Nick Heyward - George Taylor - Raveen - Gestures & Sounds

Nick Heyward - Mountaintop.

Background - Nick Heyward has unveiled his first single in eighteen years, the double A-side ‘Mountaintop’ and ‘Baby Blue Sky’, released via Gladsome Hawk. 

The single is first offering from his eagerly anticipated solo album ‘Woodland Echoes’, due for release on 4th August. A-side ‘Mountaintop’ is inspired by a poignant mountaintop scene in Sam Wood’s 1939 film ‘Goodbye, Mr Chips’, but was written at sea-level and infused with his love for the rootsy sound of Americana. While on the flip side ‘Baby Blue Sky’ The infectiously sunshine-infused 'Baby Blue Sky' is inspired by living and recording on a houseboat in Key West. Featuring ABC guitarist Matt Backer on guitars. Nick describes working with him as a chance to "express their mutual love of the Rubinoos, Big Star and 70’s guitar power pop."

The accompanying video for ‘Baby Blue Sky’ was filmed entirely on Nick and his fiancee's mobile phones. Featuring footage of Nick's American band, it gives us a snapshot of his life in Key West, where he recorded much of the album. "I love the sense of freedom" Nick enthuses, "here we are in 2017 and we can make a video ourselves on our phone and edit it on our computer. I loved the whole process and the lack of rules or formulas." Trained as a commercial artist, Nick's eye for framing an image means he has not only shot much of the video, he has also captured the aesthetic behind the album and single artworks. 

Prior to his hugely successful and prolific solo career, Nick came to prominence as the frontman of percolating pop-funk new wave group Haircut 100, a foundational part of the 80s-pop explosion. They released four UK Top 10 hit singles, with their debut album ‘Pelican West’ reaching no. 2 in the UK album charts, no. 31 in USA’s Billboard 200, and ending up being certified platinum by BPI, with Nick gracing the cover of pace setting style magazine The Face.

His recent solo set at this year’s Great Escape Festival - praised by Drowned in Sound as “one of the finest we heard all weekend, his second coming is imminent” - was just a taste of the upcoming full band headline show at 229 in London on Wednesday 19th July. Nick’s return to the music scene and to the live circuit has already seen support across the board from the likes of Classic Pop magazine and Record Collector, while the single already picked up plays on BBC Radio 2 from Vanessa Feltz, whilst BBC London’s Gary Crowley made ‘Baby Blue Sky’ his ‘Record of the Week’.

Nick Heyward might just be back from a long hiatus, but 'Mountaintop' and ‘Baby Blue Sky’ look to firmly consolidate his songwriting credentials among the greatest, and with a brand-new album ready for pre-order through the direct-to-fan platform PledgeMusic and a tour in Autumn, he is here to stay. Website here, Facebook here.

Musically it's a long way from the days of Haircut 100, and a long time since Nick Heyward has released a single, however 'Mountaintop' suggests it's been worth the wait. Drenched in bright Americana, the rootsy musical feel, is accompanied by vocals that are well up for the task, in this first taste of his current musical direction.


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George Taylor - Ophelia.

Background - The London-based singer/songwriter George Taylor is sharing his glimmering new single ‘Ophelia’, the follow-up to last month’s ‘The Youth’.

Speaking about the song that occupies the same halcyon-spangled pop dimensions as ‘The Youth’ and ‘Give It Up’, George says: “Ophelia is a song I wrote after a girl I knew was very sadly sectioned and had to spend some time in hospital, thankfully she has since fully recovered. After visiting the hospital it was something I felt I had to write about as it gave me a much clearer insight on the issues surrounding mental health, and the stigma that comes with it. "The name ‘Ophelia’ was inspired by Shakespeare's Hamlet.”

George began drawing attention 12 months ago when his steady stream of singles turned heads at Warner Chappell, who quickly presented Taylor with a publishing deal following over 2 millions streams for his single ‘Give It Up’. From here, Taylor continued to generate attention securing a Spotify playlist spot for his Zane Lowe approved single ‘I Hear Your Song, Sweetness’ and an Apple Music placement for ‘The Youth’, naming it in their ‘Best Of The Week’ playlist. Website here, Facebook here.

