California-based indie electro-pop act Margot Polo has released his new single ‘Can You Hear Me?’.This vibrant bop is bursting from the seams with Margot Polo’s lush, intricate and dynamic musicianship. Margot Polo is becoming known for passionate, irresistible melodies and ‘Can You Hear Me?’ is a triumphant example of this. Glittery disco elements blend into a pool of shimmering synths while jaunty guitars ripple throughout, adding a dash of zest and edge into the track’s sonic soundscape. With a stomping beat slicing between the sun-kissed psychedelic tones and lush pop sensibilities, Polo creates a refreshing tune laced in hearty melodies and rich production. ‘Can You Hear Me?’ is a catchy upbeat tune that is destined for repeat plays.
Seán Finn has released his new single ‘Summer Is Over’. Originating from rural Ireland, Seán Finn is a multi-instrumental songwriter, grounded in pop and jazz. With a few years of songwriting under his belt, Seán’s homespun style provides a warm and inviting soundscape for his listeners. Seán is currently working together with sound engineer Jack Roulston on a project titled ‘Pencil In Regret’. The project consists of 10 songs that were written before and during the pandemic and ‘Summer Is Over’ is the final single to be released from this upcoming project.
Seán Finn blends retro tones with warm jazz hues, and subtle psychedelia in ‘Summer Is Over’ to create a sweet tune that boasts his vibrant songwriting. The song is lavishly arranged to provide a mellow and bright listening experience as warm guitars weave between rich rhythms and elastic bass grooves. The guitar adds a playful character to the song. It cheerily meanders between melancholy and peppy joy before unfolding into a more distorted psychedelic tone for the trippy crescendo. Finn’s soothing vocals carry the hopeful lyrics “ I know she likes me too” with a cheery and charming quality as the song effortlessly glides into the ears with a mellow and nostalgic tone. ‘Summer Is Over’ is a joy to listen to.
About the track Finn said: “I would describe ‘Summer Is Over’ as my first sincere attempt at writing a single. The production feels like it’s a big step in the right direction for me, it all sounds very clean and proper, yet it still sounds like me. It’s definitely my best song to date. It captures that melancholy feeling when the summer is drawing to a close, and your summer romance didn’t pan out the way you had hoped. Instead of facing the rejection at hand, you decide to focus on the positives. That kind of behaviour will catch up with you eventually, but in the moment it provides a little comfort. It might be naïve, but it’s nice.”
Patrick Stefan (formerly Paj) has released his new single ‘Anna’.Irish-born, half Dutch singer-songwriter Patrick Stefan would describe himself as a bit of a musical polyglot, having lived and performed in America, Brazil and West Africa, and played with some of Ireland’s leading musicians (including Loah, Fehdah, Uly, and rising R&B star Aby Coulibaly). He even has performance credits alongside Eurovision winner Luisa Sobral, and Irish fiddler Martin Hayes, as part of the award-winning band Ensemble Ériu. After completing his Masters in Global Music & Pedagogy at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, the Berklee College of Music graduate began releasing the bulk of his solo material under his former moniker, Paj. Stefan’s folk/jazz group, Leafzang, also released their eponymous album in 2011. ‘Anna’ is the first single Stefan is releasing under his real name and was written about his fateful meeting with the Airbnb host. The song heralds the announcement of his forthcoming album, slated for 2022 release.
‘Anna’ ebbs and flows with Patrick Stefan’s emotive and lush musicianship. He creates an ethereal laid back tune through refreshing instrumentation and airy soundscapes. The track has a mellow and passionate tone, enhanced by a supple guitar intro, wispy electronics and earthy marimba. Stefan blends smoky melodies and warm jazz keys with hypnotic rhythms and intricate arrangements to create a unique and mesmerising tune for listeners to enjoy. The lyrical tenderness is soothing to the ears “you don’t know how precious you are,” as Stefan’s velvety vocals caress the dreamy melody to create a pacifying and comforting listening experience. Doused in lo-fi tones, R&B elements, and silken melodies, ‘Anna’ is simply a delight to the ears.
Zimbabwean-Irish singer-songwriter, shiv returns with her new single ‘Where You Are’.The track is taken from the upcoming EP ‘The Love Interlude’ set for release on October 8th. shiv – the moniker of Siobhan McClean – has been keeping herself busy behind the scenes with the four-track audio-visual EP, shot in 16mm film. Using seasonal visionary and music to represent the emotions we experience in the cyclical and ever-changing journey of love, the songs on the body of work represent each season of the year and will be accompanied by a short-film type visual.
