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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Lore City - Emily Breeze - Nico Ev - Rutherford Royal - Lightnode

Lore City - Under Way (E.P).

Under Way is the new 7-inch EP from Lore City, released October 6, 2022. The EP follows full-length albums Participation Mystique and Alchemical Task, as the third release from the Lore City Music imprint. “On the whole, the band appears to be rejecting genre norms, and they don't seem to be in any kind of safety zone, while their fusion of indie psychedelia, dreampop, and darkwave sounds isn't directly analogous to anything nearly customary,” advises Destroy//Exist. Lore City is a duo formed in 2011 and currently based in Portland, Oregon. Band members include married couple Laura Mariposa Williams (vocals, keyboard, guitar) and Eric Angelo Bessel (percussion, keyboard, guitar), who met as peers at Syracuse University.

Oneness. Whether you like it or not. Creeping up on you. Morse code tapping you on the shoulder. Runoff into the sea. A little bell ringing. Windchimes singing from forces unseen. I wanna believe. I animate these bones, for you. A paper skeleton on Halloween dangling from the front door. Animate, animate. Shuddering and twitching with your comings and goings. The thresholds we know. Everyone in their own little box, moving between containers. Remembering the orange glow of old sodium vapor streetlamps, and simultaneously, the terror of noticing that your heart is constantly beating. The fading roar of airplanes overhead, rerouted.

Suddenly you can see the flashing red and white lights out of the corner of your eye, every night, from your bed. Sometimes, the thing that happens along the way to something else turns out to be the thing in itself; saying to you, “I am not what you thought I was, but rather, I am my own all together.” An early departure, announcing its entirety upon arrival. Once thought of as the beginning of the next album, Under Way exists as a standalone 7-inch EP, confined only to the parameters of vinyl. Two sides, two tracks, pressed into another thing in a world on its way to something else.

 

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Emily Breeze - Ordinary Life.

Bristol-based indie noir-pop artist Emily Breeze returns with a bitter-sweet new single Ordinary Life, dripping with brit-goth nostalgia and sad-pop synth lines via Sugar Shack Records on September 23rd 2022.

Emily’s previous single ‘Confessions of an Aging Party Girl’, received airplay from Lauren Laverne, Don Letts and Tom Robinson alongside continued support from BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Introducing in the West. Ordinary Life continues in this vein, a reflection on a gloriously misspent youth and a celebration of the magic, misery, miracles and monotony that are sewn into the fabric of everyday existence where you are the hero of your own mythic quest.

Speaking of the inspiration for the song Emily says, “It’s a quest that involves biblical first loves and tragic one night stands, epic all nighters and the quiet desperation that follows as your dreams disperse like the fronds of a dandelion clock in the cold morning air. You blink, two decades have passed and you become the thing you always despised, a three dimensional, functional adult with reasonable expectations... Or perhaps it's the theme song to the end of a John Hughes movie set twenty years after Prom night, except it's not prom night, it's Butlins and Mike Leigh is directing but Simple Minds and Souxsie Sioux are still sparkling in the spotlight, and so are you.”

Ordinary life is the opening track to Emily’s third solo album Rapture which she describes as “A collection of coming-of (middle) age stories which celebrate flamboyant failure, excess and acceptance”, due for release January 2023.

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Nico Ev - The Final Ride.

Based in Glasgow, Nico started composing at the age of 6. Nico's debut release Hunter gained radio air time on BBC Radio Scotland and saw her named as Freshman Guitars 'Artist of the week'.

The inspiration for the song was a short story called 'The Cab Ride I'll Never Forget' by American author Kent Nerburn.

The tale acts as a reminder that one little act of kindness can be so truly important. I would recommend taking five minutes to read it. "You captured the essence of the story, painting with gentle strokes" - author Kent Nerburn.

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Rutherford Royal - Back Burner.

The new single from Nashville based multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer/songwriter Rutherford Royal is entitled "Back Burner." This enthralling rock single features Americana infused guitars, dark pop hooks and fuzzy intoxicating basslines for an immersive southern goth rock listening experience.

