Son Little has a new album due out at the end of January and has just released 'Mahalia'. It's getting on for two years since we last featured him, this song reminds me of just how good his mixture of classic soul and timeless R&B is. === More Than Ruins have today released 'Black Lines' the trio came together earlier this year, resulting in this gorgeous indie pop song, with more tracks in the pipeline. === London based Ned Roberts has a new single and a video for 'Wrong Side Of You' a melodic, flowing and refined modern folk song. === A band who we have featured a number of times Moderate Rebels have shared 'Every Cheat You Meet Sings Love Songs' today and it's only around on line until the end of the month, but will return as part of a triple album next year.
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Son Little - Mahalia.
Son Little, the musical nom de plume of LA’s Aaron Earl Livingston, will release his new album, aloha, on January 31st via ANTI- Records. aloha blends classic soul and old-school R&B into a timeless swirl fueled by gritty instrumental virtuosity and raw, raspy vocals.
Recorded at Paris’s iconic Studios Ferber with producer Renaud Letang (Feist, Manu Chao), aloha is Little’s first album to be recorded with an outside producer. The result is his boldest, most self-assured statement yet. It’s an ambitious work of vision and reflection, and an ecstatic testament to the freedom that comes from trusting the currents of life to carry you where you belong.
In order to create aloha, Little began writing and assembling album demos in Petaluma, California. However, after his hard drive fried and he lost nearly a dozen detailed demos, he was forced to begin with a blank slate, leading him to write aloha in only eight days at a tiny house and its adjacent barn. While Little plays nearly every instrument on the album himself, he put his songs in the hands of an outside producer for the first time here. The entire project was an exercise in letting go, in ceding control, in surrendering to fate.
Recognizing the power of our own self-destructive tendencies is a recurring theme on aloha. Little mourns the suicide of a beloved uncle on “suffer,” using addiction and mental illness as a lens to explore forgiveness and empathy, laments the rapidly deteriorating world his two children are set to inherit on “o clever one,” and meditates on the dangers of succumbing to passion at the expense of reason on “belladonna.”
It would be easy to feel helpless in the face of such inexorable forces, to feel as if we are prisoners of fate rather than masters of our own destiny, but Little instead finds peace in perseverance on the album. “Hallelujah,” he sings on the gorgeous “never give up,” “though I’m battered and blue / feel like I’m born to lose…Never will I give up.”
It is a potent reminder that letting go doesn’t mean giving in; in fact, quite the opposite. Letting go can be an act of defiance, of growth, of empowerment. Letting go requires a leap of faith, and, in Son Little’s case, that faith has been richly rewarded. Whether that means this album represents the end of one chapter or the beginning of the next is impossible to know just yet, but in either case, there’s really only one thing to say: aloha.
More Than Ruins, is a Berlin based band formed in 2019 by songwriter/guitarist Charlie Grant, vocalist Jule Escherhaus, and producer/songwriter Ainsley Adams. Charlie and Jule met at a songwriting session and immediately clicked, writing what will be the group’s first release on the same day of meeting.
Charlie played the song to Ainsley, who instantly loved it and decided to have some fun producing it. Together, the three transformed a sparse acoustic demo into something more cinematic and atmospheric.
Great chemistry and a shared love for dreamy, wide screen pop music was discovered. The trio are currently writing more material.
London-based Folk musician Ned Roberts is excited to announce the release of his new single Wrong Side Of You on December 6th 2019. This upbeat track is the first track to be released from his eagerly awaited new album DREAM SWEETHEART due for release next year on Independent record label Aveline Records.
Ned’s music, which has drawn comparisons to the likes of Tim Hardin, Nick Drake and Leonard Cohen, has a timeless quality and a poetic turn of phrase. His songs sit comfortably amongst the classics of the Laurel Canyon era.
The genesis of single Wrong Side Of You began on the road in Germany. “It’s about travelling to escape - yet your mind is still inexorably drawn back home” says Ned. "The song sat around for quite a while, and it was only after a breakup that its meaning began to crystallise. It’s strange how your relation to your own songs can change significantly and mould to a new set of circumstances and feelings. There’s a yearning for the West Coast in there too. It’s where I always record, the sun always shines, and I feel creatively alive”.
DREAM SWEETHEART is Ned Roberts third album, and his third with producer Luther Russell (Richmond Fontaine, Fabiano do Nascimento, Sarabeth Tucek), recorded in Los Angeles in Electrosound Studios. His eponymous debut was predominantly a solo affair and garnered significant national press, including rave reviews in UNCUT and The Guardian.
