to the 21st! about the mysterious fate of eight college-age students and their guide who died while on a winter trek in the USSR's Ural Mountains in February 1959. The students were found over time after they disappeared, with varying injuries, and no one knows exactly what happened. It remains an open inquiry to this day. The theories as to what happened include an avalanche, a military test gone awry, and some even believe a malevolent supernatural intervention.

The album follows the 20-something nature travelers from meeting up before they left (Hang on to Yourself - Song 1), to the early part of their voyage through a peaceful winter environment (Sing to the Moon - Song 4), with hints of warnings along the way (Warning Signs - Song 3).

The middle of the album tracks the group’s eventual demise near a frozen mountain pass (Dyaltov Pass - Song 5 and Lost but Found - Song 6), to the search and recovery teams that looked for them (Boots in the Rain - Song 7) and who have sought for years to determine what actually happened (Misleading Clues - Song 8).

The album was written and conceived of by Bob Blumenfeld (Guitars, from Texas, US) and Touanda (Vocals, from Manchester, UK), who met online through AirGigs. The rest of the instrumentation was mainly performed by, and mixed and produced by, John Dufilho a multi-instrumentalist, drummer, and long-time established indie music producer from Dallas, Texas. Bob’s other bands include The Disappearing Act and Lowdog. John is best known for his work with his band Deathray Davies.

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That Old Quiet Lighthouse - Decade.

That Old Quiet Lighthouse are as much a familiar sound as they are distinctly unique - a statement only decipherable by listening to their debut EP “Dubious Beginnings”. Genre-wise, the most concise they could be after hours of intense deliberating was ‘Indie-singer-songwriter-math-folk’.

Big Thief, American Football, Fleet Foxes, all inspirations you’ll no doubt hear as they hit you right in the feels, lovers of the bittersweet so they are. Lead singer/bassist Ashley Garrod channels the keen insight of Pinegrove’s lyricism, balancing from-the-heart melodies with passionately intricate bass lines. Gabe, as the rhythmically tight, emotive backbone of their alternative sound, sits comfortably beneath the expressive and varied textures crafted by guitarist James Cooke.

Never ones to be satisfied, TOQL have a plethora of talented and unique musicians they constantly feature on tracks. Virtuosic jazz tenor horn player Nat Martin, to synth/violin mastermind Pip Rousiamanis, as well as cellists, flautists & singers who all front their own projects. ‘Decade’ is a somewhat-chaotic take on a ‘last goodbye’ kind of love song, penned in the first couple of months of lockdown. “Like many of us, I had had all of my work disappear over-night, and in the midst of the despair and the uncertainty I had turned to the bittersweet comfort blanket of reminiscing over my last relationship.”, says TOQL frontman Ashley Garrod.

“To me it represents both a coping mechanism for that time period, and a big leap forward in terms of our sound and identity. It’s as of yet the most experimental tune I’ve written”, he reveals. With ‘Decade’s’ spoken word delivery and hypnotic textures, That Old Quiet Lighthouse seek to strike a balance between outrageous and satisfyingly audible. A boundary-pushing cathartic track, ‘Decade’ aims to help soundtrack people’s lives and put memories into a new perspective.

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Astro Yeti - Box Wine.

Blending elements of funk, ska, and psychedelic-rock, new Conch Town Record signing AstroYeti return with their new single ‘Box Wine’, the third release to be taken from their upcoming debut album ‘Gnarly Gumlie’s Voodoo Van’.

The Key West trio’s latest offering is another punchy example of the bands lyrical wit and impeccable musical talents, this time flexing their versatility with a slow, dub and reggae infused heavy groove, self-diagnosed as "Tropical Space Funk". Vocalist and guitarist in the band, Mike King shares: “Box wine is a song about chasing your dreams no matter how hard the path might seem and feeling the weight and power of responsibility to  actualize those dreams."

Blending tight offbeat rhythms with layers of choppy, bright guitar lines, funky bass, splashes of organ and splashes of dub delay, the band once again create a track full of all the fun, energy and flair the band have become known for, both on their local live scene as well as across press and radio internationally. Topped with strikingly charismatic, husky, stylistic lead vocal, the track gradually builds its way to a fuzz drenched, gut busting guitar solo and explosive, euphoric climax.