What starts out as something of a intimate singer/song writer piece soon builds into a powerful alt rock song. 'Ophelia' includes some twists and turns, mixing melodic gentle moments, with passionate full on rock and it's beautiful.

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Raveen - Always.

Background from Raveen - Our debut LP Always is our attempt to tell a story with an ambition and scope greater than any of our previous work. It marks our foray into more subdued and lush songwriting anchored by vulnerable, heartfelt lyrics presented as a cohesive whole.

This track came together immediately after our singer/producer Eric took a long and introspective trip to Europe. 

There’s a lot of love in this song. Thematically, it serves as a good summary of the of rest of the record; themes of loss as it relates lost love but also grief, and the perceived loss of something magic in the early stages of adulthood.

This is also the most collaborative 3 minutes we’ve ever worked on. It features the three of us, plus contributions from ten or more vocalists and four or five string players - some of our best friends among them. Facebook here, Bandcamp (pre-order) here.

'Always' has a lush arrangement, mixing beautiful harmonies, and some exquisite music. The lead vocals convey a personal and heartfelt need to be heard. Collectively this one song has clearly been a labour of love, that deserves to be noticed far and wide.

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Gestures & Sounds - Ass Over Tea Kettle.

Background - LA-based, folk-pop outfit Gestures & Sounds are proud to release their self-produced music video for first single, "Ass Over Tea Kettle"; the lead off track from their upcoming full-length debut, Bill Nye Thinks We're a Band.  To match the upbeat energy of the track, Gestures & Sounds used their video production expertise to craft a product that is full of colourful swirling imagery and pure lyrical passion that even pays homage to the band's childhood hero... Bill Nye the Science Guy.

Gestures & Sounds is a one-stop shop for a great time. Their compositions utilize authenticity and real feelings. Mostly because they don't know how to be any other way. 

Though based in Los Angeles, the band's origins date back to Wisconsin.  After reconnecting once on the west coast, songwriter, Eric Fashingbauer, started introducing songs to the other members and the project evolved from there.  Playing everything from guitar to trumpet to harmonica, Eric and the rest of the band turned acoustic folk songs into full-fledged indie-pop grooves.

Silly and self-aware, the band's debut album Bill Nye Thinks We're a Band takes its inspiration from a speech they saw the famed scientist give on a college campus.  Almost highlighting their future goals, Gestures & Sounds hopes to one day be big enough to attract the attention of their childhood hero.

Blurring the ever-hazing line between visuals and music, they also churn out their own video content. Talented filmmakers as well as musicians, G&S create all of their own music videos from start to finish. They’re in a venture all their own and offering an experience to anyone who appreciates a cut to the beat. 

Gestures & Sounds release their debut full-length, Bill Nye Thinks We're a Band, worldwide on September 15th, 2017. Website here, Facebook here.

'Ass Over Tea Kettle' is a feisty slice of modern folk pop, that is very catchy from the outset. The video adds a further sense of fun, energy and total musical commitment from the band.


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Sarah P. - The Desert - Electric Eye - First Blush - Cody & Danz

Sarah P. - Summer Prince.

Background - Berlin-based solo artist Sarah P. just released a dreamy video for "Summer Prince" following her solo debut album Who Am I. Sarah P. states, "Today I’m sharing with you a very special video for “Summer Prince” from my recently released debut album Who Am I. It’s very candid, like the song itself – very spontaneous, summery and Greek, if you please. It’s filmed in Marathon and features me… basically, being me. I hope that you’ll enjoy watching/listening it and I wish for all of you to get the chance to visit the sea this summer." 

In contrast to all those amazing, big productions that come out every day, we went for spontaneity and let the scenery speak for itself. “Summer Prince” is inspired by summer holidays with my parents, while road tripping across Greece (through Crete, especially), seeing the landscapes changing and waiting for the moment I would sneak a peak of the sea – the place where I wanted to be the most.