On the single, Rutherford Royal confides, "The boy has been waiting for the girl to fall in love with him as he watches her burn through several brief, meaningless and destructive relationships. Despite clear signs that he should move on, he is determined to die on this hill. Often it feels like the right thing to do is take the side of love and wait for the one you know you’ll never get over. This can be the single most destructive decision you ever make, but half measures will only lead to a life of ‘what-ifs."

Hailing from the barrier islands of South Carolina, Andrew Christopher Rutherford Royal has a deep connection with the land and embodies a non-traditionalist’s interpretation of the eastern South. He writes Southern Gothic cameos which he weaves into often dark, Indie Americana. After writing and curating the works for an album he records and mixes the music for Rutherford Royal (as well as other artists) in his remote cabin studio overlooking a hidden waterfall in southern Tennessee.

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Lightnode - Same Time Same Place.

Lightnode from Switzerland play rock music - direct, real and honest. Their style is strongly influenced by the rock bands of the 90s and sometimes reminds of the energy of the Counting Crows or indie rock moments of Wilco. Occasionally, however, there are also hints of the 60s and 70s through the distinctive organ sounds. The individual influences and musical imprints of the five musicians flow together to create their own emotional and vibrant sound, sometimes softer, sometimes more powerful. 

'The Bright Side Of The Edge' is the name of Lightnode's debut album, which comes across as playful, gritty and atmospheric. The songs and lyrics by singer Roger Imboden reveal profound explorations of various themes.

'Same Time Same Place' is the song that opens the record. It is not meant to be a single, but opens the listener up to Lightnode's music. The dry, direct guitar immediately pushes itself to the forefront before the band as a whole gives a glimpse of where else they can go shortly after. The lyrics thematically deal with self-confrontation and one's own comfort zone and, in terms of content, pick up on the old familiar, recurring situation that constantly and consistently throws you back on yourself. The depressing situation is resolved at the end of the song and finally allows the realization that it is always worthwhile to have the courage for self-confrontation in order to get ahead. Self-ironically and with a wink, the band has also implemented the whole theme in the music video.

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Mamalarky - Emily Breeze - Declan O'Donovan - Kindsight - Hohnen Ford - The Company Stores

Mamalarky - Shining Armor.

Mamalarky's highly-anticipated sophomore full-length, Pocket Fantasy, is due out September 30 via Fire Talk. The follow up to the band's critically-acclaimed 2020 self-titled debut LP, the album's early singles have generated a great deal of excitement, with the lead track "Mythical Bonds" earning praise from the New York Times, who said "Mamalarky make math rock sound like fun" and appearing on a new music playlist from Talking Heads frontman David Byrne, while second single "It Hurts" landed on multiple best of the week lists.

Now Mamalarky are back with a final single from their forthcoming LP, a track called "Shining Armor". Accompanied by a video animated by Alex Futtersak, who is known several striking visuals he has created for Cautious Clay and Crumb, the track is the kind only Mamalarky could have created, delivering a blend of tightly wound indie rock, wobbly, jazz-inflected wildness and moments of arresting beauty played against their most abrasive.

"This song goes out to conveniently anonymous YouTube haters," says singer Livvy Bennett. "Shining Armor is an invitation for anyone who has shit to say about how I play guitar to go ahead and reveal themselves and play a little song for us! When I wrote this I was getting a bunch of comments about my gender and appearance and how that corresponds with how I play guitar. The only response was to covert that anger into something that's genuinely so fun to play.

"Alex Futtersak (@chippy_zone) took this idea and crafted a whole world around it, where our music is essentially breaking a curse over these angry knights in armor. I actually sent him some DIY motion capture from my room so some of the moves are true to form."

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Emily Breeze - Ordinary Life.

Bristol-based indie noir-pop artist Emily Breeze returns with a bitter sweet new single Ordinary Life, dripping with brit-goth nostalgia and sad-pop synth lines via Sugar Shack Records on September 23rd 2022.

Emily’s previous single ‘Confessions of an Aging Party Girl’, received airplay from Lauren Laverne, Don Letts and Tom Robinson alongside continued support from BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Introducing in the West. Ordinary Life continues in this vein, a reflection on a gloriously misspent youth and a celebration of the magic, misery, miracles and monotony that are sewn into the fabric of everyday existence where you are the hero of your own mythic quest.

