Ruth Lyon - trost&treibstoff - Red Telephone - Autumn - Kat Greta - Laurel Smith

Photo - Tash Barker

Ruth Lyon - Wickerman.

Newcastle singer-songwriter Ruth Lyon returns this week with haunting new single "Wickerman". Produced by John Parish (Aldous Harding, PJ Harvey), "Wickerman" is the first new music to be heard from Ruth Lyon since her 2022 EP 'Direct Debit To Vogue'. With the release of "Wickerman" and its transfixing accompanying video (directed by Sel MacLean), Ruth Lyon also announces a UK headline tour, with stops in Bristol, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, York, Newcastle, and London - following notable festival slots at SXSW, The Great Escape, Latitude and Secret Garden Party.

Known for her transportive folk songwriting and a distinctive voice which ranges from powerful and expressive to beautifully intimate, Ruth Lyon blends the raw emotional honesty and poetic lyricism of Fiona Apple with the melancholic world-building of Regina Spektor.

New single "Wickerman" reflects upon vulnerability and betrayal. A powerful expression of resilience in the face of adversity, dreamy clarinet and melancholic strings sit diffused like sea light on top of the mesmeric groove of the piano and bass with shimmering drums and guitar cutting about like fish coming up for air.

Speaking more on the release of "Wickerman", Ruth said: "Wickerman lives in the borders between lucid dreaming and painful reality and I wrote this at a time I found myself alone yet haunted. The iconography of the burning wickerman evokes the chasing away of winter through fire and ceremony, welcoming the Spring; a re-seeding of soul into new light. Unravelling life changes can be disorientating, kicking up heavy questions to ask and the only answers I found were in time, nature and spirit. I wanted to be remembered and more importantly to remember myself."

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trost&treibstoff - Widely Scattered.

Alright, the name trost&treibstoff ("comfort & fuel") might be a bit perplexing. You wouldn’t immediately associate it with a band rooted in punk and raw indie rock. But as soon as “Widely Scattered,” the new single by musician and artist Rolo Schwegler from Zurich/Switzerland, starts playing, you feel its roots. Under the name trost&treibstoff, Schwegler creates powerful indie songs inspired by post-punk and pop.

Schwegler cites bands like The Cure, Tocotronic, and Watchhouse as his influences. Although the name might be new to the indie scene, Rolo Schwegler is no newcomer. Before founding his one-man project trost&treibstoff, he released a series of albums under his own name, with evocative titles reminiscent of Element of Crime lyrics, such as Das Leben jetzt (2005) and In den Tälern zieht die Sonne ein (2009). Under trost&treibstoff, works like Thermik (2011) and Warten auf die Gegenwart? (2013) followed.

So, what’s the story behind “Widely Scattered,” the new single by trost&treibstoff? “The song tackles a topic that most of us deal with more or less regularly and that can occasionally make life hell. The lyrics tell the story of a woman who has such vivid nightmares every night that she wakes up drenched in sweat—and her strategies for coping with it. The harmonies are designed to offer comfort and act as an antagonist to the whims of neurotransmitters,” explains Rolo Schwegler.

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Photo - Rhianedd Sion

Red Telephone - Faithful.

After a string of single releases, Cardiff’s Red Telephone finally unveil their excellent sophomore album today entitled Delay The New Day a rebellious manifesto wrapped in melodic psych and darkwave textures. Drawing inspiration from MGMT and St. Vincent, the Welsh quintet crafts a cinematic journey that blends industrial post-punk grit with haunting electronic noir. Alongside the album, they surprise fans with a brand new music video for the album’s lead single ‘Faithful’

At its core, Delay The New Day emerges as a fight for meaning and sanity. A defiant statement against institutional pressures, the band positions creativity as a powerful tool for individual resistance. “It’s not about any one thing, it’s as much about asking questions of yourself as it is answering them” 

Lead singer Declan says of the album “We’ve always found ourselves fighting pressures to fit in and play the game. Sometimes it’s seductive and you’ve really got to fight those temptations, so we wanted to use the creative process and our instincts as a guiding light. The whole process was about embracing a spirit of independence”

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Autumn - Venice.