Describing themselves as “a secret society of Space-Caper solving time crime fighters”, AstroYeti’s unique blend of trippy island rock tinged spacefunk is perfectly matched with their out of this world image - a band of colorful miscreant universal explorers making joyous music with bags of energy and musical depth.

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The Trouble Notes feat Carola Zerega - Little Tealeif - Thomas Truax

The Trouble Notes - Liberty Awaits feat Carola Zerega.

Liberty Awaits is an epic paying tribute to the great immigrant voyage. “The initial idea for the song came when trying to pay homage to my late grandfather, Leon English.” Says Bennet. “His ancestors fled hard times in Ireland and crossed the Atlantic in search of a better life. I wanted to highlight the importance of that journey to my very existence.”

While drawing influence from the Great Famine that led to the death and displacement of millions of Irish, the song is meant to tell a broader tale of the migration saga and transcontinental journey. Featuring on the track is Ecuadorian singer Carola Zarega, who along with the band, channeled her own experiences when contributing to the recording.

The track begins with a melancholic violin melody. Eerie string arrangements and the dreamy vocals of Carola Zarega create a contradictory soundscape that leaves the listener a feeling of hopeful despair. An upbeat folk dance coaxes the listener from the trance, representing a kind of “last hurrah” before the perilous journey across the sea. Carola’s vocals soon take on a new form, as the song breaks from the traditional dance and becomes more pensive. The band creates an emotional soundscape on top of which Carola’s vocals float above the waves, the melodies both apprehensive and courageous.

The journey begins to accelerate as the ship battles the elements before excitement builds at the eventual site of land. Suddenly the listener is brought full circle, with the reemergence of the folk dance, this time with more nuance. The voyagers have arrived in a new land but have not lost their traditions.

A big song, and a massive video earning the honour of sharing same title as the group’s up coming studio album. The video was filmed and edited by Martin Förster & Eric Schmidt @Centre Films GmbH in Radebeul, Germany. Filmed in Radebeul, DE at: Die Schmiede, on a field; in Lelystad, NL on the Admiraal Van Kinsbergen; in Kortrijk, BE at Mary's Irish Pub.

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Little Tealeif - Pedestal People.

Just released on indie label Not Saints, Little Tealeif’s new single ‘Pedestal People’ is a brooding earworm of a debut. Taken from the forthcoming EP ‘Charcoal’ (out 25th November) Little Tealeif blends elements of dance, rock, hip-hop, and pop with the mastery of producers like Mark Ronson or Rick Rubin.

Currently based in Kent, the multi-instrumentalist, producer, and lyricist’s music is easily relatable and tackles modern themes such as isolation, inadequacy, addiction, and self-belief; all delivered with perfectly crafted genre-bending skill.

Having discovered guitar bands in his early teens, Little Tealeif’s passion and fascination for all things music was instant and he quickly became a prolific songwriter. After spending time travelling in Australia in his 20s, Little Tealeif returned to the UK and founded his first band with dreams of making music his life. Sadly, alcohol and drugs were becoming a regular feature for Little Tealeif and he relocated to Paris in a desperate bid to reinvent himself. Finally, after a chaotic ten years, in which music barely featured, Little Tealeif returned to the UK and checked himself into rehab. Today, he is clean and sober, making music again, and loving life.

Speaking about the upcoming release of ‘Pedestal People’, Little Tealeif said: “Pedestal People was written about acquaintances who had their lives together and I was a little bit jealous of that. I’ve come to learn that nobody has their lives together and it’s just a perspective on that situation of comparing ourselves to each other.” When asked about what listeners will take from his music, Little Tealeif said: “I hope people take joy from it and that they can understand the layers and the messages in the songs. I hope they can also see that I’m a bit tongue in cheek, a bit jokey, and don’t take myself too seriously.”

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Thomas Truax - Everything's Going to Be All Right.

American singer-songwriter and inventor Thomas Truax has joined forces with infamous drummer Budgie for “Everything’s Going to Be All Right”. An eerie post-punk track that sees sharp spoken-word vocals, atmospheric guitar wobbles and reverb-drenched tremolo descend towards a catchy chorus that sees Truax bear his upbeat rock’n’roll teeth, “Everything’s Going to Be All Right” is taken from a new album ‘Dream Catching Songs’ (due January 2023).