‘Where You Are’ flows with intricate melodies, opulent lo-fi tones and soulful hues as shiv creates a luxuriant and compelling new tune to indulge in. Within each crevice of the song, a new sound is revealed – from jazz flavours on saxophone and piano to buoyant hip hop rhythms and chic retro melodies, shiv changes the landscape of the track regularly to keep the listener intrigued while her magnificent soulful vocals anchor the listener within the tracks ever changing soundscape. ‘Where You Are’ is a joy to listen to and superbly expresses the chaotic journey of love through changing musical arrangements and masterful songwriting. Press play and enjoy.
About the track shiv said: “We have been fed a narrative of a perfect kind of love, that is effortless and uncomplicated, that means that you will find someone who fits every part of you flawlessly. More often than not, this isn’t the case, it’s the imperfection that makes love fulfilling, it’s in learning and growing that you find happiness that is gratifying because of the time you have spent nurturing it.”
Jonas Glamann has released his new single ‘Trying To Love Again’ – a heartfelt and sincere message capturing a nostalgic vibe and a bittersweet sense of longing for feelings in a relationship that are no longer what they used to be. Based in Germany, Jonas Glamann creates music to reflect on. Having started playing the guitar at the young age of 7, and joining his first band at 11, Glamann has quite the musical background.
‘Trying To Love Again‘ presents Jonas Glamann’s richly emotive and warm songwriting through lush melodies and glowing instrumentation. Glamann blends a soft pop melody with twinkling guitars, delicate country twangs and steady beats to create a soothing and glowing tune brimming with tenderness. Ethereal soundscapes provide a mellow, laid back atmosphere that is wonderfully consoling and is greatly enhanced by warm velvety vocals. ‘Trying To Love Again’ is wholesome, well crafted, and a joy to listen to.
Singer-songwriter Nate Harar, also known as Dalton, has released his new single ‘This Way’ lifted from his upcoming album, ’To the Woods’, due out October 22nd via AWAL. Dalton released his self-titled debut album on the indie label Fierce Panda Records in 2015. The album was well-received (London In Stereo, NME, The Line of Best Fit, Clash, Drowned In Sound). He then followed that up with a five-song EP released in 2017, along with a second full-length, ‘Take Shelter’, in 2019.
Driving on a swarm of fuzzy guitars, ‘This Way’ is an invigorating new single from Dalton. Filled with lush harmonies, buoyant rhythms and a breezy melody Dalton creates a sweet nostalgic gem laced in euphoric instrumentation – the track packs one hefty shoegaze punch as the blitz of sharp guitars bluster around a dreamy melody and sun-kissed 90’s soundscapes. ‘This Way’ is well crafted and layered to perfection to create a richly textured tune that boasts Dalton’s refined and exhilarating musicianship.
Gaitana has released her brand new single along with Adriano Meléndez called ‘Deja Huellas de Luz’.The single emerged as a call to the spiritual awakening of Humanity. Its name coincides with that of their Foundation, which aims to promote a change in global consciousness.
‘Deja Huellas de Luz’ is a bright and uplifting tune that floats on a dreamy melody and supple instrumentation. With tight harmonies and twinkling piano gliding between warm guitar and rich percussive embellishments, it’s an easy on the ears laid back tune set for relaxing summer evenings. The track is filled with hopeful tones and glowing soundscapes to create a cosy and fresh new single for listeners to enjoy.
Cuban rockers Bouquet have released their new album ‘Dressed Up Animal’ that features music written over the last 15 years. Planned as the first of three instalments, ‘Dressed Up Animal’ is a sample of the different sounds and styles that have influenced the band over the years. Bouquet is a Cuban rock band founded in 2003 in Cienfuegos by Aivis Prieto (vocalist and composer) and Pavel Cama (vocalist and guitar) The band has been a pioneer in a unique style of Cuban rock, being faithful to its sound and showing an excellent performance on rock stages all over the island. Since their inception Bouquet have played at international and national festivals, including charity concerts in support of the fight against HIV AIDS and the Terry Fox tribute festival in the city of Cienfuegos. The current line up features founding members Aivis and Pavel, who have been joined by Daniel Jiménez on drums and Yunior Moiña García on bass and backing vocals.
