MYA Project is the alternative, electronic/acoustic pop creation from Dalila Mya. Originating from Europe, now based in Los Angeles, this musical creativity comes from a background of classical training combined with a Sound Engineering Degree. MYA Project is a fusion of electronic and acoustic music, where Trip-Hop meets World Music and Pop Rock. Dalila’s background has seen her work as a Live Sound Engineer, working with artists such as Tool, Depeche Mode, Alabama Three and Massive Attack. Besides her live work, she has worked as a Studio Sound Engineer for several studios in England and the U.S.A., including Abbey Road in London and The Village Studio in Los Angeles. She has now released her new track ‘Something That Good’. It is the second single from the album MK. Possibly the most captivating and intense song on the album it was written and recorded in only 3 days. With a sticky flickering beat glooping and slapping against flickering electronics it’s a smouldering dark entrapment of peril. Wobbling soundscapes add a chilling mirage of obscurity, cold and sticky it is almost suffocating. Mya’s luring vocals entice and enchant with a bewitching melody that swallows you up in a confusing delusion of smoke. The melody wisps around like vapours creeping in your ears – you are powerless to its catchy entanglement. A haunting thrilling second single from MYA Project.
The video for the single was shot and produced in Los Angeles by Dalila Mya, who produced and edited the video in her own studio in partnership with, videographer and visual artist J.F. Brown.
Watch the video for ‘Something That Good’ which was shot in one day in one of the historical venues in L.A. – the Hollywood Hotel below
Since the release of their first single ‘Avalanche’ which we previously featured on Indie Buddie, in May, The Screens have been locked away writing and arranging tracks for the release of their album in 2018. Included in that batch of new material is their next single ‘Jennifer Jones’ which will be available from Friday 13th October. This sweet blend of theatrical pop swirls and swishes with fine elegant composition. The graceful strings and a delicate piano feature glide along with grandeur and innocence. The lush melody captures your heart as it melts like butter on toast. Though dramatic and oozing romanticised flamboyance there is a dark underlining tone filled with danger and mystery. The Screens lay their tracks out like a narration of a tragic love story, the music expresses a beautiful and naive love that goes sour and treacherous. With light bouncy soundscapes this infectious track skips and hops along though holding a shadowy undertone. With rich instrumentation and sublime melodies, it’s a magnificent composition with a 60’s and 70’s film and TV characterisation. Another stunning track from The Screens.
When asked about the track the band said “its a story of a girl who falls helplessly in love with a guy who manipulates her mind and destroys her independence.”
Hammy & The Pilgrim is a four-piece alternative rock band from Limerick. The band honed their skills by appearing informally in the vibrant local music scene, playing acoustic and electric sets. Now playing gigs all over the country the band have begun to draw large crowds as support for nationally recognised acts such as Le Gallaxie & Hermitage Green. As a result of their ‘Put It On Ice’ single launch in July they were selected to play this year’s Electric Picnic. Most recently, Hammy & The Pilgrim have released their second EP ‘Nothing To See Here’ to a sold out launch show at the Kasbah Social Club, Dolan’s, Limerick.
‘Nothing To See Here’ displays how Hammy & The Pilgrim have developed their own blend of melodic bluesy tinged alternative rock. ‘Riding High’ adds a snappy nostalgic start to the EP. Elastic bass lines teamed with bouncy drums creates a flexible peppy foundation while the honey smooth melody coats the track in nostalgia and mellow tones. It’s catchy and subtly anthemic. There are some pretty sweet guitar moments in the EP which really shine and add a vibrant lift to each of the tracks. ‘Bow your Head’ is laced in a dreamy lush melody and punchy percussion with the perfect air guitar worthy shredding solo as the icing on the cake. ‘Put It On Ice’ adds a speckle of reggae infused bounce and a dash of vitality to the EP. Hammy & The Pilgrim have created a collection of smooth dreamy tracks richly layered in hazy golden guitar lines and luscious melodies. It’s mellow and melodic with just enough vivacity and buoyancy to have you bopping and grooving. ‘Nothing To See Here’ is a tight polished EP that shows real promise from Hammy & The Pilgrim.