US ethereal-darkwave trio Autumn (Minneapolis, MN) have unveiled ‘Venice’: the second single and video to be revealed from their forthcoming new album, Songs About Dying. Neil McKay (guitar) and Jeff Leyda (bass) generate a hypnotic, amniotic whorl of pulsing electronics, flickering guitars, and driving bass and drum-machine: echoing a sense of Venice’s transition and movement down through the ages, edging ever-near to a watery grave. It is a backdrop befitting vocalist Julie Plante’s impassioned lament for the ancient city’s uncertain future, whereas the song also celebrates Venice’s endurance as a symbol of romance and majesty, as Plante explains.

“Venice is on one level about the death of a city, in that nothing remains unchanged. Everything we experience in this world, all that we create, it is all in a constant state of transition, whether we realize it or not. Venice is a striking example of slowly drowning under the weight curated by our actions and inaction. Venice is also one of those iconic places that we hold a romantic hunger for, a celebration of decadence in spite of everything going on around it. We want to immerse ourselves in it, even as our collective hunger creates the environment that threatens its survival. So, for that reason, this track is also about resilience, and that beauty, once created, can never truly be destroyed. Its continued existence gives me hope for my own.”

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Kat Greta - Summer Daze.

Fresh from her regional Victoria and NSW tour, multi-instrumentalist and dynamic artist Kat Greta returns with her latest single, 'Summer Daze' (out Friday, Jan 31). With its unique, modern-60s and joyful sound, the track captures the vibrancy of the Australian summer while showcasing Kat’s original and free-spirited style.

For Kat, 'Summer Daze' is a deeply personal project that took years to perfect. “I feel like I’m sharing my most authentic self in this song,” she explains. “Recreating the essence of the ‘60s in a new way was a challenge—it’s not the kind of song that people would expect to hear these days. This song is my love letter to the Australian summer, but it’s also about holding on to the things that matter, especially as I navigate my own cultural identity. As both of my parents are unwell and I’ve lost close family members recently, I’ve been reflecting a lot on what it means to preserve traditions, memories, and the feeling of belonging. This song is my attempt to honour those pieces of myself—my Italian heritage and my connection to Australia—while embracing change.”

Drawing inspiration from icons like Burt Bacharach, The Seekers, and The Beatles, Kat has crafted a sound that feels both nostalgic and fresh. Her melodies evoke a timeless warmth while embracing a modern energy.

At its core, 'Summer Daze' is a love letter to the Australian summer, a reflection of how Kat’s connection to the country’s traditions shaped her artistry. “The Australian summer has always been a part of my identity—beach days, family gatherings, sunsets, and the warmth that comes with it. It’s a reminder of the simplicity and beauty of our traditions,” Kat shares. “But, as we know, traditions can be fleeting. This song is about cherishing what makes Australia so unique, and finding joy in the moments we can hold on to—especially in the face of change.”

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Photo Tom Seager

Laurel Smith - pink gun.

North-London alt-provocateur Laurel Smith releases her incensed new single 'pink gun'. An exhilarating expression of female rage, on 'pink gun' Laurel gives a voice to the suppressed anger and frustration of women who consistently experience sexism, gaslighting and disrespect, through a torrent of breathless vocal runs and cavernous, brooding beats.

Speaking more on the release of her new single - Laurel said: "I wrote pink gun when I was holding in a lot of anger from my experiences as a woman throughout life. I have felt spoken over, belittled, not taken seriously, gaslit (and at times) unsafe, uncomfortable and taken advantage of. I know most girls and women have felt and experienced all these things too and internalise these feelings. I want them to let it out. pink gun was my outlet and something that made me feel empowered so I hope it will do the same for my listeners."

Grapples with identity, explorations of female empowerment, examinations of human relationships; the protagonists within Laurel Smith's music are rebelling against expectations, challenging societal norms, finding their place in the world. A "hip-hop kid" at heart, Laurel Smith was born into a family with rock and heavy metal at its core. Those two disparate worlds can be heard within Laurel's potent, shapeshifting creations, with her new music radiating an energy and confidence of an artist revitalised.

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Lavinia Blackwall - The Subtheory - Red Telephone - Neev - Stay Lunar - Jesse Roper

Lavinia Blackwall - The Damage We Have Done.