Sera is an artist we last featured in June and who has now shared a video for 'Into The Woods'. I loved 'Rabbit Hole' and the new song is truly on a par with that, as the singer songwriters talents continue to shine. === Softly opening the new song 'Numb by Zoë Phillips slowly builds into a melodic, charming and personal sounding affair. === This makes it three songs in three months on Beehive Candy as The Just Joans release 'Wee Guys (Bobby's Got a Punctured Lung)' another fabulous track and teaser for the album 'The Private Memoirs and Confessions of the Just Joans'. === Last Friday Frank Mighty's Hotline released 'What am I to do' an organic and restrained rock piece where John Traboulsi's vocals are just perfect.
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Sera - Into The Woods.
'Into the Woods' is the follow-up to Sera's acclaimed 'Rabbit Hole' single which was released in June to acclaimed reviews, and extensive radio support. 'Into The Woods' is a continuation on the theme of twisted fairytales, and will be released digitally via CEG Records / Pyst Distribution on the 4th of October.
'Into the Woods' is a response to the reoccurring plot-line in stories and films, where women are often chased into the woods by bad men, pursued by monsters or face great peril amongst the trees. Into the Woods instead becomes a place to grow, gain strength and face your fears. Sera's new songs will continue to follow in this theme of the mythic-surreal rooted in very real experiences. The track is taken from SERA's collection of songs for 2019 and from her new collaboration with producer Andi Bonsai.
Sera hails from Caernarfon in North Wales and is a busy bilingual (Welsh and English) performer and songwriter, part of the CEG Records family. Earlier this year Sera was selected as a part of BBC Horizons programme, in which the BBC back a dozen of the freshest acts in Wales and provide them with festival showcases and industry opportunites.
Drawing from experiences within mental health, ‘Numb’ acts as an antidote in which the pairing of direct lyricism and striking vocals creates a sound that is both soothing and instant. Featuring atmospheric guitar soundscapes, and supported by production from gold and platinum record songwriter & producer Jack Gourlay, this emerging sound could be compared to the likes of Billie Marten and Lucy Rose.
This is the first of a collection of new songs inspired by Zoë’s recent solo traveling trip across the world, with further single releases in the run-up to a forthcoming 2020 EP.
With previous features across BBC Introducing, BBC R1 and BBC Radio 6 music, Zoë’s vocals have also been primetime playlisted on MTV Dance. The track ‘Learn To Swim’ reached the iTunes top 50 singer-songwriter chart and a remix of Zoë’s original song ‘Boat’ has clocked up over half a million Spotify plays.
Live performances include the Rabbit Hole stage at Glastonbury Festival, Sofar Sounds and a recent support slot to Hannah Grace at the ‘Never Fade Records’ showcase (Gabrielle Aplin’s label).
The Just Joans - Wee Guys (Bobby's Got a Punctured Lung).
The Private Memoirs and Confessions of the Just Joans is a deeply personal collection of songs that hazily recall the past and contemplate the futility of the future. At the forefront remain the mischievous lyrics and heartfelt vocals of siblings David and Katie Pope, aided and abetted by Chris Elkin on lead guitar, Fraser Ford on bass guitar, Arion Xenos on keyboards and Jason Sweeney on drums.
A titular twist on the classic gothic horror novel The Private Memoirs and Confessions of a Justified Sinner by compatriot James Hogg, the new album is the follow-up to 2017’s You Might Be Smiling Now… and contains the kind of melodies and mockery that led Uncut to class the band as the point at which “Stephin Merritt lies down with The Vaselines.”
The Private Memoirs and Confessions of the Just Joans is a veritable smorgasbord of misery, longing and unrequited love; stories of small town resentments, half-forgotten school friends, failing relationships and awkward workplace conversations. As David explains: “It’s a collection torn from the pages of the diary I haven’t kept over the past 25 years. There are songs about places and people I vaguely remember, feelings I think that I once may have felt and the onset of middle-aged ennui.”
Despite entering new territory with the addition of brass and strings, they have nevertheless maintained the DIY ethos that made them darlings of the underground indie-pop scene, with each song on the album recorded and produced by the band in various gloomy bedrooms around Glasgow.
John Traboulsi is Frank Mighty's Hotline. A solo project that started in his bedroom 5 years ago, John will tell you ‘It’s about time I released these songs’. With a classical guitar upbringing and a love for classic and indie rock, John strings together catchy, neo-psychedelic tones with a glimpse of the soulful classic rock on which he was raised.
When offered the opening slot for Said the Whale on their As Long As Your Eyes Are Wide Open tour, John contemplated the idea of a music career. When life brought him to the UK, his love for Brit Pop allowed him to shine as a solo artist playing intimate venues around the U.K. Upon a move to Toronto, John adopted the moniker Frank Mighty's Hotline, and, quickly, the commercial potential drew comparisons to Bon Iver, The War on Drugs, and Glass Animals.