‘Dressed Up Animal’ balances heavy most worthy soundscapes with rock-driven theatrics to create a diverse and shredding collection of tracks. The band take raw heavy riffs and weave them between majestic melodic moments of jazz flavoured piano and 80’s- esque undertones to create a dynamic and all-consuming sound for songs ‘Mind Blower’ and ‘Candela’. There is sleek musical prowess displayed throughout. This is perfectly displayed within the swaggering blues-whacked grit of title track ‘Dressed Up Animals’ – with its sensual soundscapes evaporating off lean, mean riffs and raw vocals, the track is grounded in immersive instrumentation and rock bravado. Bouquet have a knack for creating cinematic soundscapes whether it’s the chilling dark grunge of ‘Good Thief’ or the metal- esque riffage in ‘Sobriety II’, the vivid and dramatic instrumentation lifts each track to epic heights. The band express their multi-genre aesthetic with elements of jazz speckled throughout the album teamed with Cuban rhythms, funky basslines and soaring alternative rock to create a thoroughly enjoyable listening experience. ‘Dressed Up Animal’ is a tight and cohesive collection of tracks that boasts the refined and powerful sound of Bouquet.
Nory-J has released his new single ‘Tough Cookie’. Nory-J is the indie-pop pseudonym of former Bath phenomenon Jack Spooner. Telling the story of a self-destructive love interest, the song is a quintessentially British journey close to Jack’s heart reflecting his own self-destructive tendencies in a one-way conversation about remaining resilient through tough times. Performed on the biggest stage in Bath, and at a virtual TEDxBSU talk, the song is a hit among live music fanatics and Nory-J fans.
‘Tough Cookie’ is a delicately crafted gem that surges with the sweet and emotive songwriting of Nory-J. The track drifts along warm guitar and an uplifting drum foundation while Nory-J’s smooth vocals caress the tender melody with ease. The track is minimalist in its approach allowing the artists’ narrative to move to the fore as Nory-J croons comforting lyrics over the cinematic sing-along chorus and foot-tapping rhythm, “Don’t be that way, You beat yourself up on a Monday”. ‘Tough Cookie’is a delight to listen to and highlights Nory-J’s effortless sound and wholesome musicianship. Press play and enjoy.
Dublin rapper JyellowL aka Jean-Luc Uddoh has returned with his new single ‘See Me Finish’, produced by Nigeria’s Tee-Y mix. This follows his critically acclaimed debut album ‘2020 D|vision’, which was nominated for Irish album of the year 2020 at the RTÉ Choice Music Prize Awards and debuted at number 2 on the official iTunes album charts as well as number 1 in the hip hop category.
I caught up with the artist to discuss the new single, his upcoming EP’s and tour, his suave fashion sense, and how his collaboration with Tee-Y mix came about.
“I was in Lagos, and I met a couple of people who introduced me to a couple of people. One of them was Tee-Y mix. He asked me to come down to the studio for a couple of sessions so we did two sessions probably, two days back to back and we just got along really well. He’s Tee-Y mix, obviously he’s a legend. He’s produced some of my favourite songs from like Davido,Tiwa Savage and M.I. I told him that I wanted to fuse what I was doing with what he does, and the best way to do that, and make it a new musical direction and he just instantly inspired me. So, yeah, that’s where ‘See Me Finish’ came from.”
‘See Me Finish’ sounds so effortless and chill as JyellowL and Tee-Y mix blend their musical talents to create a vibrant backdrop filled with summer beats and lush melodies.
“It sounds effortless yeah, but I actually wrote the whole thing in that session, in the first session. I think between writing and recording we must have spent about four hours or so. Tee-Y is a beast though so he mixes as well in that same session. I’m pretty sure he mastered in that session as well so yeah we did everything in the four hours so it was pretty cool.”
“I hate demos, I can’t stand making demos. So, I was just happy he had thesame mindset of, like, anything we did today let’s just make it the final product, or at least get everything you need to do and I’ll do the rest on the mixing front. So yeah, we’re on the same page in that respect so I was happy about that.”
JyellowL has become known for his witty lyrics and smooth melodies. He once again matches clever lyrics with irresistible melodies within ‘See Me Finish’ to create an enjoyable listening experience filled with vivid storytelling that keeps you hanging on to every word.
“Yeah, I definitely do. I guess it’s something that I’ve trained myself to do I’vetrained myself on my delivery, so it may not take as much time now to say something in that lyrical manner, as it would have before. So yeah I do that purposefully.”
‘See Me Finish’ is a taste of the sound he is creating for his upcoming series of EP’s ‘shades of yellow’ and JyellowL explained what we can expect from these EP’s
“You can expect a new musical direction. ‘See Me Finish’ was a taster for what’s to come but the real thing with ‘shades of yellow’ is that it’s not just one project. It’s a series of EP’s, that will be different shades of yellow. I thought it was a really nice way for me to express my versatility. I want people to get accustomed to me sounding different ways, but still be comfortable knowing that ‘oh that’s still JyellowL, just in a different musical direction or sound’ but it’s still JyellowL. I want people to be accustomed to that, because I make so many different types of music, and it’s always an issue of I want to release this today but then I want to release this tomorrow and it’s completely different. And everyone’s like, yeah, but, where’s the coherence. I just want to throw everything out – I don’t make one type of music, the same way I don’t listen to one type of music.”