Lavinia Blackwall’s work with prolific Glaswegian psych-folk outfit Trembling Bells has earnt her a reputation as one of the best voices in the scene, many critics have likened her singing prowess to that of Fairport Convention singer Sandy Denny. Along with Trembling Bells she has released seven full-length albums and performed as the backing band to folk legends Bonnie Prince Billy and The Incredible String Band’s Mike Herron. In 2020 she releases Muggington Lane End, her debut solo album released under her own name. In 2021, she and Laura J Martin released Wyndow, the debut self-titled album from their new psychedelic-pop project.

Now, Blackwall is releasing her new single ‘The Damage We Have Done’, a powerful dose of folk-rock and the sign of new things to come. Inspired by Percy Shelley’s ‘Ozymandias’, the single is about the brevity we have on this planet. “It’s about the fact that we can't take anything with us, hoping to leave behind something meaningful and the hope that one day we'll all meet again. The realisation that there is an environmental and spiritual consequence to the lives we choose to lead,” says Blackwall.

Recorded at ‘The Barn’, the studio Blackwall shares with her partner and producer Marco Rea at their home in Hardgate, Scotland. “We really went down the rabbit hole with this one,” says Blackwall, speaking of the recording process. “Strings, thumb piano, far too many guitar parts. I must have recorded the vocals about 60 times and was really struggling to get it right, but we got there eventually,” she says. “With the chord progressions and circular movement of the verses, the sound of it is very individual. I don't think it sounds like anything else out there right now”.

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The Subtheory - Cut To Black.

The Subtheory set out their stall early for a busy 2023 with an ethereal, atmospheric new single; Cut to Black.  Eerie piano leads you to floating, airy synths, jangling guitars laid upon a descending bass groove with Cate DeBu’s melancholy cautionary tale of a life spent playing the odds on both sides.  

There is an intriguing contrast between the sweet, dreamlike quality of the music and melodies juxtaposed with the harsh and slightly bitter tang of the lyrics. “There will be a certainty for those who like to bet..”

The Subtheory are building a head of steam as they springboard of a successful 2022 with a series of releases planned throughout Spring off the back of a number of live shows in the UK as well as mini European tour in early Summer. Cut to Black is available from today March 31st 2023 on their Bandcamp as well as Spotify, Amazon, Apple Music and more.

The Subtheory · The Subtheory - Cut To Black

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Red Telephone - Hollowing Out.

Hollowing Out, the debut album from Cardiff-based five-piece Red Telephone will be released on 31st March 2023. The dystopia-tinged album deals with themes of alienation, identity and monotony, as well as exploring contemporary social dilemmas such as the trappings of ambition in a saturated pop culture age, the pervasive nature of modern media and social media fatigue. Sonically, the band draw from an array of influences; ranging from Berlin-era Bowie, brooding synth-led film soundtracks such as Blade Runner and Uncut Gems, the art rock of Kate Bush and St Vincent, as well as modern electronic pop artists such as MGMT, Mitski and Tame Impala.

Speaking about the upcoming album, singer Declan Andrews said; While putting together ‘Hollowing Out’ we were really getting into synths; drawing quite a bit on brooding, synth-led film soundtracks like Blade Runner, Scarface and Uncut Gems. Part of this was out of necessity - it was the initial 2020 lockdown when I wrote most of the songs in my bedroom and I’d got my hands on emulations of classic synths which gave me free reign to really explore this territory of sounds. I also had the free time to watch and rewatch a lot of movies such as those just mentioned. All of this definitely crossed over with the band’s prior love of film, Bowie’s Berlin-era sound, his work with Iggy and albums like Little Dark Age by MGMT too.

Basically, those dystopian soundscapes that evoke a lot of mood and imagery. As a band we’ve been drawn to them for a while, especially since visiting Berlin and exploring Bowie’s stomping ground (quite run down and not very touristy areas) but also after playing Tallinn Music Week in 2019. The post-Soviet landscape was pretty striking in parts of Tallinn and we discovered bands like Molchat Doma for the first time, who were using synths and electronic elements in ways that got us excited and has definitely rubbed off on our approach since.