Speaking of the inspiration for the song Emily says, “It’s a quest that involves biblical first loves and tragic one night stands, epic all nighters and the quiet desperation that follows as your dreams disperse like the fronds of a dandelion clock in the cold morning air. You blink, two decades have passed and you become the thing you always despised, a three dimensional, functional adult with reasonable expectations... Or perhaps it's the theme song to the end of a John Hughes movie set twenty years after Prom night, except it's not prom night, it's Butlins and Mike Leigh is directing but Simple Minds and Souxsie Sioux are still sparkling in the spotlight, and so are you.”

Ordinary life is the opening track to Emily’s third solo album Rapture which she describes as “A collection of coming-of (middle) age stories which celebrate flamboyant failure, excess and acceptance”, due for release January 2023.

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Declan O'Donovan - Get Thee Behind the Wheel (Live at Afterlife Studios).

The musical vastness and ambivalence of Declan O’Donovan’s sound is reflected by the picturesque backdrop between his home of Whitehorse in Canada’s Yukon and the urban centres from Toronto to Montreal that he frequents. 

For over a decade, the Canadian has succeeded in creating stylistically unique fusions of the most diverse of song writing approaches. Nothing is too strange, too big or too far: alternative folk, psychedelic rock, classical piano, you name it.

Albums with an eccentric richness of ideas like his self-titled debut (2012) or the larger-than-life “Broken Sky” (2017) have made O’Donovan one of the most sought-after musicians in Canada. Comparisons range from Tom Waits to Randy Newman or Harry Nilsson, but of course don’t really do the creative maverick and his unmistakably rough timbre any justice. His new release “Get Thee Behind the Wheel” once again shows that he’s riding a wave of his own, subject to his own transformations.

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Kindsight – Love You Baby All the Time.

Danish four-piece Kindsight make music that draws from 80’s and 90’s alternative rock and combines it with the shimmering Scandinavian pop that the region has become so renowned for, resulting in a sound that is both fuzzy and melodic in equal measure. Releasing their first material in 2020, the up and coming Danish four-piece have been quick on the rise, picking up steam and their debut album, Swedish Punk, was released in March earlier this year and was followed by tour dates in Scandinavia, Germany and UK. Now they're back with atmospheric the new single Love You Baby All the Time, an indie pop gem recorded close after the album's release.

The band says: “For about 200.000 years, humanity has successfully postponed complete annihilation as each human takes part in a sort of symbiotic ritual with a person they would like to see several more of sometime in the future. “Love You Baby All the Time” seeks to present this occurrence loud and clear and with no further comments.”

Kindsight formed when front-woman Nina Hyldgaard Rasmussen and guitarist Søren Svensson bonded over a shared love of The Sugarcubes. They went on to recruit bass player Anders Prip and drummer Johannes Jacobsen and over the past few years have earned a reputation within Copenhagen’s thriving indie scene for their exciting live shows. The praised debut album Swedish Punk is finally available on vinyl, as a red limited edition.

On the album’s title, Rasmussen says “Swedish Punk’ was an off the cuff term our producer, Adam, came up with when we needed a working title for a new song we wrote during the recording sessions. Our bass player, Anders, then wrote some lyrics based on the working title and we ended up liking the whole ‘Swedish Punk’-thing so much it became the name of the album”.

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Hohnen Ford - Close To Your Heart.

London-based singer-songwriter Hohnen Ford just announced a European tour in October supporting Matt Maltese and shares her new single "Close To Your Heart" - the latest track to be heard from upcoming debut EP 'Infinity', out 26th October via Young Poet. Debut EP 'Infinity' was written and produced by Hohnen Ford herself, features writing collaborations with Matt Maltese, and was mixed by Tom Carmichael (Porridge Radio, Wu-Lu).

A prodigious songwriting and vocal talent – Hohnen Ford has made an immediate impact. Very quickly given the seal of approval by jazz aficionado Jamie Cullum, she's gone on to receive notable support from Spotify (featured in their New Music Friday and Fresh Finds playlists), alongside coverage on esteemed publications including The Line Of Best Fit, CLASH Magazine and Whynow.

