Following the success of their 2 last singles ‘Moonlight’ and ‘I Had A Dream’, and after a mini tour in Ireland, UK, Toronto and New York up until lockdown, Rowan have released their debut EP ‘No One Is Safe Here’.Rowan bursted onto the Irish and UK music scene with their first release ‘Finish Line’ being featured on titan Spotify playlists such as New Music Friday UK, Your Kitchen Stereo, The Indie List and many others. Since then, they have accumulated over 200k plays in total. The indie trio are currently commanding a great deal of attention for their symphonic indie-anthems, particularly in Ireland, the UK, Germany and Canada. The band have supported internationally renowned artists such as Badly Drawn Boy, The Walls, Duke Special, Brian Deady, Hamsandwich and many more and have earned international recognition as they were nominated for an IMA, judged by Robert Smith, Tom Waits, Roberta Flack and many others, with their song ‘Big Wave’. The band have also been awarded the ‘Colin Vearncombe’ Songwriting award.
Well crafted, and doused in emotion ‘No One Is Safe Here’ is a smashing debut EP from Rowan. The band use their musical prowess to pull out all the stops with this wonderfully rich collection of tracks. From dynamic anthems to moving ballads the EP flows with tantalizing arrangements and deft embellishments. Blending sharp zest stricken indie elements in warm undertones of folk, sweet surges of pop and edged rock the EP is a joy ride of lush soundscapes.
Rowan weave the EP’s soundscapes superbly, utilising jangly indie guitar, buoyant drums and resounding bass rumbles to inject ‘Moonlight’ and ‘Big Wave’ with vigor. Creating a full bodied wall of sound they provide meaty choruses and soaring sing along melodies to provide that passion igniting explosions of the soul worthy of arenas.
Rowan cool things down with some heartfelt and beautifully crafted slow burners ‘Love Gets In The Way’ and ‘I Had A Dream’. Exuding cinematic arrangements, lush strings, powerful crescendos and earnest songwriting these tracks showcase the band’s maturity and heartfelt musicianship as they discuss longing for perfect love, and the loss of love.
‘No One Is Safe Here’ comes to a close with the animated piano led ‘You’re Not The One’. Doused in sombre tones while a building vibrant backdrop of strident strings and raw guitars ricochet off a tight percussive wall of sound – this blistering song is joy to the ears. The dramatic builds and grateful drops in tone on the track is masterful and showcases the versatility and mesmerising talent of Rowan
Rowan has created an exhilarating EP showcasing first rate musicianship. These guys aren’t just crafting their sound, they are thriving, pushing boundaries, exceeding expectations and releasing tunes of the highest quality.
Longcoats have released their new EP ‘October’. Longcoats are a four piece pop rock outfit hailing from The South West of England. The band present a solid, tight and instrumentally deft EP brimming with passion and catchy melodies.The energetic jaunty indie sound this band provide is impressive as they surge zealous guitar lines, funky basslines and dynamic drums into each blistering tune. ‘Drag’ kicks off this speedball of energy – infectious and blasing with anthemic power this indie belter is a fantastic opening track. The band coat their buoyant instrumentation in irresistible pop-peppered melodies and instant hooks against shredding solo’s and blazing heartfelt instrumentation. Each song evokes images of mass sing-alongs at gigs while creating a vibrant listening experience. Even the more emotional tunes, ‘Used To Being Used’, ‘October’ and ‘Plasticine’ have an upbeat infectious radiance. Longcoats have a wonderful ability to create tunes that brighten your day. The songs are laced in intricate well placed guitar lines and groove infested bass lines that keep each song animated and dance ready.
‘October’ is a cohesive thoroughly enjoyable EP from Longcoats. The band are building and crafting their sound superbly and the result is a tidy energetic and emotive collection of tracks sure to be knocking around in your head all day.
Five Days North have released their new single ‘Heaven Hold Us’. Since winning the 2017 Best Unsigned Band at the UK Unsigned Music Awards, Five Days North have steadily evolved into the encompassing and emotionally charged outfit they are today. Bringing with them their heart-on-their-sleeve lyricism, the band have released a smattering of singles and EPs that have turned heads and broken hearts both in their native Manchester and further afield. Festival appearances at the likes of Dot2Dot Festival and Kendal Calling have seen their fanbase widen; their anthemic indie-pop the perfect soundtrack to a weekend in the fields.
