Alexa Dark - Julien Delaye - Ryan Hicks - Parks N' Recs - Alice Howe - Miesha and The Spanks - Sumaroo

Alexa Dark - Villain.

Fresh off of the back of her latest single ‘Cool For You’, Spanish/American multi-instrumentalist singer songwriter Alexa Dark has returned with brand-new track ‘Villain’, out yesterday, via AWAL. Dark’s debut EP will follow, expected for release on 24th February 2023.

‘Villain’ sounds like a classic 60s-inspired track, honing in on Dark’s influences which range from Nancy Sinatra to Portishead. A stripped back tune that would be at home on a James Bond soundtrack, Dark’s ethereal vocals and buttery lyricism envelope you, depicting a story of feeling as though she isn’t the hero in her own story, but rather watching herself self-sabotage. The track represents Dark’s desire to be good, but feeling lured in the direction of being ‘bad’ – and kind of liking it.

Dark said of the track: “‘Villain’” is realising you might be the villain of your own story. It’s accepting the shadowy parts of who you are, while hinting towards a darker, painful underlying origin story which makes the villain, the villain.”

The accompanying music video, directed by Mateo Marquez (Verité, Maude Latour), sees Dark at her most alluring in a twisted, murderous fantasy. Taking inspiration from retro Bond movies, the video aims to convey the concept of becoming the ‘villain’ that is reflected in the three-minute-long track. In an eerie dive bar, Dark (the protagonist) plays the character of an elegant femme fatale spy whose mission is to seduce and kill her lover via poison. The music video plays with the concept of time, portraying a dance of seduction throughout, while also illustrating Dark’s struggle with what she came to do and the villain she ultimately has become.

“In my song ‘Villain’, I wanted to explore the multifaceted nature of the ‘villain’ in me, and how my past obstacles, my fears of love and heartbreak, play in shaping this version of myself. I wanted this to be the lead song to my EP, as I think it captures the arc of the story I’m trying to tell throughout the seven songs - the darker side of femininity, how heartbreak and loss might shape us into being something other than ‘the hero’ in our story, and how most often times the battle between the good guy and the bad guy takes place inside of us, facing off ourselves.”

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Julien Delaye - Ancient Monster.

“At the beginning it was a solo acoustic project with only voice and guitar…then it’s gone wild !”

Julien Delaye is a  singer-songwriter from Marseilles, France.

Former frontman of the metal band Caedes, rock band The Coyotes Dessert then Canis Majoris. The pandemic having passed by, he finds himself alone with his snippets of compositions and a new acoustic guitar which will make him return to his first inspirations. Mixing Dark Folk with gritty rock, he delivers strong melodies, sometimes tinged with a dark romanticism.

A solitary and hypnotic project, freeing itself from codes and trends, that could be described as Art Rock.

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Ryan Hicks - Kaleidoscope.

I love music from the 60's and 70's and the psychedelic culture of that time period. I think a kaleidoscope best represents that era. What's more, I see beauty in a kaleidoscope with all its colours, shapes and patterns that come together to create something beautiful. Nothing dominates, but each part all works together to create something new and wonderful.

This song and upcoming album are written and inspired by the pandemic. I had time to look at myself and my place in the world. It is important for me to spread love in all I do and especially with my music. Like the colours of the kaleidoscope, all people, all ages and all cultures are beautiful. My dream is that like the kaleidoscope, all people can come together and see how beautiful the world is with all of our differences together. My new album is out on March 24th.

All the world waking up to a kaleidoscope
All the world comes together sharing love
Not losing hope

While I wanted to capture the spirit of the peace and love of the 60's/70's, musically I wanted this to sound fresh, contemporary and have a distinctive melody. The drum pattern of the verses sets-up up a satisfying and powerful chorus as musically all instruments build.

I love the idea of knowing exactly what the song is in seconds in the way Ringo Starr created drum parts that were compositions as much as the melodies and lyrics. Just as the lyric speaks of the world coming together, by the time we get to the outro we have all of the elements coming together in a beautiful wall of sound of choral voices, slide guitar and the lead vocal.

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Parks N' Recs - Peace Of Mind.