Initially recorded in Berlin before being completed in Birmingham, the eclectic new track sees Truax - who has become known for his self-made musical contraptions - bring another of his inventions to life. Mother Superior is a motorised mechanical drum machine made almost entirely from recycled parts, and the machine features on the track alongside esteemed English drummer Budgie, best known for his work with Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Slits and The Creatures.

A bizarre and buoyant cut of outlandish beats and offbeat idiosyncrasies, Thomas Truax explains of the track: “The scene is a kitchen full of ‘beautiful losers’, crowded around a messy kitchen table, wrestling with current circumstances and celebrating comfort in friendship. There are references to William Shatner’s ‘real space flight’, Coco Chanel’s old flat, and characters from my fictional world ‘Wowtown’”.

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Signe Marie Rustad - Jackson Mico Milas - Ruth Lyon - Siv Jakobsen

Signe Marie Rustad - Bark Up Someone Else's Tree.

Norwegian singer songwriter Signe Marie Rustad has shared 'Bark Up Someone Else's Tree', the second taste of her forthcoming new album, Particles Of Faith.

Of her new single, Rustad says: "The song is about how it's easy to close your eyes to the stuff that doesn't work in a relationship, as long as there is passion and you (think you) are in love. Looking in the rearview mirror, you might have known all along what would be the downfall, but letting go when you are emotionally attached to someone can be extremely hard. At least it is for me."

Known for her poetic lyrics and clever songwriting, and backed by a tight knit band that’s been with her for years, Rustad’s new album offers a natural transition from her already classic third album, When Words Flew Freely (WWFF). However, Particles of Faith also brings something completely new and fresh.

Particles of Faith is hard to place in any one genre, melding the Americana sound present on her first two albums with the broader singer-songwriter tradition, helmed by pioneers such as Joni Mitchell and Carole King. But Rustad also points to a host of other inspirations.

Jansen Records · Signe Marie Rustad - Bark Up Someone Else's Tree (DWYBO Records)

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Jackson Mico Milas - Blu Terra.

Accomplished musician and composer Jackson Mico Milas unveils his debut album today. ‘Blu Terra’ brings together eleven tender and emotive compositions and finds the London based artist hitting his stride.

As a very young musician and just out of college he changed countries, and honed his musicianship and life experiences in New York, at Nylon Studios. Jackson has carved out a highly successful career to date, with numerous award-winning film and TV scores including partnering with Tim Minchin on Sky Atlantic's Upright and composing for the Earth Hour campaign winning an LIA Awards nomination. Jackson gained early prominence with his band High Highs, who were signed to Elton John’s Rocket Records label, and toured with the likes of Vampire Weekend, Empire Of The Sun and Sky Ferreira.

On ‘Blu Terra’, Jackson comes of age, and delivers a matured and elegant suite of compositions on this debut album, encompassing acoustic, alt-folk and jazz elements to deploy soaring and heartfelt songs. The long player features a cast of great players, including Tim Lefebvre (David Bowie 'Blackstar'), Robby Sinclair (Chet Faker/Nick Murphy), Troy Simms (Lee Scratch Perry) and Veronique Serret (Joanna Newsom's Y's Street Band). Mixing & production by Dave Harrington of Darkside, and the album is released on R&S Records, the home to ground-breaking talent such as Aphex Twin, James Blake, Nadine Shah, Lone, Djrum and many more over its 40-year tenure.

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Ruth Lyon - Stone (Live at Sage Gateshead).

Newcastle folk/chamber-pop artist and songwriter Ruth Lyon has released her new single "Stone", the latest taster of upcoming EP 'Direct Debit To Vogue', out 25th November via Pink Lane Records. The new EP was produced by John Parish (Aldous Harding, PJ Harvey, Parquet Courts) at his Bristol studio, and will also feature the recently released singles "Trouble" and "Clown".

