‘Just Let Me Be’ is the brand new debut single from four-piece rock band, FIGS. The first release under this name, ‘Just Let Me Be’ was initially written as a joke – until they realised that they might have been onto something big. The new band’s artwork for their debut single is intensely symbolic, with the wasp symbolising the need for growth, and for the old to give way to the new which represents each band member’s journey to becoming FIGS. FIGS are a rock band, formed in London, by Chris Makh, Edward Kaane, Alex Saleh, and Alex Hoff. Chris and Ed are originally from Venezuela. In 2015, they started playing as a two-man band, or sometimes with session musicians as a trio, touring small venues and opening for artists like Adam Wakeman, Rawayana, and The Second Sons. In 2019 Chris and Ed decided to make an album, and in 2020 they met Hoff and Saleh, who were long-time friends and joined the band.
‘Just Let Me Be’ is an upbeat and vibrant tune that boasts the fun and rich sound of FIGS. Blending jazz-infused piano with driving rock n’ roll, the band create a musically lush soundscape sure to have you up and dancing in no time. With jaunty classic rock guitar bouncing between punchy drum progressions, ‘Just Let Me Be’ rides on infectious energy and swagger. The band weave psychedelic moments into the track. It builds to an explosive crescendo filled with twinkling guitars and harmonies, creating a trippy prismatic backdrop before the chorus returns for a final hurrah. With lyricism inspired by their own personal relationships, FIGS present a catchy and thoroughly enjoyable listening experience with ‘Just Let Me Be’.
Dublin band Inhaler have released their highly-anticipated debut album ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’, through Polydor. This swaggering indie rock album is a triumphant debut brimming with exhilarating soundscapes and eloquent lyrical content while showcasing the musical expertise of each member of the band.
I caught up with singer and guitarist Eli Hewson, bassist Robert Keating, guitarist Josh Jenkinson and drummer Ryan McMahon a little while ago to talk about the album, their musical growth and how guidance from producer Antony Genn brought out the best in the band.
There is no denying the depth of musical talent Inhaler possesses. Within ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’, the listener is invited to delve deep into the album, explore and indulge in the band’s exhilarating sound through engaging and catchy songwriting and compelling musicianship. The beaming faces of the four-piece were enough to express their delight in finally being able to release their debut.
Eli: “Yeah it’s been a long time coming, it feels it was like 10 years in the making to be honest because we’ve been writing songs since we were teenagers. I think some of the first songs we wrote made it onto the album so it feels like, definitely, yeah, it’s about time.”
Covid and the lockdowns hit the band hard, considering they were gearing up for a big year ahead in 2020 and everything shut down. However, Inhaler took the time to hone and perfect the album writing five new songs and rethinking how they were going to create this debut album. The result is a cohesive, mature and sonically dense collection of tracks that moves through genres of disco, indie and rock.
Ryan: “The album that we were going to write and then record previously, before the pandemic happened, it was totally different and the songs that were written in the first lockdown that have now made it onto the album have just made it 100% better. So we’re really proud of what we have produced now and we’re also kind of glad that we did actually have all that time off to focus in on it more because if we had just gone in to record it straight after coming off tour, we would have been burned out, we wouldn’t have had the songs fully formed or ready to go. So we’re really happy with how it’s turned out in the end.”
The band pack in a plethora of glorious guitar moments within the album. In fact, the guitar melodies and solo’s have always been an enticing aspect within Inhalers music. The four-piece venture into many styles with the guitar from desert, indie, 80’s rock to psychedelic and more. ‘A Night On The Floor’ displays this spectacularly. A slinky bass, grooves atop funky beats and sultry drum progressions as the band create a sleek tune that subtly pivots around magnificent and expressive psychedelic guitar pines and simmering adornments.
When I enquired about who creates these wonderful guitar arrangements all of the band members gesture to the shying guitar virtuoso himself, Josh Jenkinson.
Robert: “ I think all the bands we’ve ever loved as a group have always played guitar and played it in different ways and in great ways and worse ways but usually always have a good time.”
