Nathan Mac has released his new single ‘Broken & Beautiful’. In 2012, Nathan injured his back during a Circus performance. This led him on a journey away from his dreams of performing as an acrobat, & towards his passion for songwriting. 10 years later, he reflects on the influence of that injury: “We are more beautiful for the breaks we suffer along the way. They add to our depth. They prove that we’ve gone out there & risked something.” ‘Broken & Beautiful’ is the 6th addition to Nathan’s debut album: Start of Something Blue. The song also features in his upcoming Circus-Musical film: Learning Curve where he returns as an actor and aerial acrobat! Both the album and film are set for release later this Summer.
Filled with lush melodies and evocative lyrics ‘Broken & Beautiful’ is a cinematic alternative pop gem from Nathan Mac. Mac croons tender lyrics “Broken and Beautiful, treat yourself carefully. Stitches and gold, use your pain to relate to me. The stories I’ve told, they decorate my body. And I wanna show you, every scar suits us perfectly” over a building backdrop of bubbling beats and ethereal synths while subtle instrumental undertones ( alongside elegant piano ) blend between electronic and string elements. ‘Broken & Beautiful’ is well crafted and highlights the expressive musicianship of Nathan Mac in all its Glory.
FYA FOX has released her new single, ‘Hit Me Where It Hurts’.FYA has gained major support across Irish national & regional radio stations along with plays on BBC Radio 1, ‘Track of The Week’ features on RTE 2FM, Spin South West and Today FM just to mention a few. Support from HotPress tipping FYA as “2022 Ones to Watch” along with support from Record of the Day. FYA collaborated with Richy McCourt over a zoom call during lockdown, from there the track was produced by Matt Weir & Si Fransis.
‘Hit Me Where It Hurts’ is a masterful display of alternative pop from FYA FOX. The song blends dark undertones with chiming keys while bubbling beats surround the song in danceable grooves. Venturing between lush pop sensibilities and R&B tones the track is a fine example of FYA’s diverse, compelling sound and expressive musicianship. Enhanced by rich percussion and spacious soundscapes, FYA’s immaculate vocals ooze emotion and tenderness as she coos vulnerable lyrics “take me for granted, my kindness for weakness.. you hit me where it hurts“. ‘Hit Me Where It Hurts’ is a joy to listen to again and again. The track highlights the artist’s mesmerising vocals and talent for creating emotive earworm melodies – simply stunning.
About the track, FYA FOX said: “This song came from my experience of people expressing their opinions and doubts of me as an artist in the music industry”.
After closing out last year with his debut EP ‘Tell Me How It’s Worth It,’ emerging indie-pop artist Cade Hoppe is back with his new single, ‘Hurts’.Originally hailing from Sacramento, CA and now based in New York, Cade originally moved to the East Coast to pursue academic and athletic opportunities. He’d been writing songs and playing piano, guitar, bass and saxophone since childhood, but it wasn’t until 2020 that he started to explore the possibility of recording and releasing his own songs to prioritize his true passion. After putting out a few experimental releases with his stepbrother, Nick Adams, Cade connected with producer Harper James — one half of Eighty Ninety — and began to develop his indie-pop sound.
‘Hurts’ is a fine example of Hoppe’s cinematic and luxuriant dream-pop sound. Filled with intricate electronics, soft twinkling keys and an intense bubbling beat the track pulses with moments of suspense throughout while Hoppe’s warm vocals almost whisper over the bittersweet melody. The song broods and simmers within a state of nostalgia enhanced by warm guitar tones that glimmer through the dense electronic backdrop while Hoppe croons “ I would do anything to have you here to see if I still love you”. Well crafted and deftly produced, ‘Hurts’ is a catchy and emotive new single from Cade Hoppe.
Written from the point of view of someone who has recently broken up with their significant other, “Hurts” grapples with feeling the weight of their absence. Cade elaborates on the track: “‘Hurts’ is about experiencing that strange post-relationship purgatory for the first time and realizing that anyone you love is going to hurt to lose, whether you were both meant to be or not. The thesis of this song is: ‘It’s not easy losing somebody, it always hurts.’ I think we all have to learn that lesson at some point in our lives and this song is about when I learned it for myself.”
UK alt-pop trio Lycio have released their new single, ‘I Wanna Know’ via Lycio Records. Lycio have received significant support from BBC Introducing with presenters Andrew Marston, Alex Noble, Tim Senna and Louise Brierly all giving them radio play, a three-track acoustic session for BBC Introducing West Midlands and twice performing at The Big Feastival. The associations with the BBC continue as Lycio performed at Chris Evans’ CarFest for BBC Children in Need in both 2017 and 2018 and a feature of ‘Evil People’ on BBC 6 Tom Robinson’s Fresh Favs in 2018. Lycio have performed at The Great Escape’s little sister, The Alternative Escape 2019 as well as provided support for YONAKA, Rae Morris and Self Esteem.