“Summer Prince” is also inspired by all those vivid dreams I had as a teenager and young adult. I’ve always been a hopeless romantic and during those sensitive years where unrequited love was one of the greatest themes of my life, I used to spend a lot of time alone, by the sea, contemplating about all those ifs and maybes that would make me able to be loved back. Later on, at night, whilst asleep, a summer prince – my summer prince, would come to find me. He would give me all those things I wished for – romantic strolls at the beach, sweet conversations about nothing. He would look me right in the eyes because I was the only one he saw. Then he would leave me, and I would think that my dreams were more exciting than my actual life. I would wait for him to come back again the next night – sometimes he did, some others not. Website here, Facebook here.

Dreamy synth's flow along to a relaxed rhythmic beat and Sarah P's vocals just blend so perfectly with the music and melody. 'Summer Prince' is accompanied by an appealing video, encouraging me to take a seaside stroll sometime soon.


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The Desert - Just Get High.

Background - The Desert unveil their debut single 'Just Get High', the first track from their forthcoming debut EP called ‘Playing Dead’. The Desert is a collaboration between singer-songwriter Gina Leonard and guitarist & producer Tom Fryer. Tom’s atmospheric production style which plays with big spaces and other worldly sounds, lives in the space between Gina’s honest and poetic lyrics, allowing her songs to shine that little bit brighter. 

The pair first met at the Cambridge Folk Festival in 2014 where Gina played a set for The People’s Front Room, a collective that Tom is a part of. Tom went on to record and produce a few of Gina’s tracks, however it wasn’t until late 2016 that The Desert officially came together to write and record their first collection of songs. 

‘I find it difficult working with other people, it has always just been me and my guitar behind closed doors.’ Gina explains. ‘It was so exciting to find someone I could trust to develop my songs with. We’re pretty different but we work well together’

Lead single 'Just Get High' kicks off with a punchy electro-beat that contrasts with Gina’s reticent vocal delivery. Originally intended to be a demo recorded late one night in Gina's bedroom, Tom time-stretched it into shape and made a kind of down-tempo house beat for it, with a synthesiser part that grows to dominate and take over the whole track. Facebook here.

Gina Leonard's vocals are intimate and reflective and very hypnotic on 'Just Get High' as is the beautifully crafted soundtrack. Combined they create a song that could be late night listening material, provided your energy levels have not sapped completely away.

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Electric Eye - Turn Around, Face The Sun.

Background - We’re at Broen Studio in Bergen. Øystein Braut, Njål Clementsen, Anders Bjelland and Øyvind Hegg-Lunde have locked into a groove that never seems to stop. Their bodies are swaying in time with the music, their heads are eagerly shaking to the song that’s pumping out of the room, and it seems like they’ll never get out of it. Maybe they don’t want to get out?

It’s a little more than one year since Electric Eye released their second album, 'Different Eye', and only eight months since their live album, 'Live at Blå', came out. But now they’re standing here again, ready to pull you into a new whirlwind of psychedelic and hypnotic rhythms.

Since the last time they’ve travelled the world and visited countries like USA, UK, Japan, Italy, Germany, Denmark and many more. They’ve been everywhere to play concerts, which is where you really want to experience Electric Eye. Now they’ve brought all of their concerts into the studio, together with all of their experiences and a bunch of new songs. 

We’re back in Broen Studio, and it’s difficult not to be fascinated. The band will release their third album in November 2017, and now they’re ploughing through their new single, 'Turn Around, Face the Sun'. It sounds like a soundtrack to a movie that hasn’t been made yet, it’s villainy acid prog, it’s ethno jazz, it’s old school hip hop grooves mixed with the easily recognisable Electric Eye sound. Website here, Facebook here.

New single 'Turn Around, Face The Sun' slowly comes into being, with immediate hints of psychedelic vibes, that increase as the vocals begin and the music builds. Electric Eye would appear to be, on something of a creative roll right now!

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First Blush - Before & After.

Background - First Blush on "Before & After": "Before & After is the oldest track on my forthcoming album Monologic and was the song that ended up setting the tone for the whole album. As the title suggests, I think it evokes a sense of transition and flux, the feeling of standing sideways across the threshold of a door and looking in both directions before taking the next step. Sonically, Before & After also influenced the rest of the album with distorted synth bells and pads taking center stage and guitars being used more for accents and atmosphere."