Hohnen Ford's achingly sincere, yet irresistibly entertaining and romantic prose, paired with her delicate piano arrangements position her as one of the most exciting songwriters to surface in recent times. Newly released single "Close To Your Heart" is further evidence of her gift, as she contemplates the emotional intricacies of relationships. Speaking more on the lyrical inspiration of new single, Hohnen Ford said:

"Close To Your Heart is about rekindling love for your person. Daring yourself to love like it's day one, and acknowledging bad habits. Taking responsibility for your own emotions and being able to laugh at yourself - step outside the emotion in that moment to stop yourself from bickering or causing a fight and remembering why you love that person. I wrote it to remind myself to make sure the hassle and stresses of day to day life don't get in the way of my relationships."

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The Company Stores - Savannah.

The Company Stores independently releases The Family Album, their third full-length album, today September 23. The powerful and sultry voice of lead vocalist Ileana Ille captivates the audience with her ability to express raw emotion, while the band unites many influences to lay down bold grooves amidst dynamic crescendos.

“This album tells a story of everything being turned upside down; both personally and across the country,” says Matthew Marks, the primary lyricist for the band. “It is about family and understanding the triumphs, failures, tendencies, and choices of the people who came before, in order to understand how to successfully navigate where you are going.”

No Depression’s Amos Perrine writes, “The album had me from the opening track, ‘Savannah,’ which could have easily been on a Steely Dan record (notably the guitar parts), by way of the jazz group Return to Forever. The vocals by Ileana Ille glide over the instrumentation much like those of Return to Forever’s first vocalist, Flora Purim, did. Ille’s vocals are but one of the many textured layers that blend together in unexpected ways.”

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Lucy & La Mer - Mappe Of - Emily Breeze - Café Spice

Lucy & La Mer has shared an upbeat video for 'Discover'. Oozing positive and feel good vibes this indie pop song is an absolute charm.

Canadian avant-garde folk artist, Mappe Of (a moniker for Tom Meikle) has just released a wonderful song entitled 'Unkno'. It's something of a folk epic as Tom's superb vocals and a clever, intriguing musical background garner immediate attention.

Our third feature this year for Emily Breeze is for her latest single 'Heaven's Gate'. Described as "a glacial slice of Sci-Fi propaganda" (see more below) the songs musical arrangement conveys other worldly notions, Emily's vocals are once again impressive as they drive the piece forward.

Café Spice return here for a second occasion with their brand new single 'Open Door'. Once again the beautiful vocals and exquisite harmonies are simply wonderful, this trio are most certainly on my must hear music list. 
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Lucy & La Mer - Discover.

Lucy & La Mer is the LA-based indie project of singer/songwriter Lucy LaForge.

Known for her bright melodies and disarming lyrics, Lucy wrote her debut EP Little Spoon while living aboard a sailboat after a bad breakup. The folk pop EP charted on College Radio in 2015, followed by a national tour and 2 semi-finalist spots in the International Songwriter Contest.

After landing in LA, Lucy began performing live with a full band and caught the attention of major press like the LA Times. Lead by Lucy’s welcoming stage presence and unmistakable attire (the band wears colorful bowties and decorates the stage), their live shows have gained attention for their interactive audience participation and focus on community activism.

Lucy has garnered acclaim from the likes of Billboard, Huffington Post, Refinery 29 and Earmilk to name a few. The songstress has shared the stage with everyone from electronic artist Moby, folk sirens Joseph, to emo rockers Bayside. She is endorsed by Kala Brand Ukuleles and stays close to her fans by live-streaming every weekend on the band’s facebook page. Her message is about positive self-belief, self-care, and honest self-expression.


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Mappe Of - Unkno.

The Canadian Avant-garde folk artist, Mappe Of - a moniker for Tom Meikle - is now sharing the beguiling new single ‘Unkno’. Released in the wake of ‘Ailynn’, ‘Unkno’ is the latest to be lifted from the forthcoming nine-track sophomore record, The Isle Of Ailynn, which is due for release on November 1, 2019 via Paper Bag Records.