Sleek new single “Stone” looks at the messy yet ultimately redemptive nature of a long-term relationship. Speaking more on the inspiration behind new single "Stone", Ruth said:

"I was influenced by Fiona Apple on this track with her use of simplicity, repetition, monotonous rhythms and development of texture to give power to words. ‘Stone’ looks at the crazy beautiful mess that is any relationship. Bonding yourself to one human for the rest of time is crazy - it’s elemental yet completely mundane all at the same time. Fusing two worlds has the power to feel-earth shatteringly good but also completely destructive - the push and pull of losing yourself yet finding yourself in someone else. The words came out on the page like a poem in one morning and have never changed. The song is raw and I am really grateful to John Parish for being so respectful of the nature of the track, giving it life without taking any of the simple power away. Lady Nade’s haunting tones really lift this song and I am so happy we could work together on this!"

On new EP 'Direct Debit To Vogue', Lyon explores themes of self-doubt, insecurity, emotional masochism, and the weight of arbitrary expectations - all unravelling through offbeat, sophisticated chamber pop and anti-folk, commanded by her soulful vocals and witty yet raw lyricism.

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Siv Jakobsen - Sun, Moon, Stars.

Norwegian singer-songwriter Siv Jakobsen has released her new single "Sun, Moon Stars" featuring Ane Brun - the latest taste of her upcoming third album 'Gardening' - out on 20th January 2023 via The Nordic Mellow. The new single arrives swiftly off the back of a UK tour with Chicago indie rock band Beach Bunny.

“Sun, Moon, Stars” offers the biggest moment of reprieve from the upcoming album’s thematic weight. Gloriously arranged with silvery strings and elegiac horns that subtly build alongside the song’s swelling current, it finds Jakobsen singing through a storm and coming out the other side thanks to someone who has become a bedrock of her life, singing “You are the reason I am alive”.

It is also graced by harmonies from her fellow Norwegian, the legendary Ane Brun. “A big part of why I wanted her to sing on this song in particular is because a lot of the influence I have from Ane is in it,” Jakobsen says. “The style of the guitar, the strings, it just felt like it was a nice nod to how she’s inspired me, so to have her sing on it felt like a full circle moment. From the 16 year old Siv singing Ane’s “Rubber & Soul” in a high school recital, to waiting for Ane outside her gig in Boston as an aspiring songwriting student and mega fan of 22, to becoming colleagues and friends and singing together on Sun, Moon, Stars over a decade later."

Speaking more on the release of the new single Jakobsen said: "Sun, Moon, Stars was written in November, a good few years ago. I remember humming the melody and working out the lyrics whilst out walking on a particularly dreary, dark and wet evening. Inspired by my least favourite month of the year and the heaviness I tend to feel during it, as well as the beauty and hope I’ve found in a companion that has the ability to pull me out of the dreariest corner of my mind, even during the darkest month of the year."

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SUEP - Plastic Barricades - Emiliana Torrini & The Colorist Orchestra - Laure Briard

Photo - Josh Cohen and Max Warren

SUEP - In Good Health.

London indie supergroup SUEP announce long-awaited debut album Shop and drop new single ‘In Good Health’ with a poignant and trippily kaleidoscopic-pop video. SUEP is led by Georgie Stott (Porridge Radio, Garden Centre) and Josh Harvey alongside George Nicholls (The GN Band, Joanna Gruesome, The Tubs), Will William Deacon (PC World, Garden Centre), and Ollie Chapman. Together they make oddball car-boot-sale pop songs with a sprinkling of theatrical storytelling inspired by a mutual love for Paul McCartney, Jona Lewie, the B-52s, Devo and other performative freaks enjoying themselves.

New single ‘In Good Health,’ fronted by Georgie Stott, is a darkly euphoric and pleasantly strange meeting of Siouxsie Sioux and Jona Lewie, with a playfully discombobulating mix of 80s jangly guitar, chirpy keyboard, and moody post-punk. The song was written by Georgie following a stay in hospital due to a mental health crisis, and tackles mental health, drug addiction, and the power of friendship. As Georgie expands:

 “I wanted to write a song that encapsulated how important my relationships with my friends and boyfriend were at that time” she explains “…and one that also felt dark like I did at the time. I couldn’t go outside due to anxiety surrounding my health, so I stayed inside for weeks. People would visit and watch films with me or let me tattoo them or make music with me. My community helped me recover.”