An uplifting anthemic gem ‘Heaven Hold Us’ is a smashing track from Five Days North. The band spread a heartfelt melody over an ethereal synth pop backdrop to create the perfect passionate indie pop delight. The track is laden with hooks and beautifully buoyant instrumentation as Five Days North build their timeless euphoric sound into something truly mesmerising. Filled with shimmering synths, glistening guitars and punchy drums teamed with an elastic bassline; this glorious earworm is a must listen.
The Waah-Kin Tribe have released their new single ‘Now You’. Hailing from ‘Sunny’ Scunthorpe, The Waah-Kin Tribe are an energetic Alt/Indie Rock 3 Piece. After releasing and debuting their first single ‘Holding Up The Mirror’ in Paris, the lads have continued to gig far and wide bringing their punk influenced experience to centre stage. With support from BBC Introducing the trio have been electrifying audiences with their songs and are looking forward to bringing back their notorious live performances.
‘Now You‘ is a vibrant indie rock track saturated in groove-laced instrumentation and The Waah-Kin Tribe’s energetic songwriting. The band flesh out their jaunty indie sound with funky guitar riffs, buoyant drums and a elastic spring on bass to create a full bodied and dynamic sound. Using bubbling radiant soundscapes to contrast the lyrics which metaphorically depict life today in its current climate this danceable ray of sunshine is driven by an infectious, strut-ready rhythm and smooth catchy melody. ‘Now You’ is a doozy sure to brighten your day. Looking forward to hearing more from The Waah-Kin Tribe.
Koala Club have released their new single ‘So Long’. After a streak of songs released earlier this year, Koala Club were set to hit summer 2020 with an explosion of new material. After securing a slot supporting indie idols Swim Deep, the band continues to establish themselves in their hometown of Brighton, whilst continuing to expand their online audience. The band have received support from Spotify gaining them over 1000 monthly listeners, support from local radio and praise from BBC introducing.
Wrapped in glorious sun kissed indie ‘So Long’ is a radiant gem from Koala Club. While providing witty lyrical content the band keep the song upbeat with light jangly guitar injecting tropical tones into the tracks buoyant foundation. With smooth vocals and a catchy fun melody ‘So Long’ is that instant pick me up we all need. A rooted elastic bass oozes a hip moving groove while the melody and jubilous guitar exude positive vibes. Ready for repeat listens, ‘So Long’ is a delightful gem from Koala Club. Looking forward to hearing more from this talented bunch.
Frontman James Grimsdale said of the track: ‘Nobody likes being taken for granted. This song is a celebration. It’s about moving on from toxic people and looking after no.1. We wanted the song to reinforce the idea that positive outcomes do occur from letting go, even when you think you can’t.’
Irish singer-songwriter Rory & The Island has released his brand new single ‘When The Lights Go Down (Valhalla)’. Rory’s journey began as lead singer of indie-rock band The Revs, who found themselves topping the Irish charts with two top 5 albums and a string of successful tours making waves throughout Ireland, Europe and even reaching Australia with a top 30 single. After the bands split in 2007, Rory moved to a remote island in the Canaries where he opened a live music venue ‘The Island Bar’. It was here the Donegal songwriter performed weekly residency shows building up a cult following of people from all over the world that would travel to the island to come and see him perform. It was also here that Rory & The Island was born and he began his solo project. Two albums later, Rory independently earned himself 8 top 30s, 2 top 10s and a number 1 single in the Irish charts. As well as performing all over the UK and Ireland supporting the likes of Ocean Colour Scene, Feeder and Alabama 3. 2019 saw Rory leave the island, return back to Ireland and extensively tour, filling out rooms around the UK and Ireland with his London show at The Dublin Castle selling out within 48 hours of going on sale.
‘When The Lights Go Down (Valhalla)’ is a warm, catchy track saturated in the melodious songwriting of Rory & The Island. With a steady beat and buoyant acoustic guitar strum the track has an instant foot tapping charm. Rory’s velvety tone and subtle rasp caresses the infectious melody with a laid back tone while the sparse guitar strides add a dash of edge and indie rock to the song. It’s a passionate track which talks about the battle of keeping a sustainable career as an artist in a difficult industry through wonderfully rich and warm musicianship.
We caught up with lead singer, Ophelia (Fee) Booth from BLOXX to talk about the release of their debut album ‘Lie Out Loud’ and their huge UK tour scheduled for spring 2021.