Eli: “Yeah, and we just have so many different influences, so many different favourite guitar players. We love The Smiths, we love Johnny Marr, we love The Stone Roses, The Strokes. Pixies, these are all the best guitar bands, and that’s what inspired us to be in a band in the first place. We can’t help want to put that feeling in our music, and I also feel like there aint a great amount of that type of music around right now so it’s nice to be able to do that.”
Ryan: “And as kids, we grew up loving guitar music as well and so that was the first thing that we kind of gravitate towards one another over, was just the love for that. Not a lot of kids our age when we were 12 or 13 were really into [ it ] so we became friends.”
The rhythm section is another factor that sets the band apart especially within ‘Who’s Your Money On’. The intricate disco rhythms create a dazzling dance-infused tempo that fluctuates and chops through the shimmering disco ball synths, lifting the songs entire dynamic.
Josh: “That was, all chopped up on the sample pad, we made that song as a dance track, and then put actual instruments on it instead which was kind of cool.”
Eli: “We did it in a way where I think it was a recording of a song that we were trying to form a year and a half ago and towards the end of the album process, we were seeing, is there anything that we could dig up to give it a chance to be on the album. Our producer was like, oh yeah we’ve got that, that one kind of jam that we did a while ago on November 16 at 4pm or whatever. We were like, Okay, that’s gonna be really good. Then he took it and he cut up all the different instrument parts and put them on a keyboard and we started playing it like that and it gave it this weird stagnated feel, and it feels really choppy, and that’s actually how we wrote that one and [gave] it’s unique rhythm feel. That was a fun one to make and probably one of the most gratifying again.”
The band fill out their tracks with synths and experiment with different sounds on the album to create a refreshing and rich body of work. This resulted in multiple versions of each of the songs as they figured out what way each song would sound best.
All: “Yeah too many”
Ryan: “They’re locked in a vault, never to be reopened”
Robert: “ There’s always at least 10 demos for every song.”
Ryan: “ ‘ Cheer Up Baby’ is a song that’s only three and a half minutes long or something but it took us about three and a half years to get it right and what’s strange is how the final version of the song turned out pretty similar to the first version we ever did of it. That was a song that, we want to, I suppose, take our time with a little bit because it was the first song that our fans had really ever fallen in love with. So it was really important for us that we got it sounding and feeling the best that it possibly could. With songs like ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’ its the same story, that was one of the first songs that we ever wrote and was our first single as well – what other songs are there that just have so many different formations?”
Josh: ‘‘A Night On The Floor’,
Ryan: “ ‘A Night On The Floor’, yeah. ‘My King Will Be Kind’ yeah, there’s so many different versions of them that, maybe 20 years from now we’ll be curious to hear, but right now, I’m really enjoying the album and how it sounds now in its finished form. Finally”
I wondered if they felt like they were going crazy listening to multiple versions of the same song.
All: “Yeah.”
Ryan: “ I was on the couch in the studio one day with my head back going, we’re never gonna finish this album.”
The band’s knack with melodies never falters throughout the album. Songs such as ‘When It Breaks’ and ‘Cheer Up Baby’ boast Inhaler’s signature earworm melodies. Interspersed throughout these catchy melodies are powerful, mature and thought-provoking lyrics that leave the listener craving to hear more.
Eli: “ It just flows. Flows like manna”
Josh: “I wish we had the recipe because we’d be able to just do it whenever we want”
Ryan: “Yeah then we would be able to do it with the second record.”
Eli: “I don’t know, we were just really lucky. I think you don’t write songs, I think songs just appear or they don’t appear, and we’re just lucky to have found these songs. I think that the songwriting on the album is really ahead of our age group. We are quite young to be producing songs like this, we’re just really proud of it. But if there’s a recipe, tell me what it is.”