Boasting intense, bubbling electronics ‘I Wanna Know’ is an invigorating listening experience. The track is an absolute gem to listen to as the listener is treated to subtle contrasting elements within the tracks dynamic wall of sound: Genie Mendez’s smooth yet powerful vocals coo atop a swirling backdrop of effervescent synths, driving rhythms and explosive choruses while pop laced hooks, sensual bass grooves, and elegant piano smoulder underneath. ‘I Wanna Know’ is a hair raising new addition to Lycio’s repertoire and an exquisite example of this band’s diverse and lush sound.
Irish electro/pop duo Elephant in The Room has released their new single ‘Hollywood Hills’. Hollywood Hills is a personal account of how Elephant in the Room struggled with expectation versus reality, moving from Ireland to New York. Elephant in the Room is an electronic/soul/pop duo comprised of Ireland natives Marty Mullally and Keenan Copas. The group has worked with a number of artists as ghostwriters and producers, most notably Josh Gray, co-writing and producing his track ‘Come Home’, which has reached over 370,000 streams on Spotify. After college they moved to New York City, where they have honed and refined their sound.
Filled with bittersweet melodies and an ethereal synth-driven backdrop, ‘Hollywood Hills’ is a sublime example of suspenseful electronic pop. Deft lyrics express themes of doubt and loneliness that is enhanced by a lamenting piano feature and mournful undertone. The track is irresistibly catchy and a passionate display of musicianship from Elephant in The Room. Boasting smooth vocals, catchy pop hooks and pepperings of R&B ‘Hollywood Hills’ is a compelling new single that marks Elephant in The Room ones to keep an eye on.
London-based multi-faceted creative Salvador Navarrete, a.k.a Sega Bodega, has released his new album ‘Romeo’. Romeo tells the story of a joyous relationship between Bodega and a mythical girlfriend, “Luci”, made entirely of light. The project channels the whirlwind of emotions in early love.’Romeo’ will mark the second full-length album from Sega Bodega and includes features from Arca and Charlotte Gainsbourg among the project’s ten songs. The project encompasses the new song “I Need Nothing From You” and previously released singles “Angel On My Shoulder” and “Only Seeing God When I Come’. Following the release of ‘Romeo’, Sega Bodega will head out on a European tour in January 2022. The eleven-date run will begin in Dublin and includes stops in Amsterdam, Paris and London before wrapping up in Moscow in early February.
‘Romeo’ is an intriguing album filled with expressive electronics and crisp production. Bodega immerses the listener in beautiful melodies and rich sounds throughout. He coats pulsing beats, sparkling synths and lush textures in warm vocal harmonies to create songs that surge with heartfelt emotion. From the dark and intense ‘Effeminacy’, with R&B flirtations, muggy beats and reverb vocals to the sugar rush of title track ‘Romeo’, each song oozes luxuriant soundscapes and passionate songwriting while layered vocals and experimental electronics aptly capture the feeling of falling in love.
Bodega’s masterful musicianship is on full display within ‘Romeo’. His experimental approach leaves much to be admired; each mesmerising note, synth embellishment, and beat is deliberate and has a purpose within the arrangement as he blends dance, electronic, indie and R&B to create a unique and exciting collection of tracks. The frantic rush of ’Luci’ is a fine example of this. The brisk tempo, distorted vocals and sweet-toned guitar blends between dance beats to make the track a thrilling rush to close the album on.
Showcasing riveting soundscapes, insatiable grooves and mesmerising vocal arrangements ‘Romeo’ is a fascinating album to listen to again and again.
Jack Hughes has released his new single ‘Wasn’t Built That Way’.The track follows the release of his hit single ‘Crossed The Line’ which garnered support from RTÉ 2FM’s Track of the Week with Jenny Greene, Track of the Week on Spin South West and huge support throughout Spin 103.8, Today FM, Cork’s 96FM, WLR, 8 Radio and many more.
Wrapping delicate, tender melodies in dark washes of electronics and intricate rhythms, ‘Wasn’t Built That Way’ fleshes out Hughes’ engaging and passionate sound. Light percussion twinkles over an emotive melody while cinematic soundscapes ebb and flow throughout. Warm vocals move from brisk croons to sing-along outbursts that are destined for arena crowds to bellow back. With dark heavy rhythms creating an eerie tone between twinkling keys and layered backing vocals, ‘Wasn’t Built That Way’ surges with emotion and hair-raising musicianship. Hughes is a musical talent, he balances moving tenderness with refined and, at times, explosive arrangements alongside polished production to create an impressive and compelling listening experience.
Speaking about the single ‘Wasn’t Built That Way’, Jack said: “It’s a song title that speaks for itself but the song alone hinders a story that is worth searching for.”