Marco DiFelice is a Canadian singer, songwriter, music supervisor, and producer. In the 90's, Marco was the lead singer of the pop-punk band, Supergarage. After the band dispersed, he found his way into the world of music supervision, where he selected music for films, adverts, and television shows including Orphan Black and Lost Girl. 

Now Marco is writing songs against the backdrop of his life as Parks N' Rec. This project — a collaboration between Marco and several producers back at his own Self Titled Studios — deals with lost love, polarizing societies, and self-renewal.

Brand new track, "Peace of Mind," offers up Parks N' Rec's spin on the original by classic rockers Boston and will be included on a full-length covers set to be released this coming spring. A well-written song with a simple melody and lyrics, it reminded Marco that good music comes out of a few basic ingredients.

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Alice Howe - What About You.

Los Angeles-based, Boston-bred, artist Alice Howe has unveiled "What About You," the playful lead single and accompanying video from her forthcoming LP Circumstance, due out April 21st.

"What About You" is a wishful thinkin' kind of song about that elusive, "perfect" relationship, one that's a deep soul connection what goes way beyond the superficial. It's about the hope of that person being out there, and honestly, do we really deserve anything less?

The golden-voiced singer-songwriter recorded “What About You” and other 10 gems on Circumstance in the hallowed halls of FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, where she felt the spirits of those icons whose voices once shook those walls - Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, and more. The album is a gorgeous testament to the power of an artist's creative evolution, when she finds the place where she's always meant to be.

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Miesha and The Spanks - It's My Year.

Miesha & the Spanks have returned with their first single of the year ‘It’s My Year’ via Mint Records. The new release is fresh off the back of their recent singles, ‘Dig Me Out’ and ‘I Can’t Wait’, and is taken from their upcoming full-length album, ‘Unconditional Love In Hi-Fi’ slated for release 14th April 2023.

Doin’ it all for the glam, and their new home label Mint Records, the Calgary-based duet smashes through the subterfuge of self-doubt like a house of mirrors. A John Hughes movie come to life, Miesha’s siren to banshee self-actualisation manifests in an array of fervent guitar riffs and the rhythmic method of Sean Hamilton’s cardiac-arrest-reversing percussion.

Recorded at the world-renowned National Music Centre (Calgary AB) under the capable ears of producers Daniel Farrant (The Buzzcocks) and Paul Rawson, this new single and its accompanying video cast a golden glow of optimism over the future.

Flourishing alongside alt-rock show ponies Wet Leg, Alvvays, Fleshwater, Black Mountain and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Miesha & The Spanks are set to shatter expectations in 2023. It’s a new era, and Joan Jett and Cyndi Lauper are the preeminent deities of divadom. Get primed to unpack your hot pants and freestyle your way through the roaring twenties. The sparkling single, ‘It’s My Year’, pops the cork on endless possibilities with sassy, coquettish vocals and a decadent carpe diem vibe.

Speaking of the new single, Louie said: “I started this song as sort of an ode to my niece who was having a hard time with some friends in her small town, and I wanted to pump her up a little. But it also brought me back to when I was a pre-teen and having my own trouble with friends in my small town, and at first you always feel like you’re the problem, the weird one, but ultimately you’ve just got imagination and big ideas and you want more out of life. So this song’s really for all the weirdos who want more.”

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Sumaroo - No One Likes The Kid.

"No One Likes The Kid'' is the first single from Sumaroo's upcoming Piggyback EP (out March 17th).

A Canadian indie-folk artist of Mauritius descent, Sumaroo previously released 2017’s Do You Notice EP, a set of five songs that included double-tracked vocals from Sumaroo warmly tucked in with other instruments.

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Frøkedal - So Below - Alexa Dark

Frøkedal - Stranger.

Background - Acclaimed Oslo, Norway based artist Frøkedal is now sharing her new single ‘Stranger’. Celebrated by the likes of The New Yorker, The Sunday Times, The Independent and Q Magazine; new single ‘Stranger’ is a worthy successor to her Norwegian Grammy-nominated debut LP of 2016, ‘Hold On Dreamer’.