Ryan: “It came to a point where we were so proud of the songs that are now on the album we’ve kind of, just had to slowly detach away from it and put our attention towards writing the second album. All we can do now is hope that people love it as much as we do and that it resonates with as many people as possible. We’re really excited for people to hear them. More importantly, we’re excited to play them live when gigs come back. It’s weird we always tested how good a song was by playing it live. So with a lot of these new songs we had to trust our gut instinct on whether we thought they were good or not and how they would go down live and that was difficult for us to adapt to, but in the end, I think it’s worked”
With lockdowns and the pandemic putting a halt on gigs for a while. The band didn’t have many opportunities to perform with each other. The only opportunity to perform was recording the songs for the album
Josh: “We’ve been rehearsing a lot, recently”
Robert: “yeah only in the last maybe two months. Prior to that we hadn’t really played at all, we weren’t even really seeing each other, “
Josh: “And we didn’t have our instruments, that’s the other thing as well”
Robert: “Yeah that was in the UK so it’s been very strange for us… we just met up together to record and that’s why the album process, it was a weird one because we had to both catch up as friends but also work pretty hard with a lot of focus [and] not much time on our hands.”
Eli: “No time off really either. I think it was interesting being in London because we were really trying not to get corona.“
Josh: “Yeah, that was like the main goal everyday”
Eli: “So we just went from the studio. We walked every day, to and from thestudio to our place, and it was just work, work, write, write, write, work, work, work. It was intense, going from like three months of just doing absolutely nothing to all of a sudden just going alright here it is, But I think we were really driven”
Although it might not appear at first, but performing live can be tough on the body. Especially if you haven’t been gigging in a while. I wondered if the band felt that the first few shows back will be a shock to the system
Robert: “It’s gonna hit us like a train. I can tell you that now we will be absolutely fecked”
Ryan: “I’ll happily be fecked after that”
Robert: “I don’t know, if we can’t handle rehearsal in here, it’s gonna be tough to handle full tours. We’re gonna have to look after our bodies and take it seriously, for sure. I think, every band is gonna have to though, because not only have we not been playing together, people are out of shape. Actually, some people are in shape from lockdown”
Eli: “You go one way or the other.”
Robert: ”I think we went the other”.
Inhaler have released a fun video for their single ‘Cheer Up Baby’ where the band are covered in paint and spattering it around. It’s an anthemic and bright tune that is sure to be a pick me up on a dull day and the video subtly mirrors this.
Eli: “ A director called Joe Connor, really great, smart guy from Manchester and I think when we read his brief, we just really enjoyed the visual style that he was going to have. We liked the idea of the paint because it felt quite innocent and positive, it’s not like a dark video, I mean the song’s not dark but we just wanted to have a colourful vibrant thing because that’s what our music sounds like..”
The album is laced in evocative lyrics that ooze uplifting emotion while at the same time embraces a sense of sadness and longing. Lyrics in the aforementioned, ‘Cheer Up Baby’ are a fine example of this, “oh, how to kill these February blues.” …“When I think of all the things, I didn’t do, Oh, I can’t help but blame it on you…..cheer up baby you’re not on your own”. Perfecting lyrical flow and crafting lyrics that can relate to many people all at once isn’t an easy task but the band are doing an impressive job.
Eli: “ The lyrics are just about things that resonate with kids our age because they’re just about experiences, and, there’s this weird period in your life where you’re not an adult, you’re not teenager and you’re in the middle. That’s what most of the songs are about it’s that transitionary period but we wanted to make a really optimistic record because it’s such a horrible time, I don’t think we want to write sad stuff. A lot of it is just about experiences that we’ve had, or our friends have had during this kind of weird transitionary time. I think before COVID happened, the lyrics were maybe a little less serious and they’re more just like fun and kind of teenage stuff. After the pandemic happened it definitely forced us to write about broader subjects and naturally just wrote things that resonated with other kids our age.”
Eli has a distinctive vocal. Throughout the album, he shows he can croon with tenderness like the best of them in ‘Slide Out The Window’ and howl with impressive, swaggered rock bravado when the song demands, such as in the chorus of ‘When It Breaks’.