Mexican singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Julian Lamadrid has released his sophomore album, ‘Rebels of The Neon God’, on Arista Records. ‘Rebels of The Neon God’ serves as the follow up to Julian’s 2019 debut, ‘Mala Noche’. To compliment the album, Julian launched the ‘Rebel Universe,’ a virtual world inspired by the album. Fans can immerse themselves in the world of the Neon God and unlock different rooms by purchasing limited edition NFT keys.
‘Rebels of The Neon God’ is a diverse and enthralling listening experience. The impressive depth of this album is achieved by soft but rich electronics, overlaid by thick beats and the smooth, emotive vocals of Lamadrid. Free from the confines of just one genre, the album meanders between indie, alternative pop and electronic with psychedelic and tropical flirtations displayed throughout previously released singles ‘Teenager’, ‘One More Trip’, ‘Cigarette’, ‘Patience’ and ‘The Neon God’. Lamadrid’s musical prowess is in fine form on the album. Expressive soundscapes filled with bubbling beats, jaunty guitars, sweet steel drums, heavy synth pulses and washes of reverb flesh out his exhilarating treasure trove of songs, with each track’s musical arrangement complementing the overall tonality of the album.
There are many moments of excellence on ‘Rebels of The Neon God’ that display Lamadrid’s artistic talent and masterful songwriting. ’Blue’ is a sublime example of this. Lamadrid sets a dark, harrowing yet grand instrumental backdrop of jarring strings between deep piano thuds, while distressed vocals pine, “I woke up with you on my lips, Harder than a rock, I try my best to cover my ears. But the noises wouldn’t stop”. The coil of tension created for the verses evokes a sharp sense of unease before the track finally loosens for the short chorus. The emotional power ballad ‘Bang’ follows this potent lyrical thread “You’ve got a gun, You took your aim, And that gun went “Bang”, And stole my heart away, And all that I know it’s all that I gave”. Once again, Ladmadrid spreads these striking lyrics over cinematic instrumentation, uplifting brass embellishments and driving pop melodies. Lamadrid manages to whack out some infectious boppers aswell, ’Pressure’ deals with self-doubt against a glittering 80’s synth-infused backdrop that peppers the song in dance vibes, ethereal atmospheres and adrenaline.
‘Rebels of The Neon God’ is richly and carefully constructed to display Lamadrid’s exceptional knack for melody, production and poignant lyrics and the result is a passionate collection of tracks that reveals new exciting sounds, textures and lyrical undertones with each subsequent listen.
About the album, Lamadrid said: “The album is centered around the dichotomy between frustration and dance, vacancy and ecstasy; enlightenment through pain. I have glimpsed into the eyes of The Neon God, pierced through the void and come out the other end, desperate for connection, hungry for the eternal.”
Irish indie-rock outfit modernlove. have released their soaring new single ‘Us’ through Akira Records (Phoria, Henry Green, Mt. Wolf, Rosie Carney, Shura).’Us’ follows on from the enormous success of their recently released EP ‘monochrome blue in September this year, which found support across countless tastemakers both here and abroad. Featuring the singles ‘Liquorice’, ‘2 Missed Calls’ and ‘lmk (if you wanna see me)’, they received strong playlist support, landing on New Music Friday UK, Fresh Finds, Alt-Pop and The Pop List amongst others on Spotify, as well as New Music Daily, New in Alternative and Breaking Alternative on Apple Music. They have also received strong radio support with 2FM, BBC R1, BBC R6, BBC Ulster, XS Manchester, Across the Line and Radio X giving them regular airtime and live sessions with BBC Introducing and Seconds Away with Gemma Bradley
With its immense euphoric pop soundscapes and irresistible jangly guitar hooks, ‘Us’ triumphantly continues modernlove.’s run of knock-out tracks. This song is shamelessly catchy. With lofty soundscapes expanding the track’s sonic sound while elevated synths weave sugar-coated melodies between hyper beats, the track offers perhaps the greatest endorphin release you’ll find this year. Barry Larry’s expressive vocal flexes from heartfelt suspended notes to warm velvety croons allowing the relatable vulnerability to creep through the lyrics “love, what have we done to us”. Boasting glittering guitar, rushing rhythms and heart-racing melodies ‘Us’ displays modernlove.’s refined musicianship and sleek instrumental prowess in all its glory. This band just get better with each release.
Tipperary artist Culleton has released her debut single ‘Control Freak’. Culleton has created a tight, punchy and immersive tune that showcases her refined and compelling musicianship. She spreads brisk rhymes over dark murky electronics while icy keys haunt in the backdrop. A standout aspect in the track is Culleton’s vocals; her unique voice creates a refreshing listening experience that effortlessly drifts between choir-like tendencies, sweet falsetto and acute raps. ‘Control Freak’ is a joy to listen to and an excellent debut from this intriguing artist.
Stream ‘Control Freak’ below
Author: Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