We really wanted to integrate these sounds and influences into a modern sounding record rather than just looking back though, so we spent a lot of time getting the bass and low end sounding as big and distinctive as possible - we were really influenced by the likes of Kendrick Lamar in this respect. Similarly, dystopian themes seem as relevant as ever; with the saturated and pervasive nature of modern media which the album explores lyrically, as well as topics like social media fatigue and alienation.

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Neev - The House.

Scottish indie-folk artist Neev has released new single ‘The House’ ahead of the release of her debut album, Katherine, on April 28th via Trapped Animal. Since the release of her debut single in 2019, Glaswegian artist Neev has built a reputation for discovering beauty in the small details. Katherine, a collection of intricate indie-folk songs that pack a lyrical punch. The album carries all of the trademark sounds of Neev’s previous releases; acoustic guitars, soaring string arrangements and layered backing vocals can be found throughout, but this time they’re bigger.

Every song on Katherine is tied to the idea of identity. “Each song explores the different facets of an individual,” explains Neev. “Them as someone’s child, someone’s sibling, someone’s partner. Someone as the gender (in my case, female) they identify as, someone as the job they do,” she continues.

New single, ‘The House’, was written from the point of view of someone who had big dreams but ignored those wants and now feels too old or past it to pursue them. The speaker finds themself trapped in a domestic setting - The House - and instead of feeling like it’s a place of comfort or joy, it's a place that traps her.

Of the single, Neev says: “When writing this song I certainly had in mind the stereotypical trope of a classic 50s housewife, stuck at home with a very prescribed set of tasks and interests they were allowed to explore. In this song, and in other songs on the album, I found myself exploring the woman’s relationship to art and their constraints within that. Historically, women with creative interests were often encouraged to explore those things as hobbies rather than occupations and I think this song touches on the idea that there existed a lot of women in history that weren’t able to explore who they truly were creatively due to societal constraints.”

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Stay Lunar - Distance.

Following on from earlier single, 'I Like It When You're around', Stay Lunar present their next in a long-line of fantastic singles, 'Distance'. It's been a long run to this point for Stay Lunar, but as the tracks keep coming out the sound gets tinges of a band nearing the fully formed and developed sound.

'Distance' has the sound they've carried so well through their career, the ever-so-present and versatile sonic that always feels like it could soundtrack a film, but there's something slightly more immediate and certainly more forthright about the band's latest offerings.

'Distance' is the launch pad of the band's much promised change in direction, not that it was needed, but chief writer in the band, Harry, has always intended to push the boundaries of the project and 'Distance' is the first real slice of Stay Lunar's take on the Are-These-Guys-Really-English sound.

Taking cues from their British contemporaries like Far Caspian & early stage SPINN, whilst nodding to the likes of Day Wave and The Drums further afield, Stay Lunar are offering a quintessentially British take on a much loved and revered sound. Of the track, singer Harry Leigh said: "Distance is a song about running away from your problems, and how it always catches up with you one way or another."

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Jesse Roper - Make It Work Out.

Based in Victoria, BC, Jesse Roper has amassed 11M+ streams on Spotify alone with his penchant for writing modern indie infused blues music and delivering bombastic live performances buoyed by his virtuosic guitar playing.

"Make It All Work Out" is the first of multiple energetic, fresh, soulful and r&b inspired tracks produced by famed JUNO-nominated producer Gus van Go. The forthcoming LP harkens the voices of JJ Cale, Leon Bridges, Alabama Shakes, while maintaining Roper's strong and unique expression in the genre.

The DNA of the new single is about how Roper recognizes that his life’s structure can make it difficult for someone to attach themselves to him in a way that feels like their dreams and goals are getting satisfied too.

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Dearly Beloved - Red Telephone - Kristina Dervaitis - Surf Friends

Dearly Beloved - Trees Dream Of You.

Toronto barrage rock sextet Dearly Beloved have released their latest single, “Trees Dream Of You,” from their upcoming new album, Walker Park, due out this Friday via Sonic Unyon Records. Discussing “Trees Dream Of You,” songwriter/producer/bassist Rob Higgins called it a battle of ego vs. nature… “the majesty of forests, and their righteousness, to me, is inspiring. If only humanity could be more like a forest.”