The ‘In Good Health’ video taps into the song’s serious subject matter but also the song’s playfulness. It shows Georgie stuck in what its creator Jess Power describes as “An internalised world, imagining a new day and a fresh start. The overly luxurious bedding, super saturated colours and surreal imagery reflect the idea of seeking clarity amongst inner voices that try to deceive you and bring you down.”

Shop also includes the previous singles, the deliriously catchy kitsch of debut ‘Domesticated Dream’, described by Mark Riley (6 Music) as “perfect pop music”, and the pure cosmic swing-pop wizardry of ‘Misery’, both released in 2021.

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Photo - Elina Pasok

Plastic Barricades - Lucid in the fall / Tallest Trees.

These are two fabulous songs and splendid videos so enjoy the creativity as we let Plastic Barricades explain themselves!! 

“What happens after we buy everything we’ve ever wanted?” We are lucid about our habits, but we keep falling into the same traps over and over again. “Lucid in the fall”, the new single from London indie rock band Plastic Barricades, is out on the 18th of November. Written during those never-ending lockdowns, this track will be the first introduction to the band’s new studio album “We Stayed Indoors”.

When humankind got locked indoors, so many people went on a two-year shopping spree. This constant race to own “the latest” and “the best in class” led us all into a corner, where addiction roams free and credit card debt obscures daylight. In a world of instant gratification and absolute convenience, breaking those consumerism chains is no easy task. But we have to keep trying, right? There’s no denying: we are all responsible for what’s happening to our planet.

Melancholic and brooding yet hopeful b-side “Tallest Trees” is a juxtaposition to “Lucid in the fall”, where centuries-old and infinitely wise trees observe humanity with curious concern, ready to forgive our sins yet puzzled by our self-destructive tendencies. Both tracks come accompanied by weird and trippy music videos, made with the assistance of cutting-edge artificial intelligence technologies and image-to-text algorithms.

“We Stayed Indoors” will be Plastic Barricades’ third full-length album, taking on the tricky subjects of hope, mental health, doubts, living in the moment, courage, perception change, regrets about the past and worries about the future.

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Emiliana Torrini & The Colorist Orchestra - Mikos.

Following their recent standalone single "Right Here",  Emiliana Torrini & The Colorist Orchestra announce the release of their new album Racing The Storm, out March 17th via Bella Union. To accompany the announcement Emiliana Torrini & The Colorist Orchestra have shared a beautifully-shot black and white video for “Mikos”, the album’s atmospheric opening track.

Commenting on the song Emiliana says: “When I am triggered by nice music, I see a movie happening in my mind. When writing that song I saw a girl in a school uniform standing at the edge of a harbor looking into a turquoise sea at the body of a girl. She hears the girl's mother behind her looking for her at the market. She turns to look and then walks away not saying a word about it.”

Picture this: a big storm is brewing overhead. You’re careening through the backroads of rural Iceland, trying desperately to catch your flight out of Reykjavik as the skies darken behind you. You’ve just had one of the best songwriting sessions of your life, in a farmhouse deep in the Icelandic countryside, but none of that matters now. You’ve found yourself in a race against time to get all your work to the next studio and continue working on your album—one that just might turn out to be one of the most important of your entire career.

This exact scenario is what befell Belgian duo The Colorist Orchestra and Icelandic-Italian singer-songwriter Emiliana Torrini during one of the many recording sessions for their new collaborative album—and the experience was so emblematic of the entire awe-inspiring, chaotic, life-affirming process, that they ended up naming the record Racing the Storm.

The Colorist Orchestra knows a thing or two about controlled chaos. Since their inception in 2013, close friends and multi-instrumentalists Aarich Jespers and Kobe Proesmans have taken on the task of reinterpreting other artists’ discographies with their unique blend of pop, electronic and world music. In 2015, they entered into a collaboration with Emiliana, who at that time was already well into her own illustrious career, having released six studio albums, as well as the international hit “Jungle Drum”.

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Photo - Diane Sagnier

Laure Briard - Ciel mer azur.

Following My Love Is Right and Ne pas trop rester bleue, Laure Briard shares a third single from her new album to be released in January, leaving behind the blues of melancholy to embrace the azure blue of the sky and the sea in a radiant tropical ballad. But what is this "other planet" to which she addresses the words: "You have conquered my heart / With your wildness / Your joy / Your music"?