Stoke/Manchester based band Fears Chella have released their new single ‘Lush’. The track follows the success of their last single ‘Girlfriend’, which earned the band playlists slots with Ditto Music, Spotify, Hattie Pearson and Shell Zenner along with BBC Introducing ‘Track of the Week’, support from Huw Stephens on Radio 1 and a plethora of media. With upcoming shows supporting The Big Moon and MISFIRES, whispers of a headline tour around the corner and previous shows headlining a stage at Dot To Dot, slots at Threshold and Sonder Festival as well as slots supporting All Tvvins, Honeyblood, LIFE, King No-One and PINS these guys are really grabbing attention and making their sound heard.
‘Lush’ is a juicy burst of refreshing indie pop. Smooth and breezy these guys glide in on an effortlessly cool wave of sun soaked indie sprinkled pop with a hint of grunge underneath. Dreamy lavish soundscapes swish around sharp guitar stings and a soft bouncy beat. It’s anthemic with a catchy chorus and exhilarating instrumentals. It’s an adrenaline rush of youthful bliss. Sugar coated and sweet yet blustery and raw. Fears Chella keep their sound edgy and polished at the same time to create a hazy dreamy, airy almost chaotic 90’s tinged indie banger. To put it simply it’s well ‘Lush’.
Reading Indie four piece Mellor have released their new single ‘Bone Idle’. The band consisting of members Gary, Sam, Kris, and Josh have had a whole host of national and regional media support from the likes of Absolute Radio, BBC6 Music, BBC Berkshire, BBC London, and BBC Introducing. Labelled by Alt Reading as “one of Reading’s most exciting acts”, they bring a live show packed with high energy, raucous vocals, big guitar riffs, and pounding drums. The bands dedicated following is steadily on the rise thanks to shows up and down the UK sharing stages with the likes of The Kooks, Frankie & The Heartstrings, Carl Barat & The Jackals, Flyte, and The Milk.
‘Bone Idle’ is a snappy infectious buzz filled blast of indie rock. Energetic and high powered it sends shivers down your spine creating groove induced dance and shimmy symptoms. Punchy drums slap against shredding razor sharp guitars while elastic bass rebounds with vigorous stamina. Its fizzing instantly catchy indie rock that explodes with youthful energy and some slick piercing guitar moments. With a delectable melody and anthemic chorus ‘Bone Idle’ is destined to be epic live. Raspy vocals and intricately weaved instrumentation add a nice little gritty texture and multi dimension to the track. Once again Mellor knock it out of the park with this peppy effervescent track. These guys just keep on belting out some pretty slick bangers.
Leeds indie rock five-piece Atlanta House have released their new single ‘Cold Love’ which is taken from their upcoming ‘Home’ EP due for release September 29th.The band who have receive slots supporting Circa Waves, Marsicans and King No One, as well as performing Tramlines 2016 and the inaugural Kazoopa Festival in November 2016 have built a reputation in the local music scene through energetic shows and memorable hooks. Consisting of members Matt Hirst (Lead Vocals), Jake Ingleson (Rhythm Guitar & Backing Vocals),Luke Williams (Lead Guitar), Nigel Ngwenya (Bass Guitar & Backing Vocals), Connor Carbutt (Drums & percussion) the band have also released a video to accompany the new single.
‘Cold Love’ is a dark throbbing breezy indie rock track. Thudding drums back a luring eerie verse while guitars glisten and flicker in-between. The chorus blasts in with a catching pop drizzled melody while blistering guitars stride, piercing against rich textured percussion and smooth swagger filled vocals. It’s anthemic and mighty with sharp injections of breezy stinging soundscapes. Passionate and melodic it strikes you with a melancholic melody and powerful intricate instrumentation. The rumbling elastic bass and sliding guitars brings the shadowy bridge to life creating a hair raising effect. The track builds to a massive crescendo featuring soaring instrumentation with crashing guitars and meaty drums. Atlanta House have created a track that is immensely emotive and explosive yet chilling and eerie. Slick and radio friendly it’s polished but maintains enough rawness to keep it sharp and thrilling.