The track explores the promise of new beginnings – both in a lyrical and more literal sense – with ‘Stranger’ signalling the first in a series of standalone singles this year for Norwegian singer/songwriter/producer Anne Lise Frøkedal. 

“I was working with my own dogma on the last album,” Frøkedal explains, “the fact that I wanted everything to sound very simple and ‘less is more’ in terms of instrumentation. This time round, I wanted to work song-by-song for a little while, just to liberate myself I guess. We just followed the track and did what we thought was best for each individual song, and somehow they ended up sounding quite natural and organic – dry vocals, not a lot of effects, but probably more textured and detailed in a way.”

Despite track-by-track production, Frøkedal’s lyrical output took a much more thematic approach: “When I started writing this new material, I was picturing different ages or stages in our lives when our vision gets a little blurred. I wanted the songs (and the characters) to channel these critical moments when decisions are dominated by emotion and not necessarily by logic,” she says.

Though the new tracks are not written, or presented, in clear chronology, ‘Stranger’ does feel like a natural place to start – written from the perspective of a young person, leaving behind their childhood and stepping out into the unknown. “It’s an adventurous song, and looks upon the future positively, but in a sense of leaving behind all you know in hope of what’s around the corner. It looks back on that urge to leave with a certain nostalgia; how being a young dreamer is both a beautiful and naive thing.” Facebook here.

Last years 'Hold On Dreamer' album, was one of my favourites for 2016 and with new song 'Stranger' Frøkedal continues the momentum. It's fresh and understated musical arrangement makes a fine backdrop for her melodic and purposeful vocals. With more singles to follow this year, I hope we can share some of them in due course.

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So Below - Ruin.

Background - Following on from the success of single 'Hard', released late last year, New Zealand born goth-pop artist So Below has returned with a brand new single, 'Ruin'. Co-written with Sombear of Now, Now and Chelsea Jade - with additional production from The Naked and Famous' Aaron Short - the track takes cues from the darker reaches of electronica while readapting the modern dance format for a midnight-hued take on pop music.

Set to a tapestry of pulsing bass and heavy duty kicks, ‘Ruin’ acts as an ode to disappointment, emphasizing the emptiness after placing your trust in those who do not deserve it.  Using the more electronic hints of Trent Reznor’s work in Nine Inch Nails as a reference point, So Below’s vocals glide over the track’s steadily enveloping instrumental, applying pressure and intensity leading into the track’s crescendo, a wash of full bodied synths and emotionally wrought lyricism.

Teaming up in the UK for the first time with London based label Limited Health (S4U/Raveena), ‘Ruin’ is a realization of So Below’s full potential as one of pop music’s most impactful and innovative artists. Bringing together shades of modern electronica’s darker side as well as a maturity of songwriting beyond her years, So Below’s latest single is a masterful take on pop’s tried and true formula - leaving a track that’s as subtle as it is intense, engaging existing fans while surely inspiring a wave of new ones. Facebook here.

This is the forth appearance of So Below on Beehive Candy, this time with the new single 'Ruin'. It's true to say that it's a little less goth, with some fine dance orientated electronica adding a different dimension. Overall So Below remains consistent in delivering some superb hook laden material, so much so, that a fifth appearance seems pretty likely!

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Alexa Dark - Empty Drinks.

Background - Alternative rock songwriter and guitarist, Alexa Dark, announces her debut EP, Empty Drinks/Empty Hearts, due out August 2017. The album was produced by Angelo "Doc" Velasquez (The Weeknd's Trilogy, The Fray, Christina Perri) and mixed by Patrick Kelly. Alexa Dark also debuts her new single and music video, "Empty Drinks.

Raised between Spain, London and Germany, now based in New York City and London, the songs are inspired by Alexa Dark's transient lifestyle. The songs were written in bedrooms, planes, between drinks outside East London clubs during early  morning hours and on the concrete of various metropolitan cities. Conceived in heartbreak, in transit and from boundless nostalgia, these tracks intertwine cultural and personal narratives, influenced by the Spanish singer songwriters played in her childhood kitchen, in addition to female rock legends such as Patti Smith, Debbie Harry and Kim Gordon.

