Julian Taylor - Rosa Ama - The Mojo Slide - The Purple Shoes

Julian Taylor has just released his new album 'The Ridge' and from the opening moments of the title track I just felt I was in for something quite special. Julian's vocals are something to envy, as he surrounds himself with fabulous backing vocals and excellent musicianship on what could be loosely described as Americana at it's finest. === Electronic synth pop duo Rosa Ama have shared 'Oku (Night Version)' and it's a smooth, danceable and seductive song. === From The Mojo Slide we have 'Good Times' which is a potent alt rocker, the vocals are notable as the band deliver some tight, gritty rock. == We have two of the twelve tracks that make up The Purple Shoes new album (Small Town Fairy Tales) namely 'Melody's Eyes' and 'Strange'. Both give a good representation of this very fine album that travels from alt rock to folk and plenty of other excellent musical destinations.
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Julian Taylor - The Ridge (Album).

My grandparents used to live in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, on a beautiful piece of farmland surrounded by the Golden Ears Provincial Park, as well as the Fraser and Alouette Rivers. When I close my eyes and think of my happy place, that is where my mind takes me.

I wrote “The Ridge” to contemplate what life was like back in my grandparents’ day and what life is like now. My grandfather was Mohawk and my step-grandmother cared for me like her own.

She was quite brave to take that on because there was a lot of prejudice back then, which still exists today. This song is my way of pointing out the importance of innocence in a world that is divided.

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Rosa Ama - Oku (Night Version).

Electronic synth-pop duo Rosa Ama share “Oku” (Night Version) on Casablanca Sunset Records.

On Oku Night, the duo navigates between smooth synth pop and funky house. Their cleverly crafted creation is highlighted by Harks’ buoyant soft falsetto vocal and Vhyce’s euphoric Ibiza inspired beats. Each delivering their own unique melodies melded together into one bouncy and groovy house single.

The release comes after sharing both of their previous Rosa Ama singles, “Ethers” and “Lost on the People,” on Casablanca Sunset. The ‘Day Version’ of Oku was also released in July of last summer on Kitsuné Musique as their debut single.


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The Mojo Slide - Good Times.

The Mojo Slide is a group of musicians, hailing from Cambridgeshire, united in their passion for blues-inspired alternative music.

Formed in 2011, they released their debut album 'Twist Your Bones' in November 2015 on DO IT Records. The album features a contemporary mixture of classic rock 'n' roll, and blues rooted alternative rock. They have had radio play on BBC, Absolute and Planet Rock, amongst others, and have since signed with Nub Records.

The Mojo Slide are:

Mark Wilks (vocals)
Mike Fenna (lead guitar)
Matt Legg (rhythm guitar)
Danny Savage (bass guitar)
Michael Graham (drums)

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The Purple Shoes - Melody's Eyes / Strange.

Though they may sound like they’ve stepped straight out of 1968, The Purple Shoes are very much artists of 2020, their timeless mix of deftly-crafted melodies, jaw-dropping harmonies and story-telling lyrics combining into the heady swirl of Small Town Fairy Tales, their brand-new album is out now! Comprising singer Marie Dance; singer and guitarist, Michael Bickers and aided and abetted by double-bassist Richard Dadson and Stomp legend, Theseus Gerard on drums and household percussion, The South coast of England’s best-kept musical secret is shortly to let loose on a world which is sure to embrace the folk-rock dreamworld The Purple Shoes seem to have plucked straight out of the minds of some of the greatest singer-songwriters of the 1960s and 70s.

Meeting by pure chance after her three-year experience in Thailand and a collection of half-completed songs, Marie Dance and Michael Bickers’ musical union in picturesque Shoreham-by-Sea feels like the culmination of a journey of not only miles but eras. Their spine tingling harmonies immediately bring to mind classic acts such as Simon & Garfunkel and Fleetwood Mac and their songwriting would easily lead you to believe you were listening to songs from the booming counterculture of the Sixties. To reinforce their rock n roll ideals, they travelled the UK and Ireland (in their now deceased Ford Focus, “Athelstan”!), honing their onstage craft and wowing fans, their interaction with audiences becoming as well-loved as their songs. Eschewing pedals and studio effects, The Purple Shoes’ sound is made all the more breath-taking by its truth and honesty – their songs live and breathe in the moment, capturing the sheer majesty of their harmonies and the earworm grooves which come courtesy of Dadson and Gerard, the latter making his name as percussionist and choreographer of world-famous percussion troupe, Stomp.

Small Town Fairy Tales is a collection of 12 songs written over the past two years and, as the title suggests, tells the story of life and love in a recognisable locale of characters we all see in our own lives. Relatable, uplifting and perfect escapism from our current locked-down lives, Small Town Fairy Tales is an invitation to have fun, unwind and remember why you fell in love with music in the first place.



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