The Only Ocean are a four -piece atmospheric rock band from Lompoc, CA — a town most notable for its high security prison and its annual Flower Festival. Friends since junior high, the band taps into a level of unity that is typically only achieved by sibling groups, like the Beach Boys or the Jonases, their tight modern grooves locking together to support a soft bed of crackling guitars and soaring vocals. In 2015, they released their self-titled debut album, a polished collection of dreamy psych-rock bangers, produced by Jonathan DeBaun (The Mars Volta, Omar Rodríguez-López). After a year of supporting the record with energetic shows spanning the California coast, they returned to studio to record a 5-track follow up EP, titled ‘TOO’; a denser and more aggressive effort, with lead single ‘Cul-De-Sac’ approaching hardcore and punk rock in its ferocity. Tracks like ‘So Shy So High’ hinted at a more ornate and melodic direction to come. With the recent addition of guitarist Mic Singh, The Only Ocean’s sound has expanded to even grander proportions. Their recent release, ‘Good Morning’, is a confident and deliberate side-step into the festival rock arena, with producer DeBaun again returning to put his signature flair on things, dutifully guiding the band into new territory. The Only Ocean have now released their new single ‘Fake Sunflowers’ which follows the new solid sound of ‘Good Morning’ .
‘Fake Sunflowers’ flickers and bleeps with flashing sonic soundscapes against strident sharp guitars and an infectious beat. The soaring chorus adds an ethereal quality to the track while the lush sweet melody glides along smooth and creamy like honey to the ears. Tight harmonies add a multi dimension and rich texture to the track while the electronic soundscape adds a psychedelic dreamy vibe. It’s displayed simply but backed by richly layered intricate instrumentation. Another sublime track from The Only Ocean.
Singer-songwriter Ali Tommis has announced the release of his debut 5-track EP ‘Leave It All Behind’, a piano driven rock EP which is set to be available from 22nd September 2017. Being born into a family of musicians, Tommis was surrounded by music from a young age and began playing piano at the age of three which then lead to his passion for writing music at the age of 17. Eight years on, his songwriting ability has matured and developed into his own unique sound which is well represented through ‘Leave It All Behind’. The EP, written by Tommis himself, follows a theme of finding the strength to follow your dreams rather than settle with being the person you’re expected to be in order to please others. As described by Tommis, “[The EP] describes the fears, frustrations and insecurities that come with doing that, and also the joy, happiness and satisfaction that you get from doing it.” Taking his inspiration from an eclectic range of musicians such as John Mayer, OneRepublic and Led Zepplin, the EP has a distinctive sound yet every track is different and fresh.
Lead single ‘Leave It All Behind’ kicks of the EP, energetic and bouncy it’s an infectious springing ball oozing oodles of passion. Sprightly guitar riffs rebound and smack off the dynamic melody while punchy drums rumble and bubble throughout. With an anthemic powerful chorus bellowed out passionately by Tommis it’s quite the force to be reckoned with. ‘Everything’ is once again immensely passionate and dynamic. It glides elegantly with a sweet piano feature floating with graceful grandeur while jittery flickering soundscapes dart in and out of the delicate piano melody. Powerful choruses seem to be a large part of Tommis’ music style as each chorus explodes with the most intense eruptive fist pump energy possible. ‘Home Again’ cools the fiery tone of its predecessors a little. Sweet guitar twangs while smooth velvety vocals whisper for the verse and croon sweetly for the chorus. It’s melancholic and tender building in intensity as the track progresses. The piano feature in this track is so beautiful and sublime adding a heavenly escape before the celestial mighty track finale. ‘Passing By Me’ holds an air of danger and mystery with sharp stings on guitar between wandering piano and blustery percussion. ‘The Fear’ ends the EP with an intricate piano feature weaving between guitar strides and punchy drums. It’s dramatic and powerful with a spine chilling almost creepy atmosphere bringing us to a massive almost theatrical end to the EP.
‘Leave It All Behind’ displays Ali Tommis’ expressive passionate musicianship with powerful anthemic (at times dramatic) choruses and intricate melody compositions, he hasn’t held back. It feels like he has put everything, body and soul into this EP.