We start to get a sense of who she might be talking to right from the beginning of Ciel mer azur which reveals an undulating flute, nonchalant bongos, a smooth walking bass line, a woozy organ and playful guitar riffs. For those familiar with Briard’s discography, the doubt quickly fades. This is the musician who recorded Eu Voo in 2021, an EP of songs written in Portuguese inspired by bossa nova, samba and tropicalismo, and she is singing about the home of Astrud Gilberto, Vinícius de Moraes and Tom Zé.

"It's a love letter to Brazil," confirms Briard, “written during our last tour there in 2019. I really wrote it on the road, between Rio de Janeiro and a village called Vitória, in the tour bus. At one point in the song I mention a gas station, that's how spontaneous it was. It reflects my emotions during this trip. Seeing all the people, the landscapes, both inland and on the seaside, had quite the impact on me. The Brazilian nature is wild and the social life is difficult in many ways, and at the same time, it is such a warm country in terms of the climate, the music, and the people, who are always so joyful, optimistic, and attentive, even if they don't know your music, or don’t speak the same language as you..."

The warmth, the kindness, and the light that Brazil and Brazilians emanate—this is what Briard and her faithful collaborator Vincent Guyot, composer and arranger of this soft and radiant ode to the country of Joyce and João Gilberto, wanted to express. The accompanying music video, directed by Jade de Brito, portrays the sky, the sun, and the sea in vintage film grain split-screens straight out of a '70s film by Brian de Palma or Norman Jewison, with an added flavor of sugary pop. Somewhere between The Thomas Crown Affair, OSS 117 : Rio ne répond plus and a luscious Deee-Lite music video lies Briard’s calm expression, illuminated by swirling lights and a sunny halo, set on a background of moving palm trees and waves,   invoking a rhythm of joyful memories. Fly with Laure Briard to Brazil: to the sky, the sea, and the azure that will never grow dull.

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Elizabeth P.W. - Y Dail

Elizabeth P.W. - The Company You Keep.

The Company You Keep was written during the midst of the pandemic. As someone who suffers from Crohn’s disease - a chronic gastrointestinal disease, Elizabeth P.W. had to live in extreme isolation for 2 years. “I had to find new ways of maintaining my relationship with friends and family. I noticed that in isolation and with all the chaos that was going on in the world, relationships changed quickly and sometimes severely. And in my isolation, ruminations ran wild. This was a blessing and a curse. To have the time to figure out your relationship to yourself and others is a gift we may never feel so strongly again, but it was not without pain, heartbreak and discord.”

Elizabeth has a Sara Barielles quality in her voice with an Ingrid Michaelson meets Glenn Campbell style of songwriting. The 11 songs explore the human condition and relationships. Elizabeth P.W. is a composer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer with a passion for storytelling through music. Elizabeth weaves together her love of folk music with modern cinematic elements to create evocative and intimate scores for film and tv, and songs that tell compelling stories through unique soundscapes.

Her music has premiered in films at the Tribeca Film Festival, Hollyshorts, DOC NYC, Urbanworld Film Festival and Raindance. She’s written the music for everything from non-profit campaigns to congressional campaigns. Her recent scoring work includes Stacey Maltin's debut feature film, Triple Threat, which was released in theaters and on streaming services June 2022. She scored Gabriella Canal and Michael Fearon's short documentary, Seasons, which was published by The New Yorker and was honored as a 2022 Student Academy Award Winner. Elizabeth produced and scored the 2021 NAACP Image Award nominated short film, Gets Good Light. She is also a recipient of the 2020 - 2021 Alan Menken Scholarship.

Elizabeth P.W. · The Company You Keep

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Y Dail - Whizz Kids.

Y Dail is the musical project of 19-year-old Huw Griffiths from Pontypridd, South Wales. Since late 2020, the band have released a string of singles that have sparkled with Huw’s cinematic and playful imagination.

Whizz Kids, Y Dail’s new single and first since signing to Libertino is an inspired addition to their growing catalog, a catalog full of timeless, razor sharp songwriting.