Recorded at Bathouse Studio, Ontario (operated by the multi-award-winning Canadian band, The Tragically Hip) with longtime collaborator Will Crann and engineer Nyles Spencer (Broken Social Scene, Gord Downie), The Isle of Ailynn documents a fantasy world through nine different landscapes that draw parallels between a mythological space and everyday conflicts, troubles and fears within our lives. ‘Unkno’, which makes up one of the nine distinct environments, sonically situates Meikle alongside the likes of Grizzly Bear and The Antlers, pulling on resplendent string sections and Meikle’s velvet-soft vocals.

Speaking about the new single, Meikle says: “‘Unkno' explores how violently the barriers of distance, language and culture can separate us when our hearts and minds are closed.  The second half of the song features these two distinct vocal lines, one descending and the other ascending, that I like to envision as the two parties in this fictional land having this same core belief, yet somehow manifesting it in nearly opposite ways.”

The Isle of Ailynn looks to follow-on from the Toronto-based artist’s critically acclaimed 2017 debut, A Northern Star, A Perfect Stone (tipped by Stereogum, NPR, Consequence of Sound and Paste) marking a more focused theme and progressive understanding of genre and songwriting. Meikle’s debut release would find him on tour with the likes of Martha Wainwright and Bahamas whilst amassing over five-million streams on DSPs. UK dates are set to follow the new release in early 2020, these to be announced shortly.

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Emily Breeze - Heaven's Gate.

The fourth single from Emily Breeze’s debut album Rituals, “Heaven's Gate” is a glacial slice of Sci-Fi propaganda which was inspired by a documentary about the 90’s Christian U.F.O cult of the same name. Emily says, “I was interested in how a seductive promise of eternal salvation can compel a person to hand over all personal agency to devote themselves entirely to a belief system, especially one as bizarre and deadly as Heaven's Gate”.

Written from the perspective of the cult leader, this is interstellar Doo Wop for all the drifters, loners, dropouts and seekers out there. Emily and her cohorts invite you to join the psychedelic dance, cast off your earthly shells and drink the Kool Aid!

Produced by Bristol luminary Stew Jackson, writer, producer for Massive Attack, who has also worked with Tom Waits, Patti Smith and Nick Cave, Rituals has received airplay from Radio X, BBC Introducing in the West and Tom Robinson (BBC Radio 6) who described Emily as a “21st century Patti Smith”.

Other praise for Rituals includes Louder Than War stating that it is “As vital a statement on what it is to be alive in 2019 as any of the more celebrated, male, bands currently garnering all the praise." God Is In The TV refers to “the kind of delicious noirish pop that Luke Haines specialise in. If there is a soundtrack to the world gradually falling apart this is it!” and MOJO magazine draws comparisons to Jarvis Cocker and describes “A tempestuous debut, Rituals accentuates the drama of its songs, swathing them in black humour”.

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Café Spice - Open Door.

Café Spice have just released their latest single ‘Open Door’. This is the third single to be released by the phenomenally talented trio, and their second single release this year. A beautifully orchestrated song that features all three distinct voices creating a trifecta of harmony and accompanied by a sweet core progression of melancholic pros.

Born from a love of singing in harmony, beautifully crafted songs and plain naan bread, Manchester based all female indie folk band Café Spice have been blessing our eardrums with heavenly and autumnal harmonies since the release of their first single ‘Lauren’ in 2018.

Since then the trio, made up of Georgia Gage (Scotland), Niamh Feeney (Ireland) and Eleanor Lang (The North), have been performing gigs in most major cities across the UK and a significant series of gigs in Bangkok earlier this year. Not to mention a sold out full band gig at Jimmy’s in Manchester and supporting the legendary singer songwriter Boo Hewerdine!

The single, Open Door, is a song about two people who love each other and although they want deeply to be together at this moment in time it’s not possible. The trio tells us, “it’s about having to say goodbye to someone when you know that you love them, when you know it’s not the end of your story and when you know it’s not forever. You’re leaving them for now, leaving them in pain, but leaving with an open door behind you.”