Eli: “I didn’t evenknow I was the singer until yesterday.”
Josh: “He considers himself more of a guitar player.”
Eli: “Yeah, literally, I don’t know why I ended up as a singer, but like I am, and I couldn’t sing for ages…I still find it quite hard. I have to force myself into doing it, and really like, find a voice.. because for a long time [ I ] didn’t have one.”
Eli: ”Yeah I definitely do consider myself more of, just a guitar player,”
Robert: “He practised”
Josh: “When we start doing shows again, I think you’ll [Elijah] find it a lot easier being the singer because you’ll be there in the moment.”
Eli: “I definitely enjoy it.”
I wondered what advice the band would give a shy aspiring musician
Eli: “Honestly, the best way to do it is just to throw yourself in the deep end, see how you swim, because that’s what we had to do you. We certainly weren’t ready to go out and play gigs when we did but we did it and I think you learn more in one gig, than you will in 100 rehearsals, it’s just a different animal. The only way to build your confidence is just, get out there and put yourself in front of people and, really just try and figure it out that way”
Ryan: “Comfort zones are dangerous.”
‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’ was recorded with long-term collaborator and producer Antony Genn at London’s Narcissus Studios and the band discussed how vital Genn was with regards to bringing out the best in them.
Ryan: “I think a producer is half the album, you know. We have to come with the songs and play them but the producer is essentially what brings life into the, like, the sonic aspects of the album. We were very lucky with our producer who is not only just a producer for us but also a great friend, Mr. Antony Genn, who’s taught us loads, not only about how to become better musicians or songwriters but also just better people as well, so he’s a very, good coach to have in our camp”
Robert: “it depends on the band too. There’s some bands who probably don’t even need a producer and they just get someone to help them record the album. For us, in a sense he’s part of the band because he really is vocal and helps us find parts of songs that sometimes you wouldn’t be able to find, so it depends. But for us, we think the producer is an important part of making the record for sure.”
Robert: “It’s easy to get caught up…when you’re in a studio, everything sounds good, you forget that you still need to finish a song that people are going to listen to, and you know, the average person isn’t going to care about the four or five keyboards you put on a song. Even though we care about it. So you have to sometimes turn off the fun creative side, and be serious because you can literally, and we’ve done it, where you work for days on something that you end up just going okay, that was a lot of fun but we don’t need any of that stuff. So I guess it’s a balancing act.”
Ryan: “There were certainly periods where we ended up bogged down or overwhelmed during the recording of the album, times where we were not feeling very motivated or anything or the vibe was a bit down. Ant [Antony Genn] was always there to pick us back up and, not only breathe life back into the songs but us whenever we needed it as well. So a lot of what people are hearing on this album, should be credited to him and the hard work that he put into the record as well I think.”
The band compiled their most catchy, genre-bending and boundary-pushing songs to date for this album. They have not compromised on the enjoyment and listening experience either, The order in which each song is placed is precise and creates an energising mood that fluidly flows to the end. The four-piece admitted choosing what tracks made the cut was difficult.
Robert; “Yeah, it was, I think there was some questions we had about some singles that didn’t make it on the record but at the end of the day it was important for us to have the songs that we love as a band and that our fans love but also give way to new songs. We wrote so many good new songs over the lockdown and songs that are kind of the now, as opposed to songs that might not relate to people as much at the moment so we took that into account and made, I think the right decision.”
Eli: “Made it to feel like a gig too. We wanted it to feel like you were at a show when you listened to it”
Inhaler have displayed immense musical and lyrical prowess within ‘It Won’t Always Be Like This’. For a debut, these guys are setting the standard very high. The rich and utterly lush production on the tracks is something to be admired and the dynamic energy within each song is irresistible. Each track warrants its place on the album creating a compelling and thoroughly enjoyable body of work ready for repeat plays.
