Tag Archives: noir pop

Alt Rock, Alt- Pop, electro - rock, Electronic, EP Review, Hypnotic, Indie, Indie Psychedelic, indie rock, New Music

Something Leather ‘Midnight Reverie’ EP

Photo Credit : Jessie Morgan

Brighton three-piece Something Leather is set to release their debut EP ‘Midnight Reverie’, on 17th April.The trio have already gained a reputation for explosive live shows thanks to a host of support slots with up-and-coming bands including Black Midi, Saint Agnes, Sophie and the Giants, Calva Louise and Phobophobes.A triumphant 2019 saw successful UK and European tours establish an increasing following for the band.The year culminated with latest single ‘Lullaby’ garnering further support from BBC 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq.

‘Midnight Reverie’ is a sleek streamlined EP swirled in sultry dark psychedelic tones. Something Leather inject gritty indie rock, opaque pop and ominous atmospheres into ‘Midnight Reverie ‘to create a sublime EP of tremendous magnitude. The production and craftsmanship of this EP is fantastic. The band take their elegant psych rock and mince it into a mirage of dazed pop elements. Each track drags you further into their mesmerising and bewitching sound.

With a sinister flurry of guitars ’Trip To The Sun’ kick starts the EP. Sultry and mind melting the track whirls through dizzying acid dipped electronics while a steady pounding beat and eerie organ – esque elements create that spine chilling backbone. Phillie Etta Jane’s vocals are the sweet hauntingly lulling constant within each track. She creates a soft delicate moment within each song while exuding a sultry panache effortlessly. The dreamy melodies compliment her vocals superbly as they hush and entice you into the harrowing entrapment created by the instrumentation – it’s a bait your ears will willingly take.

The trio write catchy and mystical tunes with a heavy backdrop that is irresistible.’Farewell Fareworse’ has a Sleater-Kinney residue over the distorted electrical mayhem while the prowess on guitars pine and wail with intent over the crashing wall of sound. There is controlled chaos within this EP as the band weave vintage qualities with wild guitars and relentless synths to create their own unique, harrowing yet velvety sleek sound.The noir pop peppered ‘Midnight Dive’ shows a melancholic side to Something Leather. The dreamy whimsical brooding display flows with flashings of black and white west coast images of sulky bliss. This narcotic soothing track drifts with twanging pines on guitar as the track dissolves into multi fragments of laid back moody indie pop. Like all Something Leather songs the track builds to a fizzing crescendo that evaporates your mind. It’s a tragic, beautiful and darkly-shaded pinnacle moment of the EP.

The band return to their seductive and menacing grit for final track ‘Down Another One’. Another stand out number, the drama and intensity of this song is immense. Like daggers, the drums relentlessly pierce and pound while growling backing vocals haunt the backdrop. The jabbing guitars, distorted roars and spine chilling wall of sound create a creepy gut wrenching atmosphere while Phillie Etta Jane’s breathy yet sweet vocals build the tracks momentum. It’s heavy, dark and brilliant. 

‘Midnight Reverie’ is a dark concoction of tracks to bask and submerge yourself in. With such murky and sultry cinematic melancholia steeped in elements of psychedelia, indie rock and electronic pop Something Leather have created one first rate body of work. There are distinct moments of brilliance within ‘Midnight Reverie’ that set the bar high making Something Leather one of the most exciting bands around right now. 

‘Midnight Reverie’ EP will be released on April 17th until then check out the video for the bands recent single ‘Farewell Fareworse’ below


Author : Danu

Alt- Pop, Indie, Indie Pop, New Music

Dark Tropics ‘Badlands’

Belfast noir-pop duo Dark Tropics have released their new single ‘Badlands’ taken from their upcoming debut album, due out later this year.The formation of Dark Tropics was inevitable. Drawn together by a bond that stretched from Ireland to Morocco, musicians Rio and Gerard found common ground in the form of Radiohead, Aretha Franklin and The Velvet Underground.Their creative vision has bore fruit with timeless, cinematic, pop-noir powered by analogue instruments and retro recording techniques.

