Tag Archives: Alternative

Alt- Pop, Dream Pop, electro- pop, EP Review, Indie Pop, New Music

Euan Lindsay ‘You, Boy’ EP

Multi/instrumentalist, singer, producer, journeyman Euan Lindsay has released his debut E.P ‘You, Boy’. Hailing from Cork, Lindsay’s music pulls heavily from a wide reach of genres. Elements of disco, house, soul and hip-hop can all be heard throughout the artist’s first work.The E.P was recorded over a 6 month period by the artist through a turbulent time. 

‘You, Boy’ combines Euan Lindsay’s earnest lyrics with modern pop production to create a distinctive body of work. From darker evening tunes like  ‘Lost my head’  to the Spanish toned ‘Easy’ and R&B hued ‘Sing about me when the craic is done’ each track has a lightness and mellow soundscape. Lindsay embellishes his tracks with tight instrumentation and lush textures transforming songs like ‘Ur Smile’ into a vibrant funk pop song laced in tropical tones and rich rhythms.

The tracks are clean and refined as Lindsay shows off his production prowess. He knows when not to overdo things and keeps the intricacies on guitar and synths within delicate and subtle levels maintaining the easy going atmosphere throughout. Distinctive vocals meander between coos and soulful tones with a Cork twang shining brightly throughout as Lindsay provides a fresh listening experience with a proudly Irish undertone.

Each track grooves and pivots around the meticulously placed guitar melodies. These golden melodies lace the songs in sun-kissed tropical and funk/soul elements creating a balmy hue to indulge in. Although the songs float with a dreamy laid back upbeat vibe, Lindsay discusses themes of loss, illness and self-uncertainty throughout the EP, albeit with a sense of Irish irony and self-mockery

With dazzling electronics and flashing beats on the lofi ‘All I Know’ and the mellow lounge soul elements on closing track ‘I don’t belong’ Lindsay proves his deft ability to create stunning pieces of music while bending genres harmoniously. ‘You, Boy’ is an impressive debut from Euan Lindsay.

Stream ‘You, Boy’ below


Author : Danu

EP Review, New Music, Rock

Mantis and the Prayer ‘Murder Ballad and the Blue’ EP

Enigmatic rock band Mantis and the Prayer have returned with a double single release. ‘Murder Ballad and the Blue’ features the songs ‘I Know You’ and ‘Go Too Far’ which are written on themes of tragedy and disconnection. Mantis and the Prayer are a three piece rock band from Melbourne Australia. Releasing their first album ‘Butterflies and Demons’ in 2016 they have since gone on to place their music in the soundtrack for independent movie ‘Queen of Hollywood Blvd’ which was featured in the film festival circuit and had a cinematic release in Los Angeles.

‘Murder Ballad and the Blue’ is a dramatic two track concoction which blends fermenting alternative rock with theatrical elements to create a chilling listening experience. The punchy drums, crashing guitars and wailing backing vocals in ‘I Know You’ ooze tension and eerie atmospheres as dark pop elements swirl through a rock backdrop while ‘Go Too Far’ adds a ghostly aspect to the ominous vibe. The track is a goosebump inducing boogie with groove riddled guitar and a 60’s rock n roll shimmy rhythm. With deep vocals echoing through the pop/rock sensibilities and upbeat moments ‘Murder Ballad and the Blue’ is quiet the fun, engaging and catchy two track EP.

Stream ‘Murder Ballad and the Blue’ below


Author : Danu

EDM - House, Electronic, New Music, Single Premiere

Cōfresi featuring KOU ‘Better’ Premiere

KOU, the new musical revolution by former The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus drummer Jon Wilkes has released his new single ‘Better’ with the amazing EDM artist Cōfresi. KOU brings an alternative dynamic and anthemic progression to the track with a melody that seeps and flows fluidly into the massive chorus with a lamenting tone.

‘Better’ is rugged and delicate all at once.The duo create a blazing chorus and scorching crescendo filled with rich intricate sonics and textures while strong basslines and the nuanced timing of percussion swirl the track into a whirlwind of heavy EDM and dubstep elements.

The synths create elements of blinding scintillation as the track roller coasters between gigantic drops and tense buildups that lead into sudden bass reverberations and fantastic passionate vocal exclaims from Wilkes.

‘Better’ is a song about how the world needs love and we need each other more than ever. KOU and Cōfresi present this through adrenaline-pumping, ethereal musicianship and deft production. ‘Better’ is quite the invigorating, hair raising anthem and a joy to listen to.