Under Starling have released their new single,’ Purple Heights’ Under Starlingare an alternative rock band originating from Dungarvan, Waterford comprised of brothers Danny (lead vocalist and guitarist) and Tommy Dunford (Drums, Vocals) as well as Colin Drummey (Bass) and Alex Pollock (Keys, guitar and vocals).’Purple Heights’, is a unique release in commemoration of the 100-year anniversary of the end of the Irish War of Independence.
‘Purple Heights’ is an atmospheric cinematic tune that boasts the first-rate instrumental prowess of Under Starling. The band begin the track with auto-tuned vocals and light indie instrumentation filled with bright guitar and buoyant beats before expanding into a more ethereal and tense electronic soundscape. The band build and layer the track superbly, injecting more alternative heavy instrumentation between traditional lilts to create a consuming and unique listening experience. ‘Purple Heights’ is a vivid and musically lush tune that showcases a diverse and sonically intriguing side to Under Starling.
About the track, the band said: “Purple Heights was written in commemoration of the 100-yearanniversary of the end of the Irish War of Independence. Danny, lead singer, was inspired by his great-grand-uncle, Pat Keating, who was killed in an event during the War known as the Burgery Ambush (March 18th-19th, 1921) just outside of our hometown of Dungarvan.”
Limerick-based alternative rock outfit Dylan Flynn and The Dead Poets have released their new single ‘shine’.This is the third single from their ‘crazy, how we live like this’ collection. As per usual the band recorded and produced the track themselves, with their drummer, Gavin Murray, mixing it. The track is set to come out under the Limerick-based collective, BitDepth.The band have been busy the last six months gaining over 18k on Spotify. They have released three singles and an EP with collaborator and producer, Culla. They also have plenty more to come, with three more singles set to come out from their ‘crazy, how we live like this’ collection.
‘shine’ is an anthemic tune that boasts the emotive and stirring musicianship of Dylan Flynn and The Dead Poets. The band caress the ears with a soothing sweet melody while bubbling rhythms create a tense and melancholic atmosphere to start before the chorus reveals a more uplifting undertone. Flynn’s smooth vocals exude tenderness and emotion throughout as he coos, “are we getting there?, are we losing our sweet time?. We’re going nowhere” over a building flurry on guitars and synths. The track gives way to a mighty, heartfelt crescendo as delicate guitar plucks and lofty western-esque refrains chime between cinematic builds on synth and driving drum progressions. Dylan Flynn and The Dead Poets pack oodles of passion into their songs. This richness in emotion expressed through moving lyrics and evocative instrumentation is what makes Dylan Flynn and The Dead Poets a band to treasure.
About the track, Flynn said:“This track is one that I’ve had for a while. I wrote it when I was going through a really tough time mentally, and it helped see the light at the end of the tunnel. We have been playing it live for some time, so I’m delighted its finally out in the world.”
Rising Cork trio, Rowan have released their new single ‘Nothing’s Gonna Change’.It’s the second track to be lifted from their upcoming EP Everybody Talks, due on July 23rd via their new label home, LA’s Beverly Martel. Born out of the early pandemic last year, when the three accomplished musicians were forced into a hiatus from session work, Rowan are fast becoming one of the most exciting new Irish acts around.
Showcasing the band’s deft musicianship and exciting blossoming sound, ‘Nothing’s Gonna Change’ is a tight, well-crafted gem. Rowan weave bright guitar refrains into a punchy drum and rugged bassline combo to create a gripping, adrenaline-inducing blend of indie rock with luscious pop sensibilities that is a joy to listeners’ senses. The track’s empowering lyrical theme is enhanced by the bubbling instrumental backdrop while moody undertones brood throughout as Dylan Howe’s deep vocals express the hard-hitting lyrics “ wasting daylights worse than intentional stealing”. Filled with majestic guitars and biting bass lines, ‘Nothing’s Gonna Change’ is a fantastic new tune sure to be stuck in your head for days.