‘Lie Out Loud’ has been a long time coming for the Uxbridge four piece, and follows a glorious ascent since BLOXX exploded onto the scene four years ago with their definitive brand of confessional, relatable indie pop. The album features the huge singles ‘Go Out With You’, ‘Coming Up Short’, ‘Thinking About Yourself’, ‘Off My Mind’, alongside a wealth of new material that showcases the band’s journey so far, which has seen them play huge shows, build an army of fans and amass over 30 million Spotify plays.
You guys have released your debut album Lie Out Loud. You guys burst onto the scene four years ago. Why did it take four years to bring out an album, were you crafting your sound, readying for this release to make it as cohesive as possible?
We really just wanted to build a bit of a name for ourselves with singles and Ep’s. Crafting an album can be a long thing when you’re brand new to the industry. It feels good to not have rushed it all.
Talk to us about the title, why did you choose to call the album ‘Lie Out Loud’?
It came as a bit of a shock when i said it out loud, and I didn’t actually think it made much sense until I dwelled on the idea that it actually does. We spend, as humans, a lot of time convincing ourselves that we’re being honest with ourselves, when we can just be lying. The act of lying out loud is the idea that we’re so unaware that we’re lying, we’re doing it out loud. A lot of the tracks on the record deal with personal things for me, and the feeling of the above.
It’s an album of cracking energetic indie tunes with shredding guitars, driving rhythmic sections and oodles of energy. How did you guys approach the writing for this album?
I think it’s important for me to write as if I’m trying to write a song for the stage. I love the idea of a crowd in my mind when I’m writing.
You have a wonderful knack with writing earworm melodies. Talk us through how you come up with these melodies. Do you spend time ruminating on them or does it just come naturally?
A lot of it is patience, listening and feeling the music. But I am always singing to myself, sometimes around supermarkets I’ll have to grab my phone and record a melody that I’m singing. I listen back most of the time and it’s absolute nonsense.
To coincide with the album release, You have unveiled a new single ‘5000 Miles’. It’s an unconventional love song that perfectly encapsulates the feelings of love, lust and growing up in a British satellite town. Tell us about that song and what sparked you to write it?
It is about my girlfriend at the time whom I met in the US. When I left I was really upset and penned half of the lyrics for this tune on the flight whilst drinking red wine. The music came later in this case, which is unusual for me.
Do you write your songs from personal experiences? If so do you ever feel anxious that the people you are singing about will know the song is about them?
Yes sometimes but I usually send a text explaining that there’s no hard feelings. In some cases people think it’s about them when it’s not at all. I find that quite funny, but if the glass slipper fits I say!
How did you choose which tracks you were going to put on the album?
It was a bit hard but most of them were no brainers. I rarely hate a song that I write. Except for ‘Lay Down’. Bin that one.
‘It Won’t Work Out’ is one of my favourite songs on the album. Tell us about that track and how you crafted it?
Oh right, amazing! Me and Steph Marziano spent a hot hot day in the studio just writing and this happened! The four on the floor really makes that tune for me, and the way it opens up with guitars in the second part. It’s a cool one.
Do you have a track that you are particularly proud of?
I think it has to be ‘Coming Up Short’. We were totally able to completely capture my energy and my song writing style in that song. I’d love to think that’s my sound down to a T.
Fee your vocals are strong and emotive while oozing attitude and swagger have you always been a confident singer?
Oh no, I used to be awful really. Confidence is so key to performance, and I didn’t have any, but I’ve taught myself that feeling strong makes you act stronger so I’m not nervous anymore.
You have constructed a solid reputation through touring extensively with the likes of indie giants Two Door Cinema Club and The Wombats, hitting up major festival stages and rapidly churning out anthemic crowd explosive tunes. I bet you were gutted that you haven’t been able to tour the album this year?
Yeah! We’ve been really lucky actually! We were really gutted yeah. Having to cancel loads of shows really hit us hard, and I’m sure it’s hit everyone! Just can’t wait to get back on the road.
What tips have you picked up playing these shows with Two Door Cinema Club, The Wombats and Sundara Karma, as well as the festivals like Reading, Leeds and The Great Escape?
I think it helped us grow up a lot. We got to live on the road for a bit and being away from home and family when you’re young is how you learn to be independent I think. All of the bands we’ve toured with have been amazing to us, and it’s been so great to learn things like etiquette and also how to perform better!
You are set to celebrate the album’s release with a huge UK tour scheduled for spring 2021. What have you got planned for the shows?
So many great things. We want to make those shows the best we’ve ever played. Getting to play album tracks for the first time in front of people will be the best feeling. I penned some of these tunes to be live anthems, so we want to bring everything to the table next year for all the fans.