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Steve Buscemi's Dreamy Eyes - Emily Breeze - Van Houten - The Astronots

Swedish Indie band Steve Buscemi's Dreamy Eyes have released a new single entitled 'Change of Heart'. The deep bass line drives the song, the vocals are both melodic and quiet dominant, whilst the overall arrangement is distinct and expansive.

'Work' is the third single from Emily Breeze ahead of the new album 'Rituals', it's a fine alt rock song with plenty of indie pop sensibilities that give the song real traction.

Van Houten have shared 'Moon' a fabulous song where the guitars remind me a little of the Cocteau Twins, however the vocals and harmonies take this song towards dream or indie pop, and the laid back vibe is gorgeous.

American rockers The Astronots have just released 'Wandering Eyes' which is described as a "quirky love song," it's also full of vibrant hooks and plenty of energy.
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Steve Buscemi's Dreamy Eyes - Change of Heart.

Behind the odd name Steve Buscemi’s Dreamy Eyes you’ll find one of the most promising new bands on the blooming Swedish indie scene.

The band is now back with new single Change of Heart after 19 months of silence. The song is true to the original sound of Steve Buscemi’s Dreamy Eyes with instantly catchy bass lines, dreamy vocals and shimmering guitar riffs but with with a more filling sound than previous outputs.

Lyricist and singer Siri Sjöberg about the song: “I wrote the song last winter when there was a governmental crisis in Sweden. It’s up to each listener to interpret the lyrics but it’s definitely about swedish politics.”

The band - consisting of Siri Sjöberg, Tilde Hansen, Elias Mahfoud (Chez Ali) and Edvin Arleskär - formed in 2015 after bassist/vocalist Tilde tweeted out "Does anyone/anybody know someone who wants to play in a band together with a bassist and a singer that haven’t played in a band for a year and are dying of boredom?".

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Emily Breeze - Work.

The third single from forthcoming Emily Breeze album Rituals is a shimmering indie pop anthem entitled “Work”. The glossy sonic exterior and radio friendly chorus act as a foil for the ice cold cynicism and pitch black humour of the lyrics which were inspired by Patrick Bateman (American Psycho) and Emily’s own experiences of hauling herself out of bed every morning to make a pointless profit for somebody else.

Emily’s first two singles “Limousines” and “Ego Death” received airplay from Radio X, BBC Introducing in the West, Tom Robinson (BBC Radio 6) and led to Emily being described as “Nancy Sinatra on Ketamine” (Louder than War) and “a 21st Century Patti Smith” (Tom Robinson BBC Radio 6).

Produced by Bristol luminary Stew Jackson writer, producer for Massive Attack, who has also worked with Tom Waits, Patti Smith and Nick Cave and performed by Emily’s Stellar Band of Rob Norbury (lead guitar), Andy Sutor (drums), Graham Dalzell (bass) and Duncan Fleming (keys/synth), “Work” is the soundtrack to the world gradually falling apart in an absurd state of late capitalism, insurmountable admin, antidepressants and unreachable targets.

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Van Houten - Moon.

Leeds quintet Van Houten are a band of sharp parallels. Their languorous, sub-mersive soundscapes are dappled in evening sun, while the lyrical content within is evocative of a blanket of unforgiving fog that foretells pounding rains ahead. Newly signed to Clue Records, the band come straight out of the gate fully armed with an accomplished and immediate self-titled debut, out September 13th. Now they share lead single 'Moon' - an ode to a new love.

Talking about the track, lead singer Louis Sadler said: "Moon is essentially a very personal love song. It explores the fleeting qualities of love and the desperation of wanting to give somebody anything and everything. The line “You always leave so soon” describes how a crush or loved one always seems to leave before the one chasing has chance to show the full potential of their affection. It was written around 3 years ago after I heard Weird Fishes by Radiohead & was intrigued by the chord changes. It's been reworked lots since then until it turned into Moon."

While artists operating from a similar whimsical, slacker-pop wheelhouse (think Connan Mockasin) often draw content from literary, sci-fi planes, Van Houten use their dreamy sound world as a backdrop for their most crushing struggles. Sadler is unflinchingly honest, railing against depression and its innate ability to inhibit him from being the caring partner he wishes to be.