Whizz Kids is influenced by Huw’s love of Brian Wilson and doo-wop: “I read an old interview with Paddy McAloon (Prefab Sprout) where he said he wanted to sound like Picasso with a JX3P synth……Whizz Kids is me trying to be Brian Wilson on an old Casio.”

Libertino · Y Dail - Whizz Kids

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Holly Henderson - Micah P. Hinson

Holly Henderson - The Planes.

With the release of new single “The Planes”, Holly Henderson has announced that her second album, “The Walls”, is finished, mastered, and on its way to the pressing plant for release in early 2023.
The long-awaited sophomore release from the UK alternative singer-songwriter brings a very different side to Holly’s musicality and depth. While her debut album, “Monday Green” featured Holly’s impressive rock guitar work and alternative pop anthem prowess, her new work shows a more introspective, and slightly more delicate side to her songcraft.

“The Planes”, is a beautiful retro gem that instantly pleases the ear with its silky-smooth layers of haunting psychedelic harmonies and fuzzy guitar leads. There’s a crisp organic sound encasing the track as stunning streams of consciousness collide in shimmering audio gold.

Recorded in a farmhouse in the English countryside, “The Walls” brings Holly full circle from her previous Los Angeles recorded album. Finely crafted arrangements, sonic musings, and playful themes take us on a journey with Holly as she deconstructs her Brit Pop and classic influences and reassembles them into progressive-folk wonderment.

On “The Walls”, Holly said, “This album sits within a sense of place. As a songwriter, I can only speak of my own thoughts of home and belonging. I suppose this record is a wandering eye over the fleeting moments from the last few years, of when I felt at home, and when I didn’t. When I felt like the walls were tumbling, when they kept me safe, and when they became my prison. I learned the only way of breaking these patterns, was to let people step over the threshold.

Due to the intimacy of the songs, I wanted to preserve the organic nature of the words and the arrangements. The heart of every song was recorded live, from the front room of a farmhouse in Sevenoaks - everyone facing each other, hearing each other, and working together. The sounds you hear are preserved in the moment that they happened. Tentative and selective moments were never changed in post. The other-worldly elements, synths, sounds, etc, were still captured live. 3 to 4 of us, tinkering with analogue synths, percussion, voices, iPads, etc, while the songs played. Rowan’s sensitivity as an engineer and producer, preserved every magical moment in his safe hands, while every person in the band shines throughout, regardless of trying to make this happen during the times of Covid, nothing was missing.”

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Micah P. Hinson - What Does It Matter Now.

Micah P. Hinson shares the ruminative new single “What Does It Matter Now?” from his forthcoming album I Lie To You (December 2 via Ponderosa Records). A longing folk song brimming with loneliness, “What Does It Matter Now?” begs the question of which is more painful, losing or finding love?

“When I was half the man I am today, I left my hometown of Abilene, Texas for the first time and moved to Denton, TX to try this whole music thing on a different level,” explains Hinson. “Of course, upon arrival I realized that it wasn’t what I imagined - instead of playing shows and pushing a dream, I found myself working day-wage jobs, drinking probably too much, and was quite unfocused and confused by what surrounded me. During this time was when I turned this song out, recording it in my small apartment with my tailless cat, Pixie. To this day, I can’t quite recall if I had already written it in my hometown, or if it was a creation from those lonely Denton days of my youth. I do know that it captured a very lonely, sad, and painful time for me, struggling with the concept of whether losing love or gaining love is more painful.”

He continues, “Whether the beginnings or ends are more heartbreaking, I am sure I will never know. I am not sure if we as humans will ever know. Yet, within these simple lines I sing, knowing doesn’t really matter. There is pain in our lives, and where it comes from maybe doesn’t matter as much as the fact that it exists. It doesn’t define us: our pain. It doesn’t control us: our pain. It is a teacher with lessons we must learn, and there is beauty in that.”

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The Money War - Rogue Jones - Nadine Khouri

The Money War - Somebody Loves You.

It's something that we can easily lose sight of, but WA indie-pop songwriting duo The Money War are here to remind us all of an important truth with their beautifully special new song, 'Somebody Loves You', released yesterday.