Empty Drinks/Empty Hearts is a collection of songs cultivated in the brief moment when the party is over, when the sobriety comes just before the morning does. "Blur" is one of the first songs Alexa wrote and has evolved to cater to many different relationships and situations throughout her life. "Nothing More" is an "anti-love" song, about loving but in an untraditional sense. Referring to the EP's title, "Empty Drinks" is a party anthem that encapsulates the sober realization and reflection on the emptiness felt at the end of the night. Website here, Facebook here.

We featured 'Blur' just last month and the latest track shared 'Empty Drinks' deserves our attention as well. We stated in our previous article that her "vocals are well suited to alt rock, tuneful with just a little rock'n'roll edge". That seems a fair assessment in light of this fine new song. Alexa Dark is a natural alt rock artist with some quality musicians alongside, adding some alt rock power.


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Tunabunny - Ed Prosek - King Washington - Alexa Dark - Carter Lou & The Project

Tunabunny - Blackwater Homes.

Background - Tunabunny release second new track in three years "Blackwater Homes" and announce the pre-order of their 5th album also a double "PCP Presents Alice In Wonderland JR" released June 23rd on HHBTM Records.  

PCPPAIWJR creates a universe of sound, music for the internet age. As our access to music expands, its entire history sits at our fingertips just waiting to be heard.  Just waiting to inspire, this is the future of music—a glorious eclecticism that results in something original and urgently now. You can hear echoes of T Rex, Slits, Electrelane, Chills, Human League, John Cage, John Cale, GBV, Beefheart, Ono, Eno, Fine Young Cannibals, Fleetwood Mac, Luc Ferrari, Bananarama, ? and the Mysterians, Smiths, Syd Barrett, Sun Ra, and on, and on.

You’ll want to know about the title, you’ll have questions about the title. Turn on your TV, open up your laptop, sift through your phone, pay attention to the surreal dystopian nightmare all around us. PCP Presents Alice In Wonderland Jr is quite simply what it means to be alive in 2017. Facebook here.

We featured 'Incinerate' earlier in the month and then along comes 'Blackwater Homes' and a chance to share a second song from the bands forthcoming album. As regards the album we said "The album takes us from psych to indie rock and a whole load of other places. Sometimes it's quite avant garde other times hook laden and sparkling, there is never a dull moment", I think the new song might just reinforce that!

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Ed Prosek - Flesh & Blood.

Background - Californian singer-songwriter Ed Prosek releases new EP Flesh and Blood Part 1.

Recorded in Berlin, the artist has flipped the perspective from his previous work, with his new output yielding a much darker, heavier sound. Prosek brings together his singer songwriter roots and a more complex exploration of raw sound, instrumentation and arrangement, moving away from his folkier roots.

At the end of April he teased with "Tear It All Down", a track inspired, in part, by post-apocalyptic 2009 film, The Road. "Tear It All Down" tells a story of perseverance, but ultimately hopelessness. Borne out through both the lyrical themes and the music itself, it’s as if the very weight of the sound of the chorus is the burden of uncertainty carried by us all, and the emptiness of the verses, the stark and brutal void of the calm before the storm. The fear of the unknown is a palpable presence within the song.

Prosek’s evolution from acoustic singer songwriter to this new direction has been a natural progression through both his personal growth as an artist, and a reflection of a less certain world. Ed Prosek will be on a headline tour throughout Germany and the Netherlands in May, with festival dates and international showcases throughout the summer. Website here, Facebook here, live dates on Beehive Candy's tour page. 

Title track from the EP (Part 1), and 'Flesh & Blood' gently grows into a rich and layered singer, songwriter piece of notable quality. One of three songs it demonstrates well Ed Prosek's ability to turn up the power and emotional feel with great effect.

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King Washington - My Reflection.

Background - LA-based indie rockers King Washington have just released the official music video for their second album single "Superman," from their forthcoming studio album Potential. The album is due out May 19 in digital, CD and LP formats, and is available now for pre-order (here). The Pledge Music pre-order is also live (here), and includes exclusive bundles with signed product. 