JyellowL is an ambitious artist who is constantly evolving and we discussed how he approaches keeping his sound fresh. I wondered if he is always thinking ahead and moving towards future goals or if he lives in the moment and lets his sound ebb and flow with his emotions.
“I just mostly live in the moment. It’s a hard thing to explain because honestly, I make some random music and I get randomly inspired. So for me it’s not even an evolution. It may seem like an evolution because of the timeframes in which those songs get released, but, I’ll be making them in the background anyway. So for me, I’m just being my whole artistic self when I’m allowed to be in studios, when I’m writing, that kind of thing”
JyellowL has recently become the face of Virgin Media’s ‘Up Your Speed Game’ 1Gig broadband campaign, a deal which saw the multinational company commission him to pen a track, ’Pick Up the Pace’ specially for the campaign and boy! did JyellowL take the task in his stride. His lyrics and rap are fluid and fast as he swiftly spits out puns with ease, mirroring the theme of their fastest broadband campaign.
“Yeah they pretty much gave me creative freedom within certain parameters. Ihad to come up with a lot of broadband puns and metaphors and euphemisms. It was really cool for me though, but the thing that I really enjoyed about that campaign was the fact that everyone was aware that it had to sound like something I’d release anyway… it has to sound like JyellowL, and it has to be in a way that feels natural to me and they were completely supportive of that. So yeah that was a lot of fun. It was definitely a lot of fun because it felt like a writing drill for me. I think I wrote the track, as soon as we confirmed everything, say, in the afternoon we signed off on everything or whatever, I think I wrote the track, that evening, sent it off to them in the morning like one am or two am in the morning and then, they signed off on the lyrics and that was that, recorded it and everything”
Packing in such brisk lyrics for recording is an achievement in itself but what about performing it live where you can’t make any mistakes or stumble. We discussed the possibility and fear of forgetting such rapid and dense lyrical content while performing live.
“It’s muscle memory. The more I do it, the more my tongue gets used to keeping up with the lyrics in my mind, so yes muscle memory.”
JyellowL has some shows coming up in October. This is such an exciting prospect for both JyellowL and his fans as he never got to tour his acclaimed debut album ‘2020 D|vision’ due to the pandemic, so these shows will be an extra special celebration for everyone involved.
“I can’t wait. I really can’t wait, I think the tour has been rescheduled multiple times. I think it’s looking like its definitely going ahead now, so I’m excited for that. I’m very very happy, because, it was meant to be the album tour. But then the album’s nearly a year old now, and we still haven’t toured it so yeah I’m excited for that. Now it’s just going to be a JyellowL tour I can’t even say it’s an album tour anymore, because there’s new music to perform.”
“I’m just looking forward to celebrating this freedom with real people…it’s just gonna be such an emotional experience and I’m looking forward to it”
JyellowL has worked hard to establish himself as a musical force to be reckoned with. He is a talented artist who alongside others is making huge strides to put Irish hip hop on the map. He told me what advice he would give a budding artist.
“The best advice I ever got, was to be patient and persistent not persistent and patient and know the difference. That’s something that I still live and abide by, you know, I just work by myself, regardless of what it looks like right now, when the weather’s fair when it’s not. I just stay working, stay improving, put my time in regardless and I’m aware that there’s delay gratification, with whatever work that I put in. That’s the advice that I live by, so I guess that’s the advice I give someone else.”
JyellowL’s style and how he presents himself is very suave and sharp. He explained to me the importance of branding and being true to your style.
“I want to say yes because branding is always important in business in general, branding and packaging yes, however, when it comes to a personal brand I’m of the opinion, and I mean, my opinion is not gospel but I’m of the opinion that you should represent yourself because otherwise, eventually, it will be just too hard to keep up an appearance that’s not yours. For instance when I do my shoots or whatever, I wear what I would wear normally, and I’m pretty big on my fashion. Most of the time, I’m casual and I think that comes across in my shoots and stuff and therefore it allows me to stay on brand and it’s easy for me to stay on brand because that’s my personal appearance.”
‘See Me Finish’ is a vibrant, well-crafted tune that provides an exciting glimpse into the many facets of JyellowL’s sound. His ambition, eloquent songwriting and diverse musicianship makes him an artist to get excited about. I’m looking forward to the ‘shades of yellow’ releases. If ‘See Me Finish’ is anything to go by they will be richly textured, musically lush and a joy to listen to again and again.
Stream ‘See Me Finish’ below
Author: Danu
Indie: (n) an obscure form of rock which you only learn about from someone slightly more hip than yourself.