The Money War is the musical and romantic partnership of Carmen Pepper and Dylan Ollivierre. Making music together since 2016, the BMG/Mirror Publishing-signed pair have toured with none other than Meg Mac, Dope Lemon, Holy Holy and were handpicked by Neil Finn to open for his shows. In addition to playing local festival FOTSUN, they've also crossed the seas for the eponymous SXSW, BIGSOUND and Southbound Festival. They've received a stack of nominations along the way, most notably having debut album 'Home' up for the Australian Music Prize.

With two albums, and three EP's under their belts after the release of 'Blood' EP in 2021, Pepper and Ollivierre continue to add their ever-growing catalogue of music. They now share the important message found on 'Somebody Loves You'.

The track's uplifting melody melts with sincerity from the very first taste. Generously encompassing the undeniable force of love, 'Somebody Loves You' is yet another gem that affirms their knack for songwriting, with the Midas touch afforded by the chemistry of their pairing. It's an instant classic that will leave listeners floating into the ether, or perhaps into the arms of somebody that loves them.

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Rogue Jones - Triongl Dyfed.

'Triongl Dyfed' (The Dyfed Triangle), was the name for the area of west Wales in which there were multiple UFO sightings in the 1970s and 1980s. The central concept of the song is an imagined conspiracy theory that the Meibion Glyndwr holiday cottage arson attacks were carried out by aliens.

Mostly sung from the point of view of the extra-terrestrials – the song borrows from ‘Mae Gen i Het Tri Chornel’ an old welsh nursery rhyme, quotes 70s rockers Edward H Dafis’ hit ‘Mae’n Braf Cael Byw Mewn Tŷ Haf’ (‘It’s nice to live in a holiday home’) and name-checks the legendary singer and actor Bryn Fôn, who was falsely arrested on suspicion of being a member of Meibion Glyndwr, as well as Owain Glyndŵr himself. Both Edward H and Bryn Fôn were extremely accommodating in allowing the band to reference them – Owain Glyndŵr’s silence on the matter is deafening.

As with the whole album, it was recorded in Tŷ Drwg Studios, Grangetown with Frank Naughton and features appearances from Llŷr Parri on drums and Harri Rees on clarinet with everything else performed by Bethan and Ynyr.

"We believe that the second home crisis in Wales is completely out of hand we believe that government should intervene to prevent house prices from rising so dramatically and to allow young people who grew up in the area to buy an affordable home where they live" said the band. 

In case the lyrics get misconstrued; Rogue Jones are categorically not suggesting that burning second homes is the right thing to do - this is a song about aliens coming down from outer space to burn holiday homes.

Libertino · Rogue Jones - Triongl Dyfed

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Nadine Khouri - Keep On Pushing These Walls.

The Beirut-born now London-based singer-songwriter, Nadine Khouri is today sharing her new single, "Keep On Pushing The Walls" – the track emerges as the second to be lifted from Khouri's new album, Another Life which has found support so far from BBC 6 Music and Uncut. The new album, out November 18 via French label, Tailtres was recorded in London and Bristol with longtime collaborator, John Parish (PJ Harvey, Dry Cleaning) and follows her critically-acclaimed debut, The Salted Air which found praise from MOJO, Uncut, Clash, Drowned in Sound, Brooklyn Vegan and many more upon release.

On Another Life, Khouri and Parish take a minimalistic approach to both vocals and music alike: there is a serene, dreamlike quality to the songs, suffused with otherworldly, beatific textures. The soul-inflected “Keep On Pushing These Walls”, set to a stripped-down drum machine and Mellotron saxophones, is a joyous tribute to the late Canadian singer-songwriter Lhasa, who passed away in 2010 aged just 37.

“I wrote Keep On Pushing These Walls in tribute to the late, great Lhasa de Sela,” explains Nadine. “I'd seen Leslie Feist, Melissa Laveaux and others pay tribute to her life and work at the Barbican in London and came home and wrote this song. More generally, it's about songs written by another that open us up to ourselves, to each other and to the world.

“Lhasa was a one-of-a-kind artist, whose music has accompanied me all throughout my life,” she continues. “People often talk about her as an extraordinary singer or performer, but she was equally a brilliant songwriter and storyteller. I often wonder what Lhasa would make of the world today. Her humility, openness and quest for authenticity always inspire me. Her music was expansive, beyond language and genre - she sang from and for the soul.”

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