The lead single ‘Leave It All Behind’ is accompanied by a music video, a humorous narration of Tommis’ passion to follow his own dreams instead of living his life to please others. Shot in Portmeirion, home to Festival No 6 and the same place Supergrass filmed the video for hit ‘Alright’, the video follows him on his journey to ‘leave it all behind’.
Leave It All Behind will be available worldwide via all major media platforms from 22nd September 2017 and is a sign of what’s to come from Ali Tommis. More information about Ali, future releases and any upcoming live dates can be found on his social media pages here https://www.facebook.com/AliTommis/
Based in North-West London, indie three piece Plastic Barricades have released their new album ‘Mechanics of Life’. Comprised of members Dan Kert on guitar, keyboards and vocals, Daniele Borgato on bass and Frazer Webster on drums the band have been nominated for “Oxjam Band of the Year ” and “MTV Brand New”, voted #1 out of 222 bands participating in Hard Rock Cafe London Global Battle of the Bands competition, won Camden Rocks Battle of the Bands, got nominated for “Brand New Artist”, landed 2nd place in Sziget Festival band competition and won Enfield Battle of the Bands and Songwall’s “Songs in the Sky”. Two songs from “Tree of Ideas” EP were also featured in Channel4 “Hollyoaks” TV show.
‘Mechanics of Life’ is a fine display of the chilled indie soaked sound Plastic Barricades do so well. The previously featured on Indie Buddie ‘How Goldfish Grow’ kicks off the album drenched in bright peppy vibes and crunching guitars. It’s bright bubbly indie with melancholic dark undertones adding depth to the track. They keep their sound radiant and glowy while slapping a nice bit of passion and meaning on top. ‘Singularity 2045’ and ‘Our Favourite Delusions’ display slick nimble solos, sharp piercing licks and blazing guitar moments that are divine. The tracks are punchy and meaty with melty glorious melodies and laid back beautiful vibes. They pack so much into their sound adding multi textures and intricate layers. The little peppy sparkling gem ‘Be the Change’ is golden sweet honey to the ears. Smooth tender vocals coo while a sun kissed instrumental backing, lights the track to heavenly heights. It’s passionate and delicate with zests of guitar refreshing the velvety melancholic track. ‘Around the Sun’ gives a groovy element to the album. Catchy vibrant melody illuminates the track with positivity. Each track that follows is easy going mellow and perky. They create music for hazy days in the sun. Though some have a gloomy undertone the tunes are soothing, sweet and melodic. For me the stinging jingles on guitar really stand out and add a squirt of beaming energy and glorious bedazzlement to each track. The luxurious melodies in ‘Half of your Soul’ interweave blending longing and inspiriting tones creating a heavenly blissful sound. ‘Masterminds’ brings us to the end of the album. It does feel like a farewell track, soaked in melancholic tones with a delicate stab beat. With elegant little guitar jingles and a sway-like tempo, it’s a delightful end to the album.
Plastic Barricades ‘Mechanics of Life’ is a laid back glorious album to wrap your ears around, soothe your soul and relax your mind. Its sun kissed and sweetly melodic with bright bubbly indie pop melodies coated in spongy rapid rhythms and flashes of sharp glistening guitar. They add their own glimpses of pizzazz in there too keeping it fresh and edgy but all round it’s a sublime wholesome listen.
Nightshifts is a young, upcoming producer from Toronto. He spends most of his nights experimenting and creating music using vintage synths, groovy guitars, and drum machines to create new sonic universes. Having caught an early break with a remix of Bon Iver’s ‘Michicant’ which reached the ears of Justin Vernon himself, he has now released his debut single ‘All Along’. It’s a dreamy hazy marshmallow with a blissful lo fi production and a laid back whimsical misty atmosphere, it’s beautifully euphoric. Sweet luscious melody melts like butter on toast while synths swirl and elegantly dance around a slapping beat and groovy guitar jingles. It’s a smooth crooning swagger infused delight. Heavenly sweet and richly layered it’s refined and sleek with breezy sonic flecks that create a wispy sedative effect. A sublime debut from this young producer.
Stream ‘All Along’ below
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
