Songwriter April and the Drift releases her satirical new single ‘Garbage Rules’. Based in Australia, Copenhhagen’s April and the Drift is a singer-songwriter whose debut album ‘Shorelines’ came out in 2019 to much acclaim, with her most recent single ‘In a Prayer’ amassing over 29,000 streams on Spotify.
With wispy haunting tones drifting through a misty lo fi pop background and a creepy fairground soundscape, ‘Garbage Rules’ showcases April and the Drift’s eerie ambient musicianship. Whispered vocals coo over the floaty mysterious melody while ska rhythms and jaunty guitar add buoyancy. The songs rhythmic backbone bounces with reggae-like beats providing a cheery underbelly to the songs chilling exterior. Beautifully haunting breathy vocals add an ominous contrast while the lyrics question the priorities of modern society.
Written in a day ‘Garbage Rules’ is a thoughtful and satirical reflection of consumer culture which April and the Drift could see having a negative impact on their surroundings and environment. The way the haunting elements pivot around the cheery beats is masterful. ‘Garbage Rules’ is a lulling and eerie new single from April and the Drift.
Martha Hill has released her new single ‘Grilled Cheese’. The track is the first single off her upcoming EP ‘Summer Up North’. After being tipped as one of BBC Introducing’s “ones to watch”, followed by a feature on Jools Holland, Martha Hill is one of the most exciting upcoming artists of 2020. Funded by the coveted PRS’s Women Make Music Fund, and also a Rebalance finalist, Hill released her debut EP “Be Still” in October 2019 which received support from BBC 6music, BBC Introducing, Amazing Radio and Spotify Playlists (amongst others).
Thriving on a deep rhythmic beat, ‘Grilled Cheese’ presents Martha Hill’s engaging and edgy musicianship through a blend of soft pop and biting indie. The light verses are presented with hypnotic guitar strums between bouncy drum beats while Hill’s soft rasped vocals caress the melody. The track becomes dynamic as it builds to its harsher chorus. Crashing guitars slice with angst while a rampant bass groove and intensifying drums create the tracks raw backdrone. The song is surrounded with melodic hooks and vibrant soundscapes to create an effervescent expressive number which lyrically dissects the tumblings of a relationship. Hill crafts her music superbly and this invigorating tune is a glimpse at the potential of this talented artist.
Kodaline follow the release of their new album ‘One Day At A Time’ by sharing an inspiring new video for their current single ‘Say Something’. Directed by the band’s long-term collaborator Stevie Russell, the video is the first project from an exciting new partnership between the band’s label, B-Unique Records, and Mirriad, the computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) company, to develop and harness in-content advertising for music artists using different streaming and social platforms. It has also been boosted with participation from UNICEF.’Say Something’ represents one of the highlights of Kodaline’s ‘One Day At A Time’ album. The band’s fourth studio set has already accumulated 28.5 million streams and looks set to add a bold new chapter to a career that has included three #1 albums in Ireland, two Top 5 albums in the UK, and more than a billion streams on Spotify.
Wrapped in a blanket of melodious songwriting, twinkling soundscapes and emotional radiance, ‘Say Something’ is another heartfelt number from Kodaline. The track begins tender and sweet before building into a sway along, emotive anthem. With sweet vocals, soft harmonies and a blossoming wall of sound ‘Say Something’ follows the rich musicianship and heart rushing tenderness of ‘One Day At A Time’ in all its warm, fuzzy and glowing glory.
The ‘Say Something’ video tells a story about thinking big. In the video a toddler dreams of going into space, becoming an aerospace engineer, pilot and astronaut to make that ambition a reality before returning to earth with a bump and a tasty treat.
Askies are back with their brand new single, ‘Easy’.The band have already made a name for themselves on the live circuit- most notably growing a following in their hometown of Leeds with 2 sold out shows in 2019 and the release of their last two singles ‘Subject To Change’ and ‘Catch Up’ .
Relentless rhythms and chiming guitars abound on this tight yet chaotic track as ‘Easy’ boasts the chilled yet blustery rock of Askies. The band walk a fine line between light ethereal indie and explosive alternative for their new single. The verses meander through a mist of whining guitars and sultry teasing strums while the chorus erupts into the bands crashing and exhilarating wall of sound. Their ability to tease and lament through the rock-infused verses while weaving a rich rhythmic underbelly of refined guitar work and intelligent songwriting is what makes Askies an impressive and proficient band. The flurries on guitar soar above the rumble on bass and drums while the passionate vocals and enticing catchy melody slide into the ear with ease. Askies are building their sound beautifully and the result is this dynamic track brimming with refined, mature musicianship.