‘Badlands’ is a melancholic drift of noir pop as Dark Tropics present emotive melodies with twinkling elegant accompaniment and rich moving songwriting. Rio’s clear immaculate vocals lull over a sombre melody as she creates the goosebump-inducing atmosphere that could stop time in an instant. The meandering piano ventures between deep surges to soft crystal twinkles of elegance as the band build and cultivate a mysterious yet moody song with a dreamy dark undertone. With tense strings adding a lamenting and warm nostalgia to the track Dark Tropics have created a moving and utterly mesmerising number that submerges you in a rich delicately swirling soundscape. 

Watch the video for ‘Badlands’ below 


Author : Danu

Alt- Pop, Dark- Wave, electro- pop, Electronic, EP Review, Indie Pop, New Music

Pixi Ink ‘Blue Ink’ EP

UK based Irish Singer-Songwriter/Producer Pixi Ink has released her debut EP ‘Blue Ink’ through independent label Audio Assassins Records.This darkly coated dreamy collection of tracks gloop and slop in a brooding eerie concoction of finely blended indie and trip hop. Each track slowly creeps and crawls into the next building the intense hazy atmosphere as Pixi coos lushly over noir pop melodies. Her spine tingling sultry sound chills you to your very core. ‘Leave The Door Ajar’ kicks the EP into motion. It’s menacing and thrilling as Pixi’s drowsy vocals caress the sinister lethargic melody while guitar whines and dark electronics create a mysterious backdrop. Pixi sprinkles a softer almost angelic atmosphere into the first half of ‘Old Friend’ with glistening light soundscapes between lush vocals and peppy beats before damping all the fluttering freshness for the second half of the track where sombre keys and melancholic vocals mourn. It’s a little choppy as she fluctuates between textures, sounds and atmospheres however this never seems out of place everything still flows gloriously together. ‘Paper Dreams’ is indeed dreamy and floaty as Pixi’s sultry coo’s mirror a Lana Del Rey vibe as a sticky beat, glistening keys and ethereal soundscapes float and glide around the gentle melody.It’s tranquilizing and soothing. Each track takes its time, paced perfectly creating a wholly satisfying world that consumes you entirely in Pixi’s extraordinary sound. ‘Tragic Tale’ adds a dash of edgy sass to the EP. A little 60’s-esque with the melty melody and sway like flow. This luring track is a cheeky ditty that hops along a fidgeting beat. ‘Sunrise‘ flickers and dazzles with flashing electronics, skittish beats and lush vocal lulls. Its delicate yet fierce all at once with seriously haunting tones swirling through a refreshing light atmosphere. The EP comes to a  moody close with ‘How Evergreen’. Pixi languishes in dark guitar twinkles and trip hop skips as the R&B hued melody showcases a new tonality to her beautiful vocals.

‘Blue Ink’ is a captivating collection of tracks meandering elegantly from dark sinister indie tones to light refreshing sprinkles of pop with some sublime trip hop providing that meaty backbone. Pixi Ink is one to keep an eye on.

Stream ‘Blue Ink’ below 


Alt- Pop, Hypnotic, New Music, Psych-Pop, psychedelic, Singer/Songwriter

Lana Del Rey ‘Venice Bitch’

Following on from last week’s release of ‘Mariners Apartment Complex’, Lana Del Rey has now released another new track ‘Venice Bitch’. The track which is expected to appear on her next album, ‘Norman Fucking Rockwell’ premiered as World Record on Apple Music’s Beats 1 with Zane Lowe” yesterday and is available to stream and download now. Lana Del Rey is currently in the studio working with Jack Antonoff. A full-length record won’t be due for release until 2019 but Lana is excited to preview some early material from the sessions for fans.