Do you have any advice for anyone watching who wants to start a band or career in music?
Keep going, write a load of music, stay true to your ideas and your sound, and never stop dreaming big.
What’s next for you guys?
More music, more shows, energy and some cool surprises early next year!
‘Lie Out Loud’ is a tight, vigorous album and an impressive debut. BLOXX pack oodles of energy into these passionate tunes and the result is a hook laden album which evokes the raw energy of a live gig as well as providing a refined satisfying body of work locked and loaded for repeat listens.
BLOXX are set to head out on tour in 2021. Check out the dates below
SUNDOWN are back with their latest release ‘Dead In The Water’. The Dublin quartet sold-out a headline show in Whelan’s last year and have toured Ireland with gigs from Belfast to Cork, including their festival debut at Independence and supporting acclaimed artists such as Sion Hill and Larkin’s.
‘Dead In The Water’ continues SUNDOWN’s run of adrenaline-inducing, turbo-charged tunes. Boasting deft production and evoking a sense of youthful energy the band’s sound is mature and impressively tight. Burly riffs and a resounding rumble on drums introduce the track’s lonely desert atmosphere before the song begins to trot and then gallop into the chorus accompanied by blistering guitars and a rooted bass which ignites with roaring intensity. A passionate yet chilled vocal delivery drifts over the melody, simmering and bubbling with dramatic glimmers on synths, which at times peer through the epic stride on bass and relentless drums. The band rein in the songs ebullient tenacity allowing tense and utterly thrilling soundscapes to continually build until the blazing guitar solo finally announces the songs pinnacle moment. SUNDOWN have an exciting sound and the tunes they are whacking out are of a high standard and substance. Keep an eye on these guys, they are going places.
Vulpynes are back with their latest EP ‘Us Against Them’ on FOAD/Advance Records.The four blistering tracks were initially penned as part of their debut album, however when Covid hit they decided to release the four tracks as an EP.
‘Us Against Them’ is a fantastic display of raw untainted alternative rock. Vulpynes lean heavily on a punk, abrasive attitude to create a knockout four track EP boasting some seriously heavy riffage. With fuzz-laced guitar riffs and pummelling drums ‘One Horse Mind’ is the perfect album opener. This adrenaline-fuelled song is sure to have you moshing within seconds.
Vulpynes douse their sound in sinister undertones, catchy melodies and vigorous hooks to make ‘Sister’ one of the pinnacle moments on the EP. This track is an invigorating blast of alternative rock which leaves the listener feeling pumped and craving for more.
However the frantic gallop of ‘This Motor Is Me’ and the dark, fuzz-saturated ‘Control Is Not What I Need’ deserve special attention. These two glorious tracks display the talent and musical growth of this duo, showing Vulpynes’ sound has fermented and curdled into something truely thrilling. The tight brisk riffs are executed with such precision and brawn it’s awe-inspiring while the groove presented on drums by Kaz is an otherworldly rampage of terror and delight as she shifts nimbly between raw rumbles, mighty thumps and thunderous bashes. Maeve Molly’s distinctive, raspy vocals anchor the listener within the musical maelstrom. She spits and bellows out the lyrics matching the all consuming wall of sound with her enticing tone.
Exuding a heavy dollop of riot attitude, Vulpynes have created a fiery alternative rock EP in ‘Us Against Them’. With tunes full of catchy melodies and addictive riffs Vulpynes are a force to be reckoned with.
British singer-songwriter Conrad Ashton has released his latest single ‘The Longest Night’.Recorded at Blank Studios in Newcastle, the song was originally written in 2016, but was brought back to life in the studio with a little help from his production team, Chris Mcmanus and Mark Johnson. Championing the message of “it’s okay not to be okay” Conrad Ashton is releasing ‘The Longest Night’ in the hopes of helping other people who might be feeling the same way.
‘The Longest Night’ is a slick and upbeat number displaying Conrad Ashton’s emotive musicianship. The track is a dynamic passionate anthem which exudes an intense uplifting atmosphere. Edgy indie weaves between pop elements accompanied by jangly guitars, a buoyant beat and warm vocals with breezy, echoed, backing vocals reinforcing the biting quality of the chorus. With a shredding guitar solo and vibrant instrumental backing ‘The Longest Night’ is an impressive and passionate new single from Conrad Ashton
Stream ‘The Longest Night’ below
Author : Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