Stream ‘Better’ below


Author : Danu

Alt Rock, Indie, indie rock, New Music, Post Punk, Worth A Listen

Worth A Listen – THUMPER

Our Worth A Listen Track This Week Comes From THUMPER

Dublin noise-pop sextet THUMPER have recently released their brand new single, ‘Topher Grace’. With a raw flaky rhythm battering through distorted guitars the track kicks off with abrasive sonics while THUMPER mangle acute post punk into a psychedelic rock mirage to create a confused and intense atmosphere. Oisín Leahy-Furlong spits a mostly spoken monologue which highlights themes of self-destruction. Sonically the track whirlwinds through the lyrics with manic tendencies while the rampant yet steady bass, drums and guitars hold a constant anchor of sanity throughout the chaos.

The scrupulous layering of this track displays THUMPERS adept ability to create controlled chaos while venturing out of their comfort zone. The usual bubble pop melodic flurries we are used to from THUMPER are absent as the band delve into lyricist territory replacing vocal melody with venom-filled words and yelps in between breathy exclaims. It is only when the song fades at the end that we get a glimmer of a gentle melody as Leahy-Furlong sings a bittersweet lament “I hide in bars. I drown in words. It seems absurd that I’m lonely. Make a safe bet – If I left, this party continues without me”.

What makes THUMPER great is their deep, intelligent grasp of style and genre. ‘Topher Grace’ is an erosive, acid soaked frenzy smushed into a thrilling six and a half minute track. It is a fantastic, bold and daring display of musicianship from the band.

When I spoke to Oisín Leahy-Furlong about the track he said :  “It was written over the course of a couple of months which is sort of different for me, normally these things are written in bursts. I suppose the song makes several allusions to a culture which is fairly present, in Ireland anyway of airing your problems in public with a pint in your hand rather than in a friend’s sitting room. I guess it’s about the idea that maybe you are going through destruction or by unraveling yourself you will find some sort of ultimate truth or something. Which of course is bullshit but I suppose the deeper you are into that lifestyle the easier it is to convince yourself that it’s the way for you.”

You can read the full interview here https://www.indiebuddie.com/a-chat-with-oisin-leahy-furlong-from-thumper/

Stream ‘Topher Grace’ below


Author : Danu

Alt Rock, Indie, indie rock, New Music, Rock and Roll

The Rezner ‘The Jive’

Photo credit: Nick Moodie

The Rezner are set to release their new single ‘The Jive’ on 3rd of July. Conquering just about every corner of the UK, The Rezner have already become stalwarts of the Festival Scene impressing crowds across the nation. Playing the likes of The Isle of Wight, Leopallooza, Port Eliot & Beautiful Days following 2018’s main stage slots at Boardmasters and The Great Estate as well as support slots with VANT, SUM 41 and King Nun.The bands previous releases ‘Micky’ and ‘Wouldn’t You Like To Know?’ have proven popular building up over 10,000 Spotify streams on each track as well as gaining traction from ‘Huw Stephens’ at Radio 1 and Sarah Gosling over at BBC Introducing.

With all its blustery riffs, rock and roll sleekness and adrenaline fueled gusto ‘The Jive’ is a swagger slapped indie anthem that travels full throttle with The Rezner’s explosive sound. Surrounded in a whirring flurry of sharp guitars, dynamic bass and pummeling drums the track erupts into the bands vivid and full bodied sound without any hesitation. The sleek verses buoyantly triumph through an elastic display on bass as the band flesh out their rock n roll panache.The Rezner meander between the polished and the crazed as they blast out a manic raw indie rock track with confident control and maturity. This quarter remain as dedicated as ever in their mission to serve us an earworm of exhilarating musicianship as the kinetic chorus and vibrant instrumentation keep the song traveling at neck snapping speeds. With a ruckus wall of sound, catchy chorus and exuberant vocals, ‘The Jive’ is another smashing indie anthem from The Rezner.