A refresher on First Blush: First Blush is the brainchild of Charles Sekel, a former Julliard pre-college program kid-turned-indie musician. Sekel's music is a reflection of his battle to defeat a continuous cycle of self-destructive behaviour stemming back nearly a decade. From his college days as a classical/jazz musician at the Peabody Institute, Sekel struggled with alcohol abuse and panic attacks, and turned to original music to help with his mental health. Now completely sober thanks to the help of music, a good therapist and assistance from his girlfriend (now wife,) he was able to pull himself out of addiction and confidently release his solo venture.

"Before & After" follows First Blush's previous releases, the single "Wouldn't We All?" and trippy, gif-inspired music video for their track "Gold." Facebook here.

'Before & After' is our second song feature for First Blush this year. Vocals are centre stage as the song starts, and remain a focal point, as the music erupts into a powerfully layered soundtrack. Having only heard two songs from First Blush's forthcoming album, things are looking pretty promising.

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Cody & Danz - Make it in America.

Background - Cody & Danz are teaming up to release their debut EP, Only The Hits, on July 14th via Channel 9 Records in the USA and Tugboat Records in Japan. They have now shared their first video, "Make it in America.

The two artists both have burgeoning solo projects: Cody Crump and Computer Magic. Cody lives in LA and Danz lives in NYC. The two artists both have burgeoning solo projects: Cody Crump and Computer Magic. Cody lives in LA and Danz lives in NYC. Consequence of Sound says, "Though about 3,000 miles separate these two musicians, their minds meet on one project, their collaborative debut EP, Only The Hits." 

After playing many of LA’s staple venues - from Soho House to The Roxy to The Standard, Cody Crump has plans to tour in the very near future. His music will be featured in the upcoming film “The List.” He has had music featured on HBO's "Leftovers," Showtime's "Penny Dreadful, and most recently his song "Burn" was in ABC's "How To Get Away With Murder."

Danz has toured North America multiple times with acts such as Neon Indian, Ladyhawke and Chad Valley. She’s played the Primavera Festival in Spain, Martini Art Love Festival in Moscow,  and has toured Japan multiple times. She has many shows locally in LA and New York City, so stay tuned for upcoming dates for Computer Magic, Cody Crump and Cody & Danz. Facebook here.

Our second feature for the debut EP, this time with the new music video for 'Make it in America'. It's already gained plenty of attention, and as vibrant indie rock songs go, I reckon this one will ensure the EP, also gets plenty of attention.

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Quiet Hollers - Juanita Stein - Lone Kodiak - Altar Eagles - Sam Carmody

Quiet Hollers - Wheel.

Background - “Wheel” is one of the more raw, atmospheric songs on Amen Breaks (out on July 7th via sonaBLAST!), and one of the bands' first to feature a Roland CR-78 drum machine, their tribute to Roland’s Ikutaro Kakehashi. It also delves into the anxious existential theme that life can change in an instant, centered around frontman Shadwick Wilde’s quasi-phobia of car crashes (which he’s seen many of in his years of touring). 

“Wheel” follows Amen Breaks’ previously released stand-out single “Medicine”, a powerful track about crippling anxiety, depression, existential malaise, and society’s attitudes toward medication and addiction, along with “Funny Ways”, a song about criminality and the self-perpetuating prison-industrial complex. Both follow the album’s core themes that draw parallels with the cultural crossovers of the 1970's, a decade marred by division, political corruption, and terrorism… issues we can all relate to these days.

Expanding their shape-shifting palate to include vintage drum machines and samples, on Amen Breaks, Quiet Hollers raise questions of spirituality, sexuality, and mental illness to its new audience in tones that range from the cinematic to the psychedelic. Website here, Facebook here.

We featured 'Funny Ways' just a couple of weeks back however 'Amen Breaks' is such an impressive album that I could not resist the opportunity to now share 'Wheel'. Despite the initially stripped back nature of the track, the richness and charm remains, with this engaging and atmospheric song.

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Juanita Stein - I'll Cry.

Background - Juanita Stein has just announced a full UK and Ireland tour to follow the release of her brilliant debut solo record, 'America', on 28th July (Nude Records).  

Juanita Stein had already announced UK festival dates this summer, including with Tom Petty in Hyde Park and at Cambridge Folk Festival, ahead of a brace of headline shows - in her adopted hometown of Brighton and in London - the week the album is released. Tickets for her new September/October headline tour dates will go on sale this Friday (30th June). See below for all upcoming dates.