The follow up to 2019’s Time Square Discount, which was written entirely while on the road and recorded in a two-week blitz with Daniel Rey at Dave Grohl’s Studio 606, Walker Park took shape while Higgins was writing and recording at home, in his Phoebe Street studio, to cope with the pandemic. While brutal for all, the lockdown provided a never before experienced freedom to work patiently and use the studio as an instrument itself, eventually mixing the album with bandmate and Slow Pineapple production partner Tyler Beans.

The sessions delivered thematic ambition, sonic verve, and evocative playing in spades, while never skimping on the scorched-earth riffs Dearly Beloved have become known for. The work and craft that went into the album conveys the deeply weird world in which it was spawned - “Listening back now, the record appears to reflect the absurdity of those times,” notes Higgins.

For the past 16 years, the Beloved’s collision and fusion of pop and hardcore sensibilities, melody and menace, has offered up unabashed stoner rock coiled like smoke around a magma core of psychedelic post-grunge. Walker Park anchors itself in the lessons learned and launches the band on an exciting new trajectory. “The songs started as super long bass and drum jams I built myself at home,” explains Higgins. “I’d play for like 15 minutes and record it all. Then I’d go looking for good bits. Once whittled into a form I’d send the song to the band to freak out on.” Of the 16 finished tracks arising from those sessions, 10 eventually coalesced as Walker Park, with songs selected to reflect the zeitgeist in a cohesive way while also communicating a narrative arc.

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Red Telephone - Waiting For Your Good Days.

Cardiff post-punk outfit 'Red Telephone' are set to release their highly anticipated debut album 'Hollowing Out' on the 31st March 2023. The only single taken from it 'Waiting For Your Good Days' is out now.

Hailing from Cardiff, Red Telephone’s richly layered alt-rock could have emanated from a club in Blade Runner's dystopian LA - combining angular guitars, Krautrock-inspired rhythms and New Wave-tinged synths with infectious pop sensibilities. Drawing on post punk and synth pop influences, the band has been catching the attention of DJs across BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 1, Absolute Radio and Radio X; with comparisons to the likes of MGMT, Super Furry Animals, Mitski and Berlin-era Bowie being drawn.

The band have recently appeared at BBC 6 Music Fringe Festival, Focus Wales, Swn Festival, Other Voices and Llangollen Fringe, supporting Warmduscher. With previous single releases on Welsh-based labels Libertino Records and the Popty-Ping Recording Company, the band's highly anticipated debut album is set to be released in March 2023.

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Kristina Dervaitis - Everything & Nothing.

When I released my first album, I was still in a bit of denial about my future as a musician. It still didn't seem real. I was a midlife Obstetrician/Gynecologist who had only just started songwriting and performing, and suddenly I found myself releasing music for the first time.

This time around for my sophomore album, Quickening (April 2023), things are starting to feel more real! The album was produced by Canadian singer/songwriter Matthew Barber who has worked with the likes of Noah Reid.

My new single, "Everything & Nothing," is about denial. More specifically, climate change denial. I over think, over read, over want, over need everything and nothing…

Sometimes a sign is right in front of our face, but we're too close to it to fully grasp the meaning – we look past it and tell ourselves an alternate story that's more palatable. But this can be dangerous – some signs just can't be ignored without grave consequences. Though this song may seem like an ominous warning, I hope you're able to enjoy the music and focus on the positive side of life too - Kristina Dervaitis.


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Surf Friends - Something Real.

Indie two-piece Surf Friends make their welcome return with the announcement of their first full-length project in almost four years - Sonic Waves - out digitally and on CD March 17 2023 via Flying Nun Records. Sonic Waves sees the duo of Brad Coley and Peter Westmoreland joining forces with long-time producer, Mark Howden, to take on new musical directions, whilst retaining their dreamy psych-surf energy that put them on the musical map all the way back in 2009, when they debuted their self-titled EP.

The album was mostly written and recorded between 2019-2021, and is their first full length release since their hypnotic 2019 offering, Doing Your Thing.

Surf Friends say of Sonic Waves that “the focus of the record was to keep it raw and more distorted than previous releases. Most of the tracks’ guitars had separate channels recorded via a Peavey Rage 108 distortion amp - as a side note, Jeremy Toy (She’s So Rad, Leonard Charles, Sommerset) put this together like 25 years ago for Brad when he was his guitar teacher! Mark Howden also pushed us a bit in production, which was cool.”