With poignant songwriting, catchy hooks, his gritty, soulful vocals will be available for all ears come the release of his first single, Intertwined, on November 15, 2019, followed by the release of What am I to Do, last Friday.
Charli Adams may be a newcomer (I'm quoting below) however 'Backseat' is a confident and imaginative alt rocker of sorts that exudes class. === West Wind share 'River' the band only formed last year however this is a smooth and tight musical excursion that takes dance music close to the border with sophisticated rock. === Four years on and Sea Wolf returns with 'Fear Of Failure' an indie rock song with a good helping of folk sensibilities. === Songwriter and a creative one at that Walter Martin shares the delightful and extremely catchy 'That's All I Need' an exotic song that conjures up so many fine mental images. === From South London we have the five piece bandMargot with 'In Your Palm' a dreamy, laid back and lush song oozing class. === Known for their cinematic pop Fassine have just released the rather gorgeous song entitled 'Limbs' - expect a whole load of beautiful musical hooks. === With a stylish video The Hempolics introduce 'Full Of Surprises' a song with some beautifully deep dub and reggae moments, alongside a fresh and more modern feel. === We finish today's selection of new and good tunes with a music video from Aqua Seca and the track 'Slowdrive' a song where decades of rock music come together in a fusion of old meets new.
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Charli Adams - Backseat.
Drifting seamlessly into the alt-rock landscape, newcomer Charli Adams excels with stirring lead single Backseat, the first track lifted from debut EP Good At Being Young, out 31st January via Color Study (Haux, Henry Jamison, Rosie Carney).
Growing up around rural Alabama through broken homes and a conservative Christian family, Adams left her life there as a cheerleader at 17 and moved to Nashville to pursue music, setting about creating a wealth of material somewhat unbecoming of her adopted hometown. Evoking comparisons to contemporaries Phoebe Bridgers, Angel Olsen and Sharon Van Etten with her fiercely anthemic tendencies, the alt-rocker’s songwriting tackles her formative years, and the ensuing friendships and hardships, coupled with romance and heartbreak.
Discussing Backseat, an ode to the tail-end of adolescence, Adams explained: “The night before I was heading into the studio to finish the EP, I was on a drive with two of my friends on some back roads outside Nashville. It was the first time our conversation had ever felt robotic to me, like small talk among close friends. So I turned up the music and put my head out the window and tuned out for the rest of the drive. I went home that night to write Backseat and I immediately felt like it was the missing piece of the EP”.
Live Date: 31 Jan – The High Watt, Nashville (EP launch).
Upon the release of lead single River, Ulladulla outfit West Wind set their sights on a golden horizon of their warmly understated and deeply irresistible selection of soulful dance tracks on their EP Sundown. West Wind are a four-piece band who distill elements of funk and downtempo dance genres into a style of dance music that tastefully balances the acoustic and electronic. Producer Marc Andrews and singer Mitch Fa’oa's songwriting dynamic elicits the sensual juxtaposition of deep house escapism and indie- dance approachability. Their EP, Sundown, will be released January 24th, 2020 and supported by an east coast tour. ‘When the wind blows west, where we live the ocean is clean, the weather is crisp and everyone’s having a good time. That’s the vibe we want at our gigs.’ - Marc Andrews.
The single and the other three songs on the EP were produced and recorded independently in Marc’s home studio. River is a crystalline exploration into dance genres as agile guitars and effervescent synths get people moving. The lyrical theme follows the excitement of seduction, contrasted with the downfalls of single life, an emotional flow held only by a focused groove.
West Wind began in 2018, with Marc Andrews producing and Mitch Fa’oa on vocals. After the release of their debut album Vision of Her, the band expanded to include Mark Beasley on bass and Zach Lucas on keys, allowing them to build a live show that gained strong support locally. This larger dynamic allows greater interplay between the Marc’s electronic techniques and the vitality of a supporting band.
Across the four tracks, Perfume with a confident air and raspy melodies, Hollywood’s easy ability to sass a late night workload through to Stay Calm’s chillingly reflective state, Sundown sets a refreshing tone for house sensibilities and soulful desires. The band plan to share this sophisticated sensation on a tour of NSW’s east coast, with plans for Wollongong, Sydney and the Gold Coast to come. The ‘Sundown’ EP by West Wind is out January 24th, 2020.
Los Angeles-based artist Sea Wolf has released a moving new track titled “Fear of Failure”, his first new music in four years. Showcasing lush, indie/folk melodies and carefully crafted lyrics, “Fear of Failure” is a raw, contemplative song that highlights the power in vulnerability and bravery in the face of fear.