About the song the band said : “it’s a common situation in relationships, and most people would be able to relate to the same type of anger’s voiced through the lyrics, and the overall sound of the song. Easy beautifully encapsulates the complex idea of retrospection and the feelings surrounding a dissolving relationship.”
Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes From modernlove.
Photo Credit : David McGeary
Ireland’s rising Indie Pop act modernlove. have released their new single ‘If You Wanna See Me’. The band have rapidly become one of indie-pop’s brightest and most talked about new bands. 2019 saw the release of singles ‘Bop’ and ‘Liquorice’ and the bands streaming figures are at nearly half a million on Spotify.’Bop’ was also featured in a recent episode of the Channel 4 series ‘Made in Chelsea’ and earlier this year the band performed a SOLD OUT Dublin headline show in The Sound House in February.All of modernlove’s singles to date have picked up national radio support in the UK and Ireland including ‘Play Irish Artist of The Week’ by Ed Smith on Today FM, Track Of The Week on XS Manchester, radio premieres on 2FM and spins on BBC Ulster, Across The Line and Radio X
‘If You Wanna See Me’ is a cohesive ethereal electronic number that sparkles with light indie and rich rhythmic fluctuations as modernlove. provide a glimpse into their spacious, ambient and mood shaping musicianship. This track holds the vibrance and clarity of its predecessors however, ‘If You Wanna See Me’ exudes cooler tones and lo-fi textures. The track radiates ambition and tactile energy as the labyrinthine synths shimmer through the buoyant cushioning beat. As the track progresses it blossoms becoming more lush and expressive.
I have to hand it to these guys ‘If You Wanna See Me’ has beauty even within its harsher psych infused moments as well as in the shimmering lo – fi pop coating. The track is a fine example of mature, rich songwriting and immaculate production. The expanding soundscapes masterfully unfold with each musical progression teasing and seducing the listener while soft vocals caress a dreamy melody which twinkles with elements of distortion on guitars and bass.
A sublime new single from modernlove. They are a band worth keeping an eye on.
You can catch modernlove. perform their headline show in The Grand Social, Dublin on Oct 31st as part of the rescheduled Eastbound Festival.
AER Music, Fluttertone and dootdoot Records have come together to create an opportunity on the Zoom platform for artists to perform. They have called it Virtual and this week’s event hosted the amazing talents of Lucy Robinson.
I sit with many others (who are in their kitchen and various rooms in their houses) ready to watch Lucy Robinson live on Virtual. The last gig she will do as Lucy Robinson as she has changed her moniker to Nicha. It’s becoming a regular gathering on a Wednesday night and livestreams becoming the “norm” as members of the audience watch while doing the dishes, preparing their dinner, chilling on the beach or just sitting down relaxing.
Lucy Robinson is an outstanding performer. Her warm rich and rasped tone has a deeper more resounding depth than most of her singer songwriter counterparts and her songs are fun nuggets of delight. Sitting in her room adorned with green foliage, a lava lamp and soft tropical colour scheme the setting is perfect for a sunny summer’s evening. Lucy takes time to say hello to the viewers and banter with them showing her fun humour and charming bubbly persona.
Lucy didn’t disappoint. She served up a live performance interspersing raw musical talent with thought-provoking lyrics and beautiful vocals. She manages to mesmerise even within this acoustic setting. Her melodies wrap around the intricate strums and picks on guitar with ease adding to the golden radiance she emits. ‘Mustard’, ‘Poison’ and ‘Chess’ have the viewers bopping and swaying with cheery smiles on their faces. A little girl watching dances with her kitten teddy while the muted clapping and thumbs up manage to create a cosy and warm setting.
Lucy took the crowd away from the stress of the world outside to indulge in an evening of storytelling and song-craft. Her tunes are intimate and melodious as each song made the platform feel personal and comfortable. She treats the viewers to a few new songs – ‘Red and Blue’ is quite the sultry delight. With jaunty guitar striking between the smoky rich tones of her voice, it’s definitely a track to look forward to. Gearing up to release a new single ‘Devices’ on the 9th July Lucy gives us a glimpse of what we can look forward to. This golden ditty drifts upon a sweet as honey melody while the lilts through the chorus are earworm worthy. I actually woke up the next morning singing it in my head and I only heard it once. Lucy has quite the knack for crafting simple vocal hooks and her equally sweet personality is so warm and inviting it’s difficult not to be charmed by her.
A brief Q&A brings the session to an end as viewers ask Lucy questions about her influences, who she would like to collaborate with and how she deals with pre-show anxiety – I think she gave the best advice I’ve ever heard, don’t picture the crowd naked!.