To celebrate the announcement of Sonic Waves, Surf Friends have revealed the album’s first sun-drenched single, ‘Something Real’. From the sound of the song’s first strums, the dynamic duo take their listeners on a visceral sonic ride that embodies the weightless, euphoric feeling of hot summer days. The song is accompanied by a self-directed music video which perfectly captures the organic, carefree sentiment that the song emits, featuring Brad’s camping adventures with his kids and a few other bits of surfing footage.

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Red Telephone - Gumshoe - Jessie Munro - Ghost Caravan - Piney Gir - MAWD

Red Telephone - Victoria Park.

Background - There is a timeless quality an other-worldly melancholic sadness that hangs on every passing note from Cardiff's most exciting psychedelic night urchins Red Telephone latest single 'Victoria Park'. It could be a long lost song from the 1966 'Blow-Up' soundtrack, The Yardbirds covering Syd Barrett in the minor key! 

Yet 'Victoria Park' is very much about today, the sound of a band transcending their influences to create a confident and thrilling world within their songwriting. As the bands singer Declan Andrews explains of the recording process. "we wanted to create a striking and recognisable landscape of sounds without overwhelming the core song. It could have easily ended up full of baroque-sounding parts but in the end we found ourselves taking parts away and opening up space"
  
The song itself "was written around loose recollections of Victoria Park in Cardiff, where I used to go every now and again as a child. I didn’t set out to write about that place but the core song and lyrics came out quickly. It’s mainly just a rumination over the passing of time condensed into a song and Victoria Park just happens to be the place used as a springboard to explore those ideas. It’s probably because 

Victoria Park has quite recognisable monuments such as the pool and bandstand which are easy to recall, even if they were peripheral to my experiences there when I was younger. There’s something romantic about parks anyway and there seems to be a strong relationship between parks and time too, especially with the memorandum benches and how a lot of them don’t change all that much compared to the people who visit them."  TWITTER.

'Victoria Park' is a cascading psychedelic song that is immersed in sixties cultural musical charm and yet some how it manages to be both fresh and relevant today. Having fond childhood memories of summer holidays in the latter half of the sixties, this track could have easily been on Radio Caroline or Big L in those British golden offshore radio days. That bands like Red Telephone are putting their own stamp and interpretations out there, leaves me very content and pleased. 

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Gumshoe - Barking At Shadows.

Background - Gumshoe debut first single "Barking at Shadows" off their upcoming album "The Governor's Brother" due out November 16th . The music of Athens GA's Gumshoe is an ever-changing structure built on the foundation of frontman Andy Dixon's "weirdo-as-Everyman lyrics" (Flagpole Magazine). Formed in 2011, the band its debut album The Bad Route Down in 2014, and was nominated for an Athens Music Award in the Americana category the following year. 

With the addition of free jazz drummer John Norris in late 2014, Gumshoe took on a sharper edge, pumping out "lean, darkly evocative rock songs with vivid imagery" (Flagpole). Bassist Jef Whatley came on board in 2017, rounding out the current trio formation.

Dixon honed his writing with short fiction and long poetry, along with a half decade as a sports journalist at newspapers from south Georgia to Philadelphia. He stumbled into music by making several albums of sound collage and experimental electronic under the name monkE. At age 28, he picked up a friend's guitar and began to put words and music together.

Informed by his compulsive reading of crime noir novels, his extended stays in Zen monasteries, and a habit of hiking in the Georgia woods that dates back to his days as an Eagle Scout, Dixon's lyrics cover a "schizophrenic landscape so full of split personality that Tom Waits seems reasonable in comparison" (Flagpole). Topics range from questioning one's own sanity amid dizzying celestial math, to tragic, drugged-up rural misadventures and a woman whose dreams are not-unpleasantly frequented by the ghost of the scoundrel Richard Nixon. FACEBOOK.

Laid back and cool 'Barking At Shadows' is a bluesy alt rocker, with plenty of Americana overtones. it's slick, relaxed and the lyrics are intriguing and delivered just as these genre styles should be.

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Jessie Munro - I'd Like To.