“For me, this song is both incredibly personal and very much about the world we live in,” explains Sea Wolf leader Alex Brown Church. “It took a long time for me to get to a place where this song could come out, so it feels really good to finally be sharing it.”
Sea Wolf first captured attention with the breakout track “You’re A Wolf” off the debut full-length Leaves In A River. He has since released two more studio albums and one stripped-down LP, establishing a reputation for his poignant delivery and dexterity as a songwriter and garnering positive coverage from NPR Music, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, The New York Times and more. After experiencing several significant life changes, Church returns with his most personal and intimate material to date. The heartbreakingly honest “Fear of Failure” is a breakthrough moment that showcases his ability to gracefully illustrate deep, complicated human emotions, while also offering a sense of hope by the song’s end.
Renowned songwriter and Walkmen co-founder Walter Martin will release his new album The World At Night on January 31st via Ile Flottante Music. Produced by multi-instrumentalist Josh Kaufman (The National, Hiss Golden Messenger, The War On Drugs), the album is Martin's most richly orchestrated and grandly cinematic collection to date, as well as his most poignant. Today he shared two new songs from The World At Night: "The Soldier," a vivid character portrait sung from the perspective of his 96-year-old grandfather-in-law, and "That's All I Need," a burst of humor and celebration about familial love.
He remarks about "That's All I Need," stating "I guess I just wanted a moment of pure joy on the album. I think it adds depth to the whole album. In my mind it's more about familial love and not really romantic love - more like about a longing to be loved and to be with the people you love."
With sweeping strings and lavish horns fleshing out his spare, understated vocal delivery, The World At Night calls to mind everything from Leonard Cohen and Tom Waits to Randy Newman and Harry Nilsson. Dedicated to his dear friend and late Jonathan Fire*Eater bandmate Stewart Lupton, it balances soul-baring intimacy with sophisticated arrangements as they walk a delicate tightrope between despair and hope, faith and doubt, security and uncertainty. In addition to Kaufman, the album features an all-star cast of musicians including Sam Kassirer and Zach Hickman (Josh Ritter), Stuart Bogie (Arcade Fire, The Hold Steady), Rob Moose (Bon Iver, The National), and pianist Thomas Bartlett (Glen Hansard, Norah Jones).
Lupton's memory looms large on this record and his spirit informs the music in ways both explicit and implicit. Album opener "October" sets the tone from the outset, pairing exuberant music and ominous lyrics about fate and mortality as Martin sings, "The trees have gone bald / Guess the world is getting older / October is here." It's followed by the title track "The World At Night (For Stew)" which grapples with the confusion of loss and draws much of its imagery from a collage that Stewart made that now hangs above Walter's writing desk. In a recent interview with Billboard, he stated, "I'm not really a religious person, but I do believe in ghosts and in magic and in plenty of beautiful stuff that I can't see. Writing this album - and especially this song - was an effort to get closer to that stuff. And to Stew."
South London 5-piece Margot share new single In Your Palm alongside an animated video directed by Jenny Wright, and announce the release of their debut Margotzeko EP which follows on 7th February 2020.
Margot are drawn to what they describe as “melancholy’s softer side”, and of all the tracks on the forthcoming Margotzeko EP, In Your Palm is most indicative of this. A dreamy waltz of a song where the band’s usual fusion of hazy neo-psych, dream-pop and jangle guitar - which pulls influence from Real Estate through to The Smiths - is replaced with late-night smoky romanticism.
In Your Palm could be a break-up song, with the soft hues of frontman and lyricist Alex Hannaway’s vocal taking on an emotive troubadour tint. However, as with all Margot’s songs which are often bittersweet character studies with an eye on the minutiae of modern human existence, there’s a much deeper social-political undercurrent. In Your Palm is an ode, of sorts, to disillusioned teachers. As Alex expands “It’s about a teacher feeling that their job to teach is becoming untenable due to the outsourcing of schools to corporations driven solely by profit.”
Taking a literal cue from the song’s title, Jenny Wright’s animated In Your Palm is set inside a hand, with the palm a springboard into different locations inspired by the meanings of the lines within palm reading. In Your Palm and the Margotzeko EP from which it is taken was recorded and mixed by Ben Andrewes of Margot at the band’s home studio in Peckham, London and out of hours at a studio in Kings Cross where Andrewes’ works. It was mastered by Kevin Tuffy at Alchemy Mastering.
In Your Palm is released now as a stand-alone digital single with Margot’s debut Margotzeko EP following on 7th February 2020.