The newest single to be taken from her album, which was recorded in Los Angeles with the producer Gus Seyffert (Beck, Ryan Adams), 'I’ll Cry' is available now to stream and as a free download for fans pre-ordering the album ahead of its release.

Says Stein: "'I'll Cry' is a musical ode to the all-American greats I took my cues from as a budding songwriter. Roy Orbison, Patsy Cline and the work of Phil Spector, all of whom made a significant imprint on my heart, I’m  forever  channeling that soulful sadness. I’ll Cry is a song that speaks of an impossible love, his resistance, her infatuation. Never a happy ending.” Website here, Facebook here, UK tour details on Beehive Candy's tour news page.

'I'll Cry' is melodic, gentle and very beautiful. If your going to write and perform a musical ode to some of popular musics all time greats, then it ought to be something quite special, and yes, this song is all of that.


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Lone Kodiak - Calm Down.

Background - Produced by Johnny What (BRÅVES, Nikki Reed) and mastered by Grammy Award winning, John Greenham (Ice Cube, Bastille, Katy Perry, Sam Smith), “Calm Down” is the first single from the band’s forthcoming debut double EP “Feet in the Water.” Featuring exuberant strings, driving piano, eloquent acoustic guitar which offsets the energizing electric guitars, pep rally claps, both male and female vocals, and a distinctive hook, all in a hard-to-resist 3/4 time signature. The band have dubbed the sound “campfire rock," as it is intimate and honest enough to be a bedside lullaby while yearning to be an arena smash.

“The right hand piano part is where this one started,” explains Parker. “I was goofing around, playing an old news bulletin pattern, when I almost accidentally added the 3 left hand chords." 

“Calm Down” features the graceful, transcendent voice of Alex Rhodes. “The second I heard her voice come in on ‘Astronaut’ [one of Rhodes' singles], I knew she was the one," Parker said, "there is a emotionally devastating tenderness to her voice that we instantly fell in love with.” Lone Kodiak asked her to sing on the entire EP as well as the B-side, "Living Room Editions." LA violinist, Stephan Hovsepian, provided the captivating real strings just two days before the mix was due for mastering.

The debut single embraces light and life with a gang-chant melody that will stick with listeners for days. The effervescent rhythms, compelling guitar, bouncy choruses and a brooding breakdown are a potent recipe. Lone Kodiak isn't too bashful to be catchy nor too pop to forgo meaningful lyricism. "Calm Down" captures an intoxicating moment that sets the bar high or this new trio. Facebook here.

'Calm Down' is available as a free download (just click on the Soundcloud link below), and considering the calibre of this song, that's pretty generous. I like the bands "campfire rock" description for the song, which has power and yet is intimate or perhaps personal in feel.

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Altar Eagles - Dead Letters.

Background - Altar Eagles debut E.P. is titled in eponymous fashion--"Altar Eagles." It's a nice gooey psychedelic affair, with real sentiments and emotions, excellently written songs, ear worms and hooks galore. 

Erik Alcock has been a professional songwriter since he was 17 years old.  He talked his way into a live audition with EMI Canada in his native Toronto and then proceeded to cut himself on his guitar, bled all over the auditioning executive’s office, and played terribly. He was signed on the spot. 

After getting signed Erik left home and school and spent the next two years living in a jam space.  While the experience was not all that conducive to his songwriting, Erik was able to develop his chops by playing constantly. 

His quality of life improved substantially when he joined a band and spent the next few years on tour. When the band broke up he started working with DJ Khalil, Chin Injeti and Liz Rodrigues, forming The New Royales. Since then they've written songs for  Eminem, Kanye West, Pink and a host of others, which led to several Grammy wins, having the theme for  Mission Impossible 4, the Call of Duty video game, and Jake Gyllenhall’s movie “Southpaw.” Facebook here.

'Dead Letters' is the second of seven tracks on the debut EP. We first featured Altar Eagles back in February, and having now heard the EP in full, I am impressed equally by the variety of musical themes and the overall quality of production. At the very least check the previous feature, however if you like this song go check out the EP, it's a good one.