Background - Twenty-three year-old Toronto born, Los Angeles based artist Jessie Munro has been mesmerizing audiences worldwide, with her stunning soulful vocals and sleek, modern-electro R&B/pop. Finding her start in classical music and musical theatre, Munro went on to attend the prestigious Berklee College of Music, propelling her songwriting abilities and giving her the musical maturity which is evident throughout her music. The soulful songstress is now preparing to release her Debut EP On My Own, a six-track release which tackles the stages of post break-up.

On My Own tells the story of living through bleak heartbreak, with relatable honest lyricism and beautifully poetic melodies, it’s an EP of reflection and contemplation. Narrating the feeling of being alone, the pain of unrequited love and finding courage and confidence to move on, the release is an authentic story of a lost love. Influenced by artists such as Carole King, Daniel Caesar and Charlotte Day Wilson, Munro describes “we were trying to harness old school classic sounds and marry them with modern sounds”.

Leading single 'Under Fire’ features a strong, melodic bassline which rides fluidly atop the driving drums and Munro’s soulful, dreamlike vocals. Thematically, the song focuses on the pressures of social expectations and constantly feeling scrutinized by others. Munro reflects on how she felt she was “under fire” from everyone in her life and the song is the realization that other peoples opinions aren’t always definitive. Inspired by Lianne La Havas and her technique of fusing lyrics with melody, Munro explains “the intent of the lyric is brought to life with a melody that evokes that same emotion” and this is clearly apparent throughout the single.

‘If Your Eyes Could Talk’ showcases ethereal soundscapes and minimalistic melodies, which still pack an impact through Munro’s smokey vocals, delivering a song of quiet intensity. Featuring notes of jazz and pop all underpinned by a soul underscore, the track is brought to life with it’s refreshingly vibrant chorus. The single succeeds in sonically portraying the emotions of a relationship and is a truthful depiction of a breakup, which establishes Munro's signature sound and sets the tone for the rest of the EP.

Munro has come a long way from coming in sixth place in CBC’s search for Dorothy in its 2012 Over the Rainbow series, produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Having already performed to sold out audiences across the globe, as well as receiving critical acclaim, the singer is now ready for the next chapter of her musical endeavour, with On My Own currently available worldwide. TWITTER.

The third of six tracks on the new E.P. 'On My Own' is the addictive 'I'd Like To'. Jessie Munro's is described as having "soulful vocals with sleek, modern-electro R&B and pop/rock instrumentation." That in fairness is both concise and accurate, and the E.P. really does explore differing musical directions in a cohesive and often catchy manner, so expect a whole lot more than just the featured piece.

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Ghost Caravan  - Damn You.

Background from Ghost Caravan - Ghost Caravan is a group of collaborators lead by myself, Shaina Silver-Baird. My music is about dark places, but I focus on finding the light, the moment when you realize your own strength and ability to move forward. 

I want to be proud to share my songs with young women. There are so many voices in the world telling women how to think and feel about themselves. I want to be the voice that celebrates women. I want empower and uplift people.

On my forthcoming record T.O. Confidential, I collaborated with members of the Weeknd, Grand Analog, Hill Kourkoutis of the Launch, Martha and the Muffins, the Four On The Floor String Quartet and many others.

There were so many amazing artists who collaborated on this project. It felt like a whole village came together to make this record and I’m so grateful to that community. I love creating music with other people. The end result is so much better because of the many points of view, different opinions and experiences that are woven into each song. FACEBOOK.

'Damn You' is a song brimming with character and a whole load of melodic hooks. Shaina Silver-Bairdare vocals are a delight as they engage and draw you into the atmosphere and feeling of the song. Upbeat, a little funky and overflowing with charm, it comes with a very fine video to round matters off.



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Piney Gir - Dreamcatcher.

Background - Piney Gir follows up her recent single “The Great Pretend” with another dose of bittersweet pop delight in “Dreamcatcher”. Written at a difficult time, it was inspired by the wilderness and freedom, using driving desert rock to celebrate dreams and warn of dangers ahead. The song is about taking risks and living life on the edge. Swirling psychedelic synths are punctuated by twanging guitar, riff-led basslines and punchy saxophones featuring dreamy vocals spinning to infinity. The track features members of Gaz Coombes’ band, with whom Piney has been touring over the past year, as well as Tom Greenhalf (Man Without Country) and Sweet Baboo on saxophone.