Cinematic pop creators Fassine return with ‘Limbs’, a typically dramatic and chaotic single that sees the London trio chart heavier, more aggressive waters. With previous acclaim and support from the likes of The Guardian, The Independent, Giles Peterson, Clash and more, Fassine bring back their genre-bending take on alternative electronic music, and it’s even bolder than before.
‘Limbs’ is replete with punishing, reverberating guitars, war cry howls and thunderous drums. Of the track, Fassine say: “Limbs is the warfare waged over someone else’s well-being. The silence of the middle while all around are screaming.’’
While ‘Limbs’ does possess glimpses of the filmic and vivid qualities Fassine became famed for on ‘Gourami’ (2017) and Dialectik (2016), for the most part it shatters any preconceptions you had of the trio. “One limb / give him two limbs / give him something / just wrap your heart around him’’ Sarah Palmer sings on the chorus, her macabre words perfectly complementing the apocalyptic backdrop.
“We try to create small vignettes of people’s lives, their flaws, their strengths, their beauty, their ugliness. We put ourselves in their world, look from their perspective and the songs are our own little plays. Every song we create is a different story tied together by people's consistent inconsistencies", the band added. ‘Limbs’ reveals just how comfortable the band are in this new skin.
Since their last release, Fassine have been busy on our screens, their XTC cover of ‘That Wave’ appeared on the Sky Arts documentary on the seminal band, This Is Pop. Their track ‘Whatever It Takes To Help You Sleep’ played as the backdrop to Netflix’s first feature film Velvet Buzzsaw, and their track ‘Leaves’ was featured on Oprah Winfrey’s Queen Sugar.
The Hempolics return with ‘Full of Surprises’, the first single from their forthcoming second album ‘Kiss, Cuddle & Torture: Volume 2’, planned for release in April 2020 on their own record label Zee Zee Records via Kartel Music Group. The single has already gained support at radio from BBC 1Xtra’s David Rodigan, 6Music’s Steve Lamacq, Don Letts and 6Music Recommends.
“Musically I wanted to make something completely different to ‘Boss Clock Me Style’, which was one of the singles of our debut album to make it onto the BBC 6Music Playlist,” recalls Grippa Laybourne about what he defines as a “dark, winter Portishead trip-hop meets dub track but with Nubiya’s pop vocals.” Expanding on the production of the song, the renowned mixing engineer and record producer explains, “we used synth bass instead of live bass to create an even darker, dirty sound. Bass leads the way on the track,” he strongly declares.
Filmed in the dark, lost corners of London and directed by Blue Laybourne - known for directing videos for the likes of Maison Margiela X Highsnobiety, Puma and Novelist - the visuals complete the song’s lyrics and its story - perfectly depicting the band’s lead vocalist Nubiya Brandon’s past experience.
“It’s a window into my 17-year-old self,” reveals Nubiya talking about the lyrics she wrote for “probably the darkest and introspective song I’ve written”. Recalling her favourite moment after a party “when all that was left was me and a few close mates,” a time she could stop being “the overly flamboyant person at the party” that wasn’t really her. The title ‘Full of Surprises’ is about people not always seeing the real side of her personality in social situations. “I don’t really party so crazily anymore due to London’s dying venues and house parties being not what they used to be,” she adds, reflecting on a version of herself she’s largely left behind.
The Hempolics’ blend of Reggae, Hip-Hop, Dancehall and Pop has already been heavily supported across UK national radio by BBC Radio1, BBC 1Xtra, BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6Music, where the band had three playlisted singles. They went on to have 6Music ‘Album of The Day’ and were subsequently chosen by Liz Kershaw's pick for 'Album Of The Year', after an impressive live session for Lauren Laverne. The Hempolics are Grippa Laybourne (Dub FX, Keys), Nubiya Brandon (Vocals), Dandelion (Vocals), Harry Collier (Vocals, Guitar), Leon King (Guitar), Lorenzo (Bass) and Craig Boorman (Drums).
Aqua Seca releases their music video for their single, “Slowdrive.” Trent Hankinson and Derek Stewart decided to take on the music scene following the attention they received for the music video for their previous single, “Whipped Cream,” which garnered over 12k views on YouTube not long after its release. The original idea for “Slowdrive” came to Trent a little over two years ago and now the music video brings their vision of a thoughtful night alone to life.
"As the name entails, the song really came to stand for the kind of place of you get to on a long, lonely drive. Alone with your thoughts, just you and the road. Nobody else around, just you thinking things through, really getting deep into your head." - Trent Hankinson
In “Slowdrive”, the audience is introduced to Trent as he walks to his car that is parked on an empty dirt road. The sun is starting to fade into the horizon while Trent puts his truck in drive. He rides slowly into the night, stopping to watch the nighttime take over the sky a few times. Alone with his thoughts, Trent appreciates the time he has to himself with his car, music, and an open road.