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Sam Carmody - The Sea Has Risen.

Background - Stepping out for his debut solo release, Sam Carmody is pleased to share ‘The Sea Has Risen’, a wonderfully crafted song that tells a moving tale of love against a backdrop of mesmerising melodies. Carmody’s visceral lyrics and emotive delivery are accompanied by eddying synths and jangling guitars, recalling the experimental Antipodean pop of Nick Cave, The Go-Betweens and Crowded House.

Born in Geraldton, drawn to Perth and now based in Darwin, Sam Carmody has been active as a writer for several years across various projects. In 2012 he won a WAMi Song of the Year award for his work with Perth four-piece Warning Birds. Just last year Carmody released his first novel 'The Windy Season' and was shortlisted for the Vogel’s Award - Australia’s most prestigious literary prize for young writers. For now though Sam’s creative focus lies in his solo musical output and his desire to getting back on stage.

Co-produced by former Warning Birds bandmate Bensen Thomas, ‘The Sea Has Risen’ is the first official single taken from Carmody’s forthcoming EP ‘Shadow in the Dream’ and will be launched live with a six-piece band at Music NT’s Song of the Year Awards, for which the track is nominated in the Pop category.

Sam Carmody possesses a gifted talent that will continue to bloom as he readies his new material for a 2017 release. Facebook here.

That Sam Carmody can really sing, is conclusively answered by just this one track 'The Sea Has Risen'. The musical production is melodic and superb, however it's Sam's vocals that make this a very special song.

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Tastes Like Chicken - A Valley Son - Moses Guest - San Mei - Ian Randall Thornton - Basement Revolver

Tastes Like Chicken - Bottle In My Hand.

Background - With America’s dependency on alcohol and opioids at an alarming all-time high, few artists have dared to address the complicated issue. South Carolina’s Tastes Like Chickenhave bravely attempted to fill that void with the release of their poignant and soulful new single “Bottle in My Hand. Recently voted Best Band in the Pee Dee by the readers of Florence’s The Morning News, “Bottle in My Hand” is proof that Tastes Like Chicken know firsthand the struggles associated with the destructive cycle of dependency.

According to songwriter Lance Shirley, “Bottle in My Hand” laments the dependent relationship people often form with alcohol: “The song is about drinking to make your problems go away. Although it may be a temporary fix, it usually ends up compounding the problem or bringing about new problems.”

“Bottle in My Hand” is told from the perspective of someone who is going through this vicious cycle. It could be wrecking their relationship, career, or something else, but they keep coming back to it. Shirley knew the dangerous cycle of alcohol dependency well enough that he quit drinking two years ago. Founded by brothers Lance and Chad Shirley, Tastes Like Chicken feature tight musicianship, pristine vocal harmonies, and an eclectic sound that is heavily influenced by a myriad genres of music, including jazz, R&B, country, soul, and gospel.

Since forming in Florence, Tastes Like Chicken have become a fixture on the regional music scene by playing over 200 shows and festivals a year. The band’s 2012 debut Don’t Tempt Me remains a hot commodity among their dedicated fanbase. Tastes Like Chicken have shared the stage with Sister Hazel, Lee Brice, and Edwin McCain. The band is set to release their new album Heartaches and Hangovers today June 30. Website here, Facebook here. 

There is a country rock feel to 'Bottle In My Hand' a meaningful song that I'm sure will resonate with those who have had a battle with the bottle at some point in their life. Beyond that it's also a beautifully crafted song with high quality musicianship and vocals, that are delivered with passion and feeling.

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A Valley Son - Leaving Is Easy.

Background - Brooklyn’s soulful Southern rockers A Valley Son, have announced their debut full-length But The World Moves (out September 8th), along with sharing the fiery lead single “Leaving Is Easy.” 

But The World Moves is the follow-up to A Valley Son’s critically-acclaimed debut Sunset Park EP that came out in January, solidifying the band as one that puts songwriting, emotion and musicianship back at the forefront. The band’s new album reflects on frontman Trey Powell's childhood growing up in the rural tidal plains of eastern Virginia, where he was surrounded by little more than farmland and the two rivers that carved out the Middle Peninsula. Powell felt shut in, restless, reckless… with such little outside cultural or mental stimulation things felt grim, and he responded accordingly, and, often, destructively. 