About the track, Dylan Howe explains: “Nothing’s Gonna Change” talks about “coming out of your shell, gaining your self-confidence and growing into yourself”
Edinburgh singer-songwriter Jonnie Wallace has released his new single ‘Milk and Flowers’.Wallace presents a stomping dynamic indie rock track that boasts his sharp songwriting and energetic musicianship. Filled with edgy guitar riffs that pierce through a dense rhythmic wall of sound the track is well crafted, full-bodied and the perfect example of Wallace’s catchy passionate sound. Punchy instrumentation pivots around a sweet yet power-driven melody to create a strong and angst-hued tune full of gusto enhanced by blazing guitars that slice through resounding bass rumbles and relentless drum thrashings. As the song swarms to its hair-raising crescendo, Wallace howls “I’m not gonna wait on you no more” while haunting vocals echo his frustration in the background. ‘Milk and Flowers’ is a fantastic new single from Jonnie Wallace.
About the track Wallace said “This track is about not settling for being second best, or being an option, or being treated as a lesser priority. Too many times I have put in the effort to keep in contact, continue a friendship, or form a new relationship with someone, and too many times I have been ignored or treated like nothing important. I poured my angst and frustration into this track and I think it is my best work yet.”
Jamie Button has released his new single ‘Strange Saints’. The song is taken from Button’s forthcoming debut album, which was written in lockdown, and speaks of frustration, inner turmoil and a desire to break free. Hopes are high for Button’s new single after his previous singles ‘Flashbang’ and ‘Told You Things’ peaked at No. 3 and No.2 on the iTunes singer/songwriter charts, respectively. ‘Strange Saints’ was recorded in Paisley at Jamie McGrory’s (Bay City Rollers) studio JJ Recordings. ‘Strange Saints’ features Scott Forsyth on drums and guitars whilst Gordon Burn (bass) and Gary Hornsby (lead guitar) complete the record. The song was produced by Glasgow-based Ross Hamilton (Texas, Saint PHNX, Seafret).
Steeped in indie rock energy with an anthemic chorus and Button’s trademark earworm melodies, ‘Strange Saints’ is a stomping new banger. Button crafts a catchy tune laced in blistering guitar hooks and driving rhythms ready to ignite a live audience while the easy on the ears melody ensures this song won’t leave your head anytime soon. His smooth vocals coat the song in emotion while the indie rock soundscape blazes in the background. Boasting a shredding guitar solo and adrenaline-inducing basslines, ‘Strange Saints’ is a fantastic new addition to Button’s knock out repertoire.
Born out of the existential crisis that has been Covid, and a general feeling of global turmoil, ‘Not Today’ is the massive debut album to come from UK rock band Giant Sky. Finding themselves ready to record in March 2020, the pandemic restrictions meant that they were stopped in their tracks. Still desperate to focus on their music, the band put together crude demos, which soon turned into an EP. Gradually finding their style changing and seeing that there was no end to restrictions in sight, Giant Sky headed to a studio to record this full-length album, wearing masks and testing daily to get the album completed. Formed of Olivia Bond, Toby Mcfee, Jay Amesbury and Jon Hatch, Giant Sky was born after meeting Olivia in 2019. Having been in bands together since their teens, the boys have played music together for years, with Olivia’s vocals and lyricism completing the picture.
‘Not Today’ is a powerful alternative rock album surging with Giant Sky’s sonic onslaught of heavy riffs, crashing drums and dark melodies. The band create tense tunes that brood with moody grunge verses and anthemic choruses. From the cinematic and robust ‘Rust’ to the triumphant raw smack of ‘Elephant, the band take a resounding foundation of roaring bass and pummeling drums and scatter coarse guitar embellishments into the mix to create a lean, mean and musically tantalizing wall of sound. The songs travel at a brisk neck-snapping pace as Giant Sky layer acute instrumentation atop a jagged rhythmic pulse within tracks such as ‘Change’ to create a manic mosh ready soundscape for listeners to immerse themselves in. The blazing instrumental backdrops within the album creates an exhilarating contrast to the melodies’ hazy effect, which, teamed with Olivia Bond’s delicate coos, adds a softer element to the songs. We see this particularly within ‘Heroin’. The coarse sawing bass and sharp guitar refrains lacerate with aggressive force, which Bond cushions with her soothing vocal delivery.