‘Venice Bitch’ is a 10-minute span of dreamy floaty ballad -esque tones wrapped in a psychedelic prismatic  blanket. Del Rey drapes her sultry vocals over a tender first half of the track as subtle guitars twinkle about swoony strings while a sweet calming melody caresses your ears gently and delicately seeping into your mind. Del Rey’s vocals disarm and subdue with her honeyed tone lulling and cooing gracefully. This sublimely tranquilizing gem is easy on the ears as it subtly builds becoming a little more obscure with the psychedelic tones steering the track into a kaleidoscopic daze. Just as you are melting into its soothing moody hazy vibe the track slides into a falling hallucinogenic bottomless dream of weaving almost dizzying soundscapes and distorted lingering guitar fuzz while Del Rey laments above this woozy backdrop. It’s a gripping unique number from Lana Del Rey.

Watch the video for ‘Venice Bitch’ below


Alt- Pop, Hypnotic, Indie, Indie Pop, New Music, Singer/Songwriter

Lana Del Rey ‘Mariners Apartment Complex’

Lana Del Rey has released her sparkling new track ‘Mariners Apartment Complex’.Lana Del Rey is currently in the studio working with Bleachers’ Jack Antonoff and is set to unveil two new songs in the coming weeks. A full-length record won’t be due for release until 2019 but Lana is excited to preview some early material from the sessions for fans. The first, ‘Mariners Apartment Complex’, was played on Annie Mac’s radio show as “Hottest Record In The World” last night and is available to stream and download now. The second track ‘Venice Bitch’ will debut next Tuesday September 18th – details to follow. Both songs will have accompanying visuals created in collaboration with her sister, mixed media artist Chuck.

‘Mariners Apartment Complex’ is a beautifully elegant number swooning in a delicious flurry of brooding melancholic romance. Graceful piano wistfully floats about the track while whining guitars lament over a steady beat and glistening bitter sweet dreamy soundscape. Del Rey’s vocals soothingly and sorrowfully coo over this delicate haze with dignity and a whispered rich warmth as lush backing vocals lull with a hushed consoling quality. This swooping, dreamy number blends perfectly into its psychedelic hues as it builds sweetly and delicately into a sublime soft crescendo. It’s another refined immaculate 1970s-style rock ballad from the noir pop goddess.

Watch the video for ‘Mariners Apartment Complex’ below

 

 

 

 


Alt- Pop, electro- pop, Electronic, Indie, Indie Pop, New Music

Indie Buddie Introducing: iisolate

iisolate are an indie/alternative duo consisting of Siobhan Taggart Vocals and Jamie Dumas Guitar/Production. The origin of the band began after a chance meeting in Galway when they were 15, After 5 years of waiting Siobhan moved from Derry to Limerick to pursue Art College and iisoalte came to be. The group is now located in Limerick. Siobhan’s dark lyrical content is often contrasted by Jamie’s 80s indie pop influences via the music creating this juxtaposition between the visual and auditory elements.As a band they have adapted to the ever changing music industry adopting the DIY approach, making records on a laptop in bedrooms. All production elements are performed within the group.The duo have now released their debut single ‘Encapsulate’ with an EP tipped for a mid summer release.

‘Encapsulate’ is a captivating, ambient track that crystallises on a darkened noir pop setting. This duo provide a glossy trip-hop sound that echoes and gleams with a mirror-like sheen as dark soundscapes wisp about like haunting ghosts whispering ominously in your ear. Siobhan Taggart’s vocals are ethereal and eerie as they lure you into the depths of this enchanting number. iisolate take their time slowly brooding and fermenting, ever so coolly progressing the track gradually to create a mesmerising enticing piece of work. A twinkling guitar feature glimmers through the floaty dreamy soundscape with a sweet lamenting melody that delicately warms the track. It’s spaced perfectly with a clicking rhythm steadying your mind to keep you sedated and trapped in their enthralling sound. This duo have created a mature track that announces them as ones to watch.

Stream ‘Encapsulate’ below