The guys have known each other since they were freshmen in high school and have always enjoyed jamming out together in their spare time. At the time that Trent began writing the songs for the upcoming LP, focusing on music was the last thing he should have been doing. He was a full-time student in college with an overloaded class schedule and an internship, with his songs just voice memos he had on his phone. When Trent decided to stop holding himself back from his dream, he reached out to Derek and Jacob to be permanent fixtures of Aqua Seca. Like Trent, Derek and Jacob had other commitments such as a full-time apprenticeship and school. However, the pull towards their music was not something any of them could ignore and now the songs are more than just melodies in Trent’s head and memos on his phone. “Slowdrive” is dominated by the force of Trent’s guitar playing, Jacob's bass, combined with the driving beat of the drums and high-hat played by Derek. “Slowdrive” is perfect for fans of early Tame Impala and Led Zeppelin.
Trent Hankinson (main vocalist and guitarist) is in charge of the entire writing, recording, and production process; and with Derek Stewart (on drums), and Jacob Horne (bass, guitar, and keys) they are ready to take on the music world.
Hussy has released 'YLMD' where her creative alt pop has a rockier edge as Sophie Nicole Ellison impresses us big time. === Lannigan poses the question 'Where Do We Go From Here?' his vocals urging for an answer on this melodic bedroom pop track. === Duo Tall Heights share 'Under Your Skin' a blissful, melodic song with an atmospheric and gorgeous vibe. === Our second feature for Smoke Fairies following 'Disconnect' (just over a week ago), they are back with another fine rocker 'Elevator'. === Talking of quick returns to Beehive Candy Albon is back with 'Big Sur Theme' we described his last track as "a refreshing and bright sounding piece" something he is clearly good at creating. === Swiss band Dirty Sound Magnet have a new video for 'Social Media Girl' the distinctive psych rock band are in splendid sonic form. === Scottish bandJohn Edge & The Kings Of Nowhere have a new song and video for 'It Calls' a beautiful folk rock track. === Finally today we have a second appearance here by Jennah Barry with the beautiful and tender folk song 'Pink Grey Blue'.
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Hussy - YLMD.
HUSSY, the moniker of Sophie Nicole Ellison, has been tucked away in South East London creating her trademark alt-pop sound, perfectly encapsulated in newest offering, ‘YLMD’. The multi-instrumentalist moved from North East England to London and has been playing drums for various bands and working as a studio engineer. During this time, she started writing for HUSSY, her avant-garde dream pop project.
Having only released three singles since October 2019, she has quickly worked up a reputation as one of the most exciting new alt-pop acts around. Like (Sandy) Alex G, Jay Som, Ty Segall, Sophie plays, produces and layers all of the instrumentation entirely herself. Gathering support at DIY, So Young, The Line of Best Fit and Clash, she recently supported FEELS and Lala Lala, whilst also being invited back to The New Colossus Festival in New York for 2020 after playing this March.
A pivotal release for HUSSY, ‘YLMD’ is the first track to have spent longer in the studio than Sophie’s bedroom with a particular focus on production: “I really wanted to up what I’ve been doing sonically. Before now I’d been recording nearly everything at home but went to a proper studio to redo some elements from the original home demo.” As a talented musician, being a multi-instrumentalist became a kind of superpower: “The whole process became a reaffirmation of how/ why I make music the way I do. Playing everything myself enables me to immerse myself in the creative process and in the end became a form of self-empowerment, something I wanted to prove to myself I could continue to do”
Although the message of ‘YLMD’ is moody, musically it feels “dramatic and fun, inspired by new wave ballads with some conflicting noise underneath.” Sophie explains “I could almost say at this stage it has become a love letter to self-empowerment and things going wrong. You can guess once you hear the lyrics, YLMD stands for You Let Me Down. I wrote it a few years ago and feels like it’s almost taken on a new meaning for me now than when I wrote it. Originally it was the frustration over seeing loved one’s self-destruction. Ultimately though, it’s a journey of reflection and self-empowerment.”
Emerging as a completely independent artist, HUSSY’s steady rise seems shrouded in strength and she puts it best herself: “This song has become a reminder of how important trusting yourself is to me."
Fresh from a creative slumber, Sydney bedroom-pop act Lannigan have dreamt up a single for the tender hearts and those lost in love with Where Do We Go From Here.
The silky guitars and pillowy synths in Where Do We Go From Here are the perfect support as Lannigan explores the feeling of uncertainty experienced in a relationship when you’re not sure whether staying or going is the right thing to do. His calm but sonorous voice leaves you staring into the ceiling, exhaling, relaxing into the songs charmingly therapeutic vibe.