Speaking about the track, frontman for the band ‘Sam Stone’ said :’’We like it because whilst it smacks you in the face from the get go. ‘The Jive’ is also a song that you can dance to. Now that might not sound like much but the thing about dancing is that when you’re doing it, you’re completely in your own little world and right now I think people need that little world. Because right now we are surrounded by so much anxiety and fear, it’s nice to be able to give people at least 2 minutes to forget about that. Maybe have a jive, who knows…”

‘The Jive’ is set for release tomorrow July 3rd for more you can follow The Rezner on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/TheRezner/


Author : Danu

Indie, indie rock, New Music

POLAR STATES ‘2020’

Liverpool’s POLAR STATES are set to release their new single ‘2020’ on July 3rd. The band recorded the song remotely during lockdown, working from their bedrooms.Since forming in 2015 the band have had strong support from Radio 1 including a feature on the best of BBC introducing playlist, entered Spotify’s Viral 50 Chart, and have played a number of major UK festivals, supporting Wolf Alice, The Japanese House, and Clean Cut Kid.

‘2020’ is an anthemic whirl of the vibrant, passionate and refined indie rock POLAR STATES do so well. The invigorating riff sends adrenaline through the body as the band adorn this track in jagged running riffs and soaring guitar lines set to ignite a live audience. Bursting with more energy than a can of Red Bull, the chorus erupts into an arena-ready anthemic vocal line evoking images of bellowing crowds. With a rooted bass line and punchy drums creating the buoyant foundation POLAR STATES present one intense indie banger, however, the band smooth the track in cool ethereal tones and chilled crisp production. With guitar refrains chiming over the hearty crescendo and infectious melody POLAR STATES present a tight, well crafted slice of indie rock. 

On the song, and the experience of recording remotely vocalist Paul Tong commented: ‘’The experience of recording a song when we can’t be in a studio together has been weird, but ultimately, the message of the song hasn’t changed, and we wrote it together in a room, so it’s still us. The message of a song always matters more than how it’s recorded anyway. We actually wrote 2020 before our tour, back in October. We wanted to document how we felt about going into a new decade. It was written in about 15 minutes and came from a really introverted moment. The world was overwhelming, and it felt impossible to appreciate what really mattered. The last few months have given the song a life of its own, taking on a new relevance that nobody could’ve seen coming.  At the start of the lockdown we setup a Discord group where we could chat to fans, and give our community a place to connect from a distance. By being able to speak to our fans on such a personal level, and also give them a space to be themselves made us realise why this song was so important to so many of them. It was at that point we knew we had to release the song no matter how we recorded it.’’

‘2020’ is set for release tomorrow 3rd July for more you can follow POLAR STATES on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/PolarStates/


Author : Danu

New Music, Singer/Songwriter

April and the Drift ‘Garbage Rules’

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.

Stream ‘Garbage Rules’ below


Author : Danu

Indie, indie rock, New Music

Askies ‘Easy’

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.”

Stream ‘Easy’ below 


Author : Danu

Alt Rock, Alt- Pop, Indie, New Music

Sylvette ‘Kelpius’

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.

Stream ‘Kelpius’ below 


Author : Danu

Indie, New Music

in earnest ‘Come Upstairs’

Southend-on-Sea alt/indie trio, in earnest are set to release their new single ‘Come Upstairs’ on the 3rd July.Forming in early 2019, the members of in earnest were previously part of the band ‘Carousel’, a project which went on to perform at Cambridge Folk Festival, toured with The Oh Hello’s and embarked on an 8-date headline tour whilst gaining 100k+ Spotify streams on official playlists. ‘Come Upstairs’ is the second single from in earnest’s upcoming 6-track EP, due for release in late 2020.

‘Come Upstairs’ is a moving, tender and beautiful track as in earnest present an honest account of mental health struggles with stripped back, time stopping musicianship. The track expresses warm glimmers of hope between raw emotion as a delicate guitar twinkles with supple comfort through airy soundscapes and lamenting strings. The lush backing harmonies soothe between the emotive and sorrowful vocals.The lyrics which provide an account of mental health from the perspective of a sufferer’s partner, aiming to encourage conversation around the topic are beautifully crafted as the sorrowful and building instrumentation wanders with a sense of loneliness and despair. ‘Come Upstairs’ is a biting, sweet and utterly moving track from a band who constantly showcase their mature songwriting through wonderful, passionate and heartbreaking musicianship.

About the track Thoma said  “In the wake of my partner’s mental health struggles, it feels like I spend every waking moment trying to keep a brave or positive face on and there are times when I find it difficult to maintain my own identity. We’re gradually learning how to combat negative thinking, but I’m usually the one who takes the weight and pulls her out of waves of depression.” 

‘Come Upstairs’ will be released on July 3rd for more you can follow in earnest on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/inearnestband


Author : Danu