‘Not Today’ is a fine display of the band’s musical prowess, ‘Wolf’ and ‘Elephant’ in particular are prime examples of Giant Sky’s endless talent where we see the band sprinkle moments of guitar delight throughout. However, it’s the bittersweet ‘Home’ that sits as the pinnacle moment within the album. Boasting ethereal guitar, a bright atmosphere and Bond’s pristine vocals the song builds to a hair raising cinematic crescendo filled with expressive drums, lush backing vocals and soft keys. The track is a captivating gem and a wonderful assault on the senses.
Giant Sky have poured themselves into this fantastic album to create a mature, refined and thrilling collection of tracks ready for repeat plays.
Gang Of Youths have released their new single ‘the angel of 8th ave.’ The track represents their first new music since 2017’s ‘Go Farther In Lightness’ album. Entirely self-produced, the track was recorded in their own studio in Hackney, a place which provides them with unlimited creative freedom. It was subsequently mixed by the Grammy-winning Craig Silvey (Arcade Fire, The National). Since forming in Sydney, Australia in 2011, Gang Of Youths have made a big impression with their two albums to date, ‘The Positions’ (2015) and ‘Go Farther In Lightness’ (2017), the latter of which won four prestigious ARIA Awards, including Album of the Year and Best Group. London shows have included four sold-out nights at the Islington Assembly Hall, and a show as part of BRITs Week 2020 in support of War Child. Meanwhile, international festival dates have spanned everywhere from Splendour In The Grass to Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza, Rock Werchter and Mad Cool.
‘the angel of 8th ave’ is an expressive rush of indie rock that showcases the dynamic musicianship of Gang Of Youths. The song ignites with a catchy rhythmic intro before Dave Le’aupepe’s deep vocals express the lyrics as a rapid progression of thought,“So we got straight to the heart, And I was a coward and worse to my shame, I fell hard upon the weightless weeks, But wasted every day”. The earnest lyrics move through a jogging backdrop of bass rumbles and resounding sprints on guitars as the band create an intense and hyper wall of sound for listeners to indulge in.
The band layer and craft the song superbly to create an invigorating listening experience. The song builds becoming more vibrant with each flourishing musical element as the dynamic chorus elevates the track with soaring sharp guitar embellishments and a driving bounce on drums. Everything pivots around the snappy rhythm within this song as warm injections on acoustic guitar, haunting reverb pines on synths and lofty guitar refrains ricochet off the snapping percussion and drum beat.
Gang Of Youths present a marvellous new tune that effortlessly displays their passion and musical prowess. With a tune this impressive, powerful and ambitious, I’m excited to hear what the band has to offer next.
Dublin alternative indie rock four-piece Fruitz are back with a new single, ‘Be Like This’. The song follows their popular previous release ‘Daydream’ in 2020, a sold-out headline show at Whelan’s, and support for Louis Berry. ‘Be Like This’ was recorded in Dublin’s famous Windmill Lane Recording Studios. Fruitz teamed up with producer Cian Synott and mastering engineer Fergal Davis on this song as well as Gareth Halliday ( Noel Gallagher) for the artwork.
Doused in sharp riffs and driving rhythms, ‘Be Like This’ is an impressive track from Fruitz that balances 90’s alternative rock with indie undertones. The tune is an emotive and confident display of passion-filled musicianship that showcases the band’s mature and dynamic sound in all its glory. Brooding verses simmer with rumbling basslines, jangly guitars and tense drums to provide the perfect pressure cooker to perk the ears and tantalise the senses before erupting into the mighty chorus. Boasting expressive vocals, an exhilarating melody and majestic guitar display, ‘Be Like This’ is a hair-raising anthem that marks Fruitz as ones to watch.
Stream ‘Be Like This’ below
Author : Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