Lannigan is the studio project of singer-songwriter Ben Roach. The project started in 2015, when Ben started working closely with producer and high school friend Luke Payne. The initial stages of the project were made up of mainly love songs played and written on acoustic guitar. However, after years of writing and recording music together, their partnership has developed and the sound of Lannigan has matured immensely with their debut single High attracting positive reviews from Eastside 89.7FM and was even added to Good Intent’s Weekly Playlists.
Majority of the track was recorded at Parliament Studios in Leichardt, Sydney. The mellow maturity of the song’s production belies the extent of the how fully the sentiment sits within the confusion and yearning of young love, Where Do We Go From Here has a low-key approach to a good groove and but a rousing sense of song. All things considered, Lannigan know exactly what they’re doing.
From playing on the streets of Boston to now performing in venues across the globe, the duo of Paul Wright and Tim Harrington, together known as TALL HEIGHTS, have built a career from the ground up, diligently as a relentless touring act. It’s been a journey of consistent evolution for the longtime best friends – everything from instrumentation to production to the size of their band has changed throughout the years, hand-in-hand with an ever-growing audience of listeners. Yet with all of this change, there remains a distinct DNA that courses through the entirety of Tall Heights’ music. The potency of their sound cannot be credited to harmony alone, but rather a unique union of two distinct voices that makes the music inarguably their own.
Tall Heights’ story begins just outside of Boston in Sturbridge, MA, where Paul became close friends with Tim’s elder brother. Two years Tim’s senior, Paul grew up in a family of classically-trained musicians, taking up the cello at a young age, while Tim, the middle brother of three boys, grew up in a household largely devoid of music. While Paul was a consistent fixture in Tim’s life, it wasn’t until high school, when they both took up playing the guitar, that the two began working on music together. Paul recalls, “This kid who had been my best friend’s little brother, not someone I had ever felt connected to, was suddenly my best bud with a shared dream.” Tim echoes the statement, describing himself as the “eternal little brother” and musing on the disparate beginnings that eventually evolved into the musical partnership it is today.
Flash forward to 2018 and the twosome continue on their biggest winning streak yet; with 130 million streams under their belt and touring alongside the likes of Ben Folds, CAKE, Judah & the Lion and Colony House, they now gear up for their sophomore album Pretty Colors For Your Actions. Co-produced by Oliver Hill and Steve Wall (both of whom worked with the group on their 2016 LP Neptune), the 11-track album is a sonic universe where man-made instrumentation meets grandiose, contemporary production. Stepping back from the production-heavy, synthetic palette of Neptune, (itself a reaction in part to the acoustic instrumentation of 2015’s Man of Stone), Pretty Colors For Your Actions was recorded with a live band in-studio, creating what Tim describes as, “something much more alive and tactile,” than their previous work.
Smoke Fairies have released ‘Elevator’, the lead single and the latest to be teased from their upcoming new album ‘Darkness Brings The Wonders Home’ (out January 31st 2020). ‘Elevator’ finds Smoke Fairies at their most fierce and riff-heavy.
Talking about the origins of the song, Katherine Blamire explains “Someone said to me ‘I never say goodbye in elevators’ and then the doors rolled shut and I whizzed off upwards. The exchange spurred this song - there is no way of knowing what is going on in someone else’s mind and sometimes it just feels like you’re kind of lost, like being in an elevator stuck between floors, trying to figure them out”.
“The song is set in Hollywood. How many weird exchanges, miscommunications and career breaks and falls must have taken place inside of Hollywood elevators?”
In support of the release of ‘Darkness Brings The Wonders Home’, Smoke Fairies will play an 8 date UK tour, their first full headline tour in the UK in 5 years. It follows a sold-out single launch show played in London last month in association with Rough Trade to celebrate the release of a limited edition 7” picture disc of tracks “Out Of The Woods” and “Disconnect” (which sold out on pre-order and landed the band at #3 in the UK Vinyl Singles chart).
LA-based singer-songwriter Albon creates folk inspired indie rock falling somewhere between the dreamy lineage of The Beach Boys, Grizzly Bear, (Sandy) Alex G and the whimsical soundtrack to Disney’s 1953 rendition of Peter Pan.
Albon, originally from Chicago, has clearly taken in what California's Pacific Coast Highway has to offer, as his new EP Dream Weaver/Bee Keeper shines with motifs dealing with loss, exploration, and a general sense of wanderlust. The music is perfect for those long drives where you zone out and effortlessly seem to have a deep emotional journey play out in your mind. Furthermore, it’s interesting that Albon cites Peter Pan as a defining influence, as his material is indelibly linked to the nostalgia of his youth and the darkness and power associated with attaining your childhood dreams.