Largely recorded across just three December days, ‘Van Houten’ was produced by Martin Smith (Gomez, Bombay Bicycle Club, Richard Hawley). With Smith at the helm, Van Houten were able to realise their true sound. “We met Martin at a small bar in Sheffield. He went on to do a whole new mix and master of our then single ‘Ever Changing Light.’ The way Martin made the track sound made us realise what could be possible for our music. It was a match made in heaven.

“When making the album, we were able to finally sculpt the vintage Hi-Fi sound that we have always been searching for. The title is Van Houten because this is the first work we have created that truly represents our band. This new sound is the true sound of our band,” Sadler explains. An album for all seasons, it’s clear that Van Houten are already expert at their craft and a band to be reckoned with. The rest of 2019 and 2020 will see them embark on further UK tours, while the future holds a magnitude of possibility for the exciting young quintet.


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The Astronots - Wandering Eyes.

The Astronots are an American rock’n’roll outfit, spearheaded by its founding members, Niko Giaimo (Vocals/Guitar) and Allee Futterer (Vocals/Bass). The two are established musicians in their own right. Futterer has had years of cutting her musical teeth, backing some of the biggest names in the Los Angeles music scene, while Giaimo was an integral member of the scoring team behind productions such as Dexter and Dishonored II. The two come together on The Astronots, combining elements of their quintessential Los Angeles upbringing, classic rock, and west-coast cool. Now completed by guitarist Eddie Campbell, the group continues to wow audiences across the nation.

Inspired by the likes of Led Zeppelin, Alabama Shakes and Kings of Leon, the trio have crafted an EP oozing with gritty guitars, explosive percussion and raw energy. The highly anticipated Cotati is brought to life through its organic instrumentation and authentic lyricism. “We really wanted to capture something honest. The songs cover a variety of issues.. school/public mass shootings, anxiety, drinking, love, pain, passion, cheating.. I think we managed to create individual genuine stories in each song. I think the theme would be honest perspective on many of life’s challenges”, they reveal.

Leading single 'Wandering Eye' is a quirky love song. Based on a true story about a couple the duo grew up with. Giaimo reveals, "They had an insanely beautiful Cinderella wedding, but not long after that the wife started cheating, and the husband was secretly gay and going out with his friends in women's clothes. They were both cheating on each other in different ways, and somehow, everyone knew about the cheating except for the couple themselves!!! They ended up splitting up and are now both happily married in new relationships!". Sonically the single features 60's soaked melodies, soaring harmonies and an infectious toe-tapping rhythm.

The Astronots palpable garage sound has lent itself to placements on film and TV, as well as curated playlists and blogs. The Astronots song, ‘Black Milk’ from their 2017 E.P Strange Terrain was featured on the CBS hit television show Life in Pieces. While their song ‘Begging for More’ was placed in Andrew Garfield’s 2018 feature film, Under The Silver Lake.


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Saltwater Sun - Emily Breeze - Fever High - Ghost Caravan

We have to go back to March last year for our only other feature for Saltwater Sun, however their sprightly guitar sound, pleasing vocals and fresh rock feel is there in abundance on this fine new song. Emily Breeze mixes spoken word and song on 'Ego Death' a dark and brooding piece that is also very addictive, whilst the remixes take the track into some fascinating new dimensions. Fever High last graced our pages almost a year ago to the day, and their brand of vibrant Electro pop is again catchy, dynamic and hard to resist. 'Love Me If You Dare' is our second song share from Ghost Caravan whose refined music mixes subtle funk vibes, gorgeous vocals and a musical arrangement that is tight and polished.

Saltwater Sun - Blood.

Reading’s guitar pop sensations Saltwater Sun hurtle into 2019 with blistering new single Blood, the first track taken from forthcoming EP The Great Deceiver out this April.

Punctured by explosive guitars and deftly fusing elements of shoegaze and indie with the edginess of garage rock, the quintet’s typically addictive latest effort follows their 2018 return with heavyweight singles The Wire and Hot Mess, and explores a much more personal element of their songwriting.