Piney explains more about the track: “I wrote Dreamcatcher when I was in a dark place, it seemed like absolutely everything had gone wrong, love, work, health, family “best friends” not being good friends, just general hard knocks and feeling pretty isolated while facing some pretty big life stuff. Outwardly I was projecting the usual cheery Piney because that’s what everyone expects from me, but I was the lowest of the low; the lowest I’ve ever been, pretending to be happy was making that isolation even worse. The only way I know how to cope with that emotion is to channel it into something creative and my default setting is hopeful, I am always looking for the silver lining no mater how dark the clouds are.  Music is a healthy outlet for me. I feel the most myself when I’m doing music stuff.  When I said this album was about mental health, it really was. Without wanting to sound dramatic, I think making this album saved me from utter breakdown. Music is my mental health stabiliser, I feel very lucky to have it as an outlet.”

London-based Piney Gir originally hails from Kansas and has for many years been a prolific and prodigious musician, spanning various genres from electro to alt-country to folktronic to 60’s retro pop to krautrock. She is currently working on album number seven and her new material lands at art pop with angles and creating a real world of sound with deliberate spaces and spikes. There are still echoes of the signature Piney sound, with strong melodies, tuneful riffs and twisted lyrics that sound sweet at first listen and evolve to some kind of dark twisted storytelling. Piney’s inner Laura Palmer emerges with a tender bitter-sweetness, reminiscent of post punk basement bars and cherry martinis.

Piney heads out on the road in October to play some of her new songs, with shows in Oxford and London. She has a headline, single-release show at Sebright Arms in Hackney as well as a demonstration of her new venture “Drunk Cookery”, a punk zine cookbook of healthy and quick recipes for those late nights when you get home from the pub in desperate need of sustenance, with loads of rock’n’roll references, including using songs instead of timings. WEBSITE.

We featured 'The Great Pretend' back in the middle of June and now we have 'Dreamcatcher'. A rhythmic alt rocker, there is something hypnotic and engrossing about this song, the music and vocals are intertwined, as it quickly develops a level of intrigue, that's hard to let go of. 

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MAWD - Wandering Eye.

Background - California’s soulful rock’n’roll artist MAWD has a new release an infectious blend of gritty guitars, soulful vocals and hard hitting melodies. Entitled ‘Wandering Eye’.

MAWD is the moniker of Madeleine Mathews, a California singer songwriter and multi instrumentalist (piano, guitar, ukulele, bass, accordion & banjo), whose influences include, The Head and the Heart, The Staves, First Aid Kit, Nancy Sinatra, Lord Huron, and the Alabama Shakes.  MAWD’s sound gravitates towards an eclectic mix of genres including indie rock, folk, folk rock, retro rock, and blues rock. The soulful, textured timbre of Madeleine's vocals is diverse and ranges anywhere from a breathy sultry folk/blues vibe to a powerful Janis Joplin-esque/Karen-O belt. 

Born and bread in Northern California, Madeleine made her mark in her hometown of Placerville playing original songs at a weekly local open mic. She  found an even larger audience in Chico, CA, where she attended CSU, Chico's music program.  She quickly became a part of the blossoming local Nor Cal scene fronting and writing for various bands and winning local singer/songwriter competitions, resulting in TV and radio appearances and press. Madeleine's stunning live performances and the unique vulnerability, power and shear beauty of her voice caught the attention of Roger Gisborne of Los Angeles based indie label Sound x 3 Records, who immediately signed her and sent her to Scandinavia to tour.  As a result, she was invited to perform for several international festivals, including the Irish, YouBloom Festival.   

Gisborne produced and released MAWD's first EP during Madeleine's last semester of school and brought in Brian Lucey (Arctic Monkeys, Black Keys, Beck, Cage The Elephant, etc.) to master the record, which received critical acclaim from noteworthy tastemakers leading MAWD to SXSW and a southwest tour with a new line-up of top British, Irish and American musicians, known as the "MAWD Squad". TWITTER.

We go back to March of this year for our first taste of MAWD. With our second feature 'Wandering Eye' we have a music video that is full of sixties imagery. Close your eyes and you have a modern soulful and energised mixture of funky blues with hints of modern folk. It's also exceedingly catchy!


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