Lauren Ruth Ward - SQRD - Wolf & Moon
Background - Lauren Ruth Ward's music has spread like wildfire these past two years in LA after leaving her hometown of Baltimore. Her lyrics are secrets to strangers, writing about her life’s trajectory sharing both vulnerability and strength delivered with grit and vibrato.
Her band re-creates 60's rock and roll nuances, allowing Ward to release a powerhouse of emoting in their live show. Lauren is joined by Eduardo Rivera who is her songwriter partner. Lately Lauren has garnered the support of Spotify’s “Badass Women,” LA Weekly, Galore, Wonderland Magazine, Jam In The Van, and Sofar Sounds.
"Well Hell is an auto-biographical song that deals with frustrations, both with my upbringing and with society as a whole, that have long been forgiven but not forgotten. Even though it's one of the shorter songs in length on the record, there's a lot that I'm letting off my chest in those three minutes, so much so that I feel the need to thank the listener for allowing me to unload. " - Lauren Ruth Ward. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.
'Well, Hell' is already getting noticed and no surprise there, this is a feisty energised rocker with some excellent rock & roll vocals from Lauren Ruth Ward, supported by a band that are spitting musical bullets, wonderful!
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SQRD - Scars.Background - SQRD is a Swedish-born, Berlin-based lo-fi electronic producer already making waves with his Gold EP (2016) that achieved high praise from The Line Of Best Fit. This year, his Together EP takes listeners on a memory trip through life changing travel experiences in Japan, Iceland and Lebanon. “Scars” captures the enduring pain of war weary Beirut, where young people strive to build a better future. The heavy topic is offset by airy vocals and synthy bass like Blackbird Blackbird.
In Beirut, SQRD found an enchanting mixture of European and Middle Eastern cultures balancing ancient history and modern nightlife. The young people he met offered inspiring stories about overcoming a violent history and living with the pain. Lyrically, the song could capture any traumatic experience for the listener. “Are you numb to the pain? / Are you finding a way? / The scars will never go away.”
SQRD’s soulful and atmospheric music is reminiscent of early James Blake and SBTRKT that is the result of calculated and efficient production. In SQRD’s isolation he is left to his own thoughts and devices to create music that comes from experiences shared with others.
“The lyrics are an expression of how young people in the country felt. They survived war and cruelty and somehow at the same time find a way to deal with it all.” Once the Scars single is now out, the Together EP will be released 24th November on Swedish Tastemaker label Sommarhjärta. FACEBOOK.
With 'Scars', the vocals are atmospheric and original, however paying closer attention to the musical arrangement helped me appreciate that Lo-Fi can also be intricate. Catchy and rhythmic, this is a real grower.
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Wolf & Moon - Home to Me.Background - "Home to Me" is an intimate look into Wolf & Moon's dreamlike wedding weekend and the first single from the duo's forthcoming EP, Frames. Although this becomes a vulnerable offering to glance into their lives, anonymity still plays a significant role. The band states, "one can never really be sure who the Wolf is and who the Moon."
Wolf & Moon represent many things missing from the sonic landscape: enigmatic charm, lyrical poetry through ethereal vocal harmonies and just the right amount of melancholia.
Wolf & Moon are Stefany and Dennis, a nomadic duo who met by chance at a house party in the Netherlands. Shortly after meeting, Stefany and Dennis journeyed across the US on a full tour with only a small traveling guitar and a casio keyboard.
Continuing to release cinematic and emotive visuals along with their music, "Home To Me" is the first single from their upcoming EP, Frames. Wolf & Moon are now based in the international atmosphere and chaotically creative city of Berlin. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.
I am really impressed with 'Home To Me' a catchy duel vocal led affair, with plenty of hooks and a unique music video to accompany this delicious song.
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