“Since the death of my father, I’ve come to know joy as sorrow-tinged throughout each altering epoch and mundane happiness in my life”, states frontwoman Jen Stearnes on the origins of the track. “With age, I mourn less for my loss and more for his, and so endeavor to carry his memory so that he might live on through me. It’s deeply personal, yet completely universal; Blood is about finding solace in the idea that we might transcend death through lineage”.

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Emily Breeze - Ego Death (Single and Remixes).

Bristol based chanteuse Emily Breeze is set to release second single “Ego Death” on the 8th March 2019.

Recorded at Rockfield studios and produced by Stew Jackson (Massive Attack, Nick Cave, Tom Waits), “Ego Death” has already received airplay from Tom Robinson (BBC Radio 6) and was earmarked as his favourite track on forthcoming Emily Breeze album “Rituals”. This single will be accompanied by remixes from Former Bad Seed and David Lynch composer Barry Adamson, Retro Futurist improv maniacs Modulus III and Giallo Disco deviant Antoni Maiovvi.

Seductive as it is cynical, “Ego Death” is a misanthropic fantasy inspired by Emily’s unsavoury internal monologue during her bus ride to work through the bowels of Bristol town centre to an industrial estate on the outskirts of the city. A departure from Breeze and band’s trademark lounge noir offerings, this song sees (Rob Norbury lead guitar, Andy Sutor drums, Duncan Fleming organ and Graham Dalzell bass) in full synth sleaze mode to offset Emily’s tragicomic lyrics such as “I drink a joyless cup of Gregg’s coffee” and “Today’s specials are ego death coupled with a side of nameless longing”. This is dysfunctional pop at its finest for the deranged, disillusioned and dishevelled, as glossy and menacing as Pulp and as smooth and as subversive as Serge Gainsbourg.

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Fever High - Just A Ghost.

Brooklyn's Fever High released “Just a Ghost,” the latest single from their upcoming Avec You EP (out February 22).

“'Just a Ghost' is about the frights of bumping into an ex- a haunting figure that can pop up at any moment stirring up all the hurt and pain all over again. At first you try to dodge the ghost, but one day you face it and find that you've grown. That it no longer possesses the ability to hurt you anymore.”  - Anna Nordeen

 The duo — multi-instrumentalists Reni Lane and Anna Nordeen — have found fans in places like Billboard, NPR Music, BlackBook, Bitch Media, The New York Times, The Guardian, and Interview Magazine who described the group’s sound as a “fizzy blast of electro-pop.” The Avec You EP also features production from Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne, Ivy) who produced the indie-pop duo’s 2017 album FHNY and their 2016 debut EP All Work. The EP’s title track was featured on Spotify’s New Music Friday and Indie Pop playlists upon release.

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Ghost Caravan - Love Me If You Dare.

“Love Me If You Dare” is Ghost Caravan’s love letter to retro pop.

Says lead vocalist Shaina Silver-Baird, “I get to sing through the roller coaster ups-and-downs of falling for a new lover and the internal war between confidence and vulnerability, ego and doubt that is inherent in explosive love. It’s both a challenge (love me if you dare) and a plea (would you follow me?I would follow anywhere!). One of the things I love most about “Love Me If You Dare” is that, just like the emotions it represents, the track takes you on an unexpected journey; musical arrangements change and double back, beats alter, breaking your expectations. It’s somehow cool and fiery, groovy and experimental all at once.”

“Love Me If You Dare” was produced by Graham Stairs. Recording this song felt like a breeze. Despite it’s challenging nature, the band including Juliana Iannuzziello on keyboards, Michelle Faehrmann on five string electric cello and Sarah Riegler on drums and percussion has been playing it live off and on for a while now, so we already had a groove that we could sink into. The most challenging component was identifying and capturing the many layers; from two counterpoint bass parts to multiple layers of percussion and harmonies.

The song was co-written by Martha Johnson and Mark Gane of Martha and the Muffins who had a worldwide hit in the 80’s with the song Echo Beach and toured with Roxy Music. Three of their albums were co-produced by Daniel Lanois (Peter Gabriel/Brian Eno). The dance mix of another one of their songs, “Black Stations/White Stations,” was number 2 on the Billboard Dance Chart, only beaten out to the number 1 spot by “When Doves Cry” by Prince.

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