"Superman" captures the frustrations of the artist - the feelings of not being good enough despite countless time and effort to improve and succeed. It buddies up to the band's inspiration behind the album title Potential and together, both titles reflect the push-pull of trying to get recognized, while also balancing the need for outside gratification to mark one's assessment of their own talent. The video crystallizes this as the camera follows fine artist Danielle Lee throughout her day as an aspiring artist. Ultimately, as King Washington's Tyson Kelly points out, "There is an underlying message that good things come to those who perservere." 

Drawing from diverse influences such as Grizzly Bear, The Crash Kings, The Talking Heads, The Beatles and Crosby, Stills & Nash, Los Angeles’ own King Washington are in the midst of creating the New California sound. By fusing classic vocal harmonies and lyrical melodies with a contemporary approach to songwriting, the band has created a unique sound that is as creative as it is familiar.

This album sees members Tyson Kelly (guitar, keys, vocals), George Krikes (lead guitar, vocals), and Billy Lee (bass, vocals) joined by David Contreras on drums. With two albums behind them, and a tour history that includes playing over 150 shows across the US since 2014 (sharing the stage with the likes of The Artic Monkeys, Collective Soul, and Ambrosia), King Washington plans on continuing the trend of blowing audiences away across the nation... as one of LA Weekly's top live shows in Los Angeles. Facebook here, live dates on Beehive Candy's tour page. 

The vocals and harmonies stand out on 'My Reflection' an indie rocker that has plenty of melodic hooks, along with a feisty beat that gives the song an additional dimension to the overall piece.


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Alexa Dark - Blur.

Background - Alternative rock songwriter and guitarist, Alexa Dark, announces her debut EP, Empty Drinks/Empty Hearts, due out August 2017. The album was produced by Angelo "Doc" Velasquez (The Weeknd's Trilogy, The Fray, Christina Perri) and mixed by Patrick Kelly. 

Raised between Spain, London and Germany, now based in New York City and London, the songs are inspired by Alexa Dark's transient lifestyle. The songs were written in bedrooms, planes, between drinks outside East London clubs during early  morning hours and on the concrete of various metropolitan cities. Conceived in heartbreak, in transit and from boundless nostalgia, these tracks intertwine cultural and personal narratives, influenced by the Spanish singer songwriters played in her childhood kitchen, in addition to female rock legends such as Patti Smith, Debbie Harry and Kim Gordon. 

Empty Drinks/Empty Hearts is a collection of songs cultivated in the brief moment when the party is over, when the sobriety comes just before the morning does. "Blur" is one of the first songs Alexa wrote and has evolved to cater to many different relationships and situations throughout her life. It's a "fuck it" anthem, of sorts, but still portrays vulnerability, baring her bones. "Nothing More" is an "anti-love" song, about loving but in an untraditional sense. Referring to the EP's title, "Empty Drinks" is a party anthem that encapsulates the sober realization and reflection on the emptiness felt at the end of the night. Website here, Facebook here.

Alexa Dark's vocals are well suited to alt rock, tuneful with just a little rock'n'roll edge. 'Blur' is one very catchy song, the music is a little understated allowing the song both lyrically and through it's fine delivery, to shine through.

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Carter Lou & The Project - Do Or Die.

Background - Lead by Washington, D.C.-based musician Carter Louthian, Carter Lou & the Project's beginnings stem from tragic circumstances. The night before he was set to go to college, Lou snapped: his two best friends had recently killed themselves a day apart, and his girlfriend had just broken his heart. 

Combined with the reality of the packaged post-college suburban life he was heading toward, he felt even more emptiness. He boldly told his parents that he wasn't going to university in the morning and has chosen to pursue music instead. Since then, the band has packed out numerous headlining shows and earning a prestigious endorsement from PRS Guitars. 

"Do Or Die" is the first single from Carter Lou & the Project's forthcoming self-titled album, produced by Mark Williams and Rick Beato (Shinedown, Needtobreathe). The single's lyrical content arises from Lou's past heartbreak and finding the strength and trust to fall back in love again. Facebook here.

'Do Or Die' is a tight, rhythmic rocker that doesn't try to be anything else. Energised music alongside passionately natural vocals makes for a fine personal introduction to the band.

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