Alexander B. Lappin aka Albon, began making music in his Northern Chicago suburban bedroom at the age of 12. Initially, he played his dad’s nylon string guitar upside down. Lappin quotes, that playing the guitar upside down was most likely caused by his learning disabilities which included symptoms similar to ADHD. Currently, Albon’s style of writing is informed by “upside down mind” as he tends to write songs backwards, starting with the end and working his way to the beginning of the song. Lappin’s public musical career has been somewhat limited due to his perfectionist qualities, as he has a library of over 150 plus finished songs, but has only released 14. Plublossums (2014), was Albons first attempt at creating a cohesive body of work, as he wrote, engineered, and recorded everything on the record. The album was eventually picked up by LA tape label Hellhole Supermarket.
Clearly, leaps and bounds have been made as Albon’s new EP, Dream Weaver/Be Keeper, embraces space when necessary yet allows for bursts of dense sonic compositions to enlighten the listeners experience, driven by sincerity, exploration, and heavy pop hooks. The songs are embellished by myriad of orchestral instruments and interesting pop production techniques such as pitch shifted vocals and soaring harmonies. The EP was recorded at Tropico Beauty, a studio created by LA’s native Hartunian brothers which opened one year ago, but has none the less hosted acts such as Devendra Banhart, Alex Bleaker (Real Estate), and Florist amongst many other reputable artists. Dream Weaver/ Bee Keeper was tracked with the help of artist’s Cameron Wisch (Porches), Alexander Babbit (LAG), and Sasha Smith.
A few weeks after the official release of their new album 'Transgenic', Swiss psych-rock alchemists Dirty Sound Magnet just unveiled a brand new official music video for the song "Social Media Girl", available right now on YouTube.
Dirty Sound Magnet is a psychedelic rock power trio from Fribourg, Switzerland. To members Stavros Dzodzosz (guitar, lead vocals), Marco Mottolini (bass, backing vocals) and Maxime Cosandey (drums, backing vocals), their collective means so much more.
Dirty Sound Magnet is a lifelong pursuit built on a feverish, border-line-religious passion for music and a common set of guiding values and beliefs.
The three state it plainly: “there is no plan B”. Their dedication is unconditional, unequivocal, and unavoidable. Not one of the members has been engaged in any side projects since the band’s formation a decade ago; Dirty Sound Magnet offers them a musical framework without any boundaries to their creative expression.
The band’s DNA can be traced back to the ancestral ‘Golden Age of Rock’ (60s, 70s), but it would be incorrect to think that DSM is...“retro”. The musicians are inspired by contemporary artists and modern production techniques, pushing the boundaries as they see fit. The results are personal, unique and original.
Simply put: the Dirty Sound Magnet experience is a mystical journey back to the future…
Glasgow/Edinburgh based band ‘John Edge & The Kings of Nowhere’ have just released the first single ‘It Calls’ from our upcoming album. The song could be described as euphoric folk-rock. Their debut album ‘Only Fear Dies’ will be released at the end of January with a tour to follow.
John Edge & The Kings of Nowhere provide an energetic live show with songs about love, truth, death, and the miraculous fragility of life. The Edinburgh and Glasgow based group are genre defying, yet perhaps best described as euphoric folk-rock.
The band carry an abundance of raw power, melodious songs, huge dynamics, and all is fused together and driven by Edge’s enchanting lyrics and totality on stage. Everything they have to offer is poured out in their performance; passion is abundantly clear. Each of the members hail from the Scottish Highlands and the dramatic landscape of their upbringing can be heard in their songs.
Jennah Barry, who hails from Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, is sharing her new single, 'Pink Grey Blue'. The new music arrives in tandem with the details of her second album, 'Holiday' which is due for release via Forward Music Group on March 27, 2020.
Produced by Colin Nealis (prev. Andy Shauf, Aidan Knight, and musician in Foxwarren), 'Pink Grey Blue' follows on the heels of the CBC-tipped first single, 'The Real Moon'. Once again detailing Barry's knack for intricate guitar-playing, the new single further outlines her compelling way with narrative whilst tackling the important topic of body dysmorphia – writing from the perspective of her own mind, instructing her eyes to view her body with love and care.
Jennah, who's beguiling vocals lead for comparisons to Bedouine and Natalie Prass, previously built audiences across Canada and Europe with her 2012 debut album Young Men before having to halt her career in 2015 with emergency vocal surgery – a frustrating time for Barry that partly inspired the new record. Following the release of the new album, Jennah will tour the UK in the spring (dates tbc) following previous dates opening for the likes of Ron Sexsmith, Jenn Grant and Rose Cousins.