Lucy Robinson is a unique artist and a wonderful singer. I’m certain the livesteam experience is nerve-racking for an artist however all the behind the scenes work with sound checks etc paid off. The end result was an entertaining, emotive show boasting an abundance of musical precision, originality and the enticing talent of Lucy Robinson.
5-piece Art-Rock band Sylvette have released their new single ‘Kelpius’. The band joined forces with New Order guitarist Phil Cunningham and fellow Bad Lieutenant band mate and producer Jake Evans to produce their upcoming album.During their four years as a band they have released a debut album, completed 2 UK tours, had support from BBC introducing, BBC 6, and had live sessions at BBC Bristol and BBC Kent. In 2019 they appeared on the festival circuit playing Dot to Dot and Kendal Calling festival. As warm ups to their new album release the band has released 3 singles over the past few months, Panel of Glass, Surrender and Memories (falling), each track pushing boundaries and creating evocative soundscapes.
‘Kelpius’ continues Sylvette’s organically progressive sound as they create wonderful textures and psychedelic mirages through soft and at times crashing soundscapes to provide a hair-raising and intriguing listening experience.The title of the track comes from the name of a cave in America which the first ever doomsday cult hid in as they awaited the end of the world.
This song is another mesmerising and evocative track from the five piece. A dark canvas is splattered with sparkling glimmers on synths while bubbling drums slap and spatter through a thick muggy atmosphere of humid electronics. The tribal whines between intimate rhythmic grooves and thrilling pulses ruminate in the background with conflicting emotions and eerie fluctuations while the warm guitar and earthy ambiance creates a sweet innocence within the track.
Vocally the band set themselves apart from their contemporaries. Charlie Sinclair’s unique vocals have a classical tone. His emotive voice not only guides and grounds the listener through Sylvette’s twisting frenetic blend of futuristic electronics and spacey psychedelia but also urges and encourages the track into its epic moments with ease.
Sylvette are masters at creating a labyrinth of texture, melody and sound within their tracks. They allow each element to flourish, blossom and build to the song’s inevitable and thrilling crescendo. Sylvette have created a sublime new track that is both hauntingly mystical and celestial all at once.
Props has released his new single ‘You & Me’. Props’debut ‘wired EP’ seeped into the world last month with nice words across the blogosphere, radio play from BBC Introducing and Amazing Radio and a spot on Tom Robinson’s Fresh Faves.
‘You & Me’ infuses smooth indie and intricate electronic beats with eclectic textures and psychedelic distortion to create a wonderful pop tune. Hyperactive keys jingle through a beat heavy flutter as Props throws sweet pop melodies over a vibrant explosive sound. The bursts of synths create a juicy, radiant atmosphere in the track as Props uses lo-fi and a rich, intricate electronic backdrop to create a dazzling and lush listening experience. The tracks’ cynical lyrics contrast the cheery bouncy soundscapes superbly which adds to the songs appeal. With a deft beat drop creating harsh edgy elements between the sun kissed sugar pop melody ‘You & Me’ is an upbeat and fun track from Props.
About the song Props said : “You & Me is an observation of human beings clearly sleep walking to self destruction. Not particularly cheerful,but hopefully the music makes up for that…’”
Santa Barbara, CA artist SODAPOP has released his second single ‘Watered Down’. Presenting a laid back upbeat indie/bedroom pop sound ‘Watered Down’ shows just how infectious SODAPOP’s sound is. From the jaunty guitar melody, buoyant beat and twinkling elements this infectious tune is a summer dream. Locked and loaded with a sweet melody and sunny atmosphere teamed with smooth vocals and richly intricate rhythm, this instantly charming track has everything to get you up and bopping all day long. ‘Watered Down’ is a wonderful display of indie-pop gold.
Brighton alt/indie band Thrillhouse return with their new single ‘Ready When You Are’. It’s quite the fizzing psychedelic pop anthem. This shimmering bite of indie pop surges with mouth watering sugary melodies, doused in effervescent synths and a whirring fuzz on guitar. The swagger and funky bass weaves between a kinetic soundscape of chiming and soaring guitars making for an utterly invigorating listening experience. Whispered vocals coo with a Brandon Flowers charisma as the band sonically slide between Depeche Mode and Soft Cell adding their own unique edge and buzz into the mix. With a sun sprinkled melody, lo fi effortless persona and illustrious soundscape ‘Ready When You Are’ is a fantastic synth pop earworm from Thrillhouse.
Stream ‘Ready When You Are’ below
Author : Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