These are not a collection of somber acoustic ruminations, but raucous, rowdy, careening tunes that pull heavily from the Southern soul, rock and gospel tradition that each of the members grew up on. Just like with their electric, freewheeling live performances, the band sets a tone from the first track that tries to transport the listener back and forth between the past and the present seamlessly, in the hopes that the line between memory and reality are blurred. Bandcamp here, Facebook here.

If you like your rock'n'roll natural, energised and gritty then 'Leaving Is Easy' is all of that. It's Southern rock, Brooklyn style and it works!

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Moses Guest - Light.

Background - Frontman Graham Guest states of the new single "I wrote "Light" in Summer/Fall 2015.  It came to me right along with "Black Road."  My daughter, Edie (9 years old) helped me with it a lot, telling me to keep certain parts and get rid of others.  It's about the all-too-common (at least for me) experience of being really excited about something or someone, then thinking that thing or person is maybe not cool at all, and finally thinking there just no way to be sure."

Moses Guest has been creating quite a name for themselves in recent years. They have shared the stage with several high-profile acts including Moe., Steve Miller Band, JGB, Willie Nelson, Los Lobos, Leftover Salmon, String Cheese Incident, Robert Bradley’s Blackwater Surprise, Jayhawks, Lisa Loeb, Colonel Bruce Hampton & the Fiji Mariners to name a few.

For Light, the studio focus is evident. The record marks the line-up’s twentieth anniversary and is their first album release since 2007’s Best Laid Plans. The super-tight, super-polished performances and arrangements hearken back to Moses Guest’s 2002 self-titled release. Website here, Facebook here.

'Light' is a feast of rhythmic, tight and super refined rock, with hints of blues and jazz. Professional and polished it certainly is, however there is enough feeling and heart to give it some edge.

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San Mei - Necessary.

Background - San Mei shares the stunning title-track from her forthcoming debut EP, 'Necessary'. Following the success of previous single releases, 'Rewind', and 'Until You Feel Good', a music video and an east coast tour, the Gold Coast multi-instrumentalist is has been gathering some serious momentum. 

'Necessary' takes San Mei's electric vocals and sculpts them into harmonic arrangements, layered against fuzzy guitar riffs. The track grooves its way into a soaring alt-rock ballad of eclectic instrumental arrangements and enchanting vocal orchestration. The track revolves lyrical around the need to treat those around you with kindness - in San Mei's own words: 'Everyone has stuff going on - happy, sad, trying. The song is about acknowledging that and just trying to be good to other people, because you don't know always know where they're at.'

San Mei has shared stages with Evar Klar, Polish Club, Elliphant and performed at the The Mountain Goat Valley Crawl just in the last six months. Adding to her growth the 'Until You Feel Good' east coast tour witnessed a solid progression of in San Mei's development as an artist.  She's also received props from the likes of  NME, Indie Shuffle, Nylon Mag and triple j - where she also gained spot rotation for previous single 'Rewind'. 'Necessary' single and EP is out July 14th. Facebook here.

Third time around on Beehive Candy for San Mei, who continues to impress, this time with 'Necessary'. Last time we said of her music, "Beautiful dreamy and sweeping vocals are supported by a rhythmic indie pop soundtrack." With the latest song I might switch pop over to rock, beyond that it's another delicious song.

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Ian Randall Thornton - Who Are We.

Background - Songwriter Ian Randall Thornton, is gearing up to release his proper debut album Lineage (due August 25th). “Who Are We” is an apt first offering from Lineage, in that it plunges straight into the theme of the record, while simultaneously representing its diverse musical scope. This track, much like the album itself, is about family and heritage, and the tension between honoring the past and embracing the future. So much of who we are is directly influenced by our inherited family culture, for better or for worse. Family teaches us how to walk, eat, judge, behave, and how to perceive and communicate with the world around us. "Who Are We" delves into the process of valuing what is beautiful in our family and cultural inheritance, while weeding out the aspects that can hold us back from growth and progress; in hopes to bestow an even greater inheritance to future generations.

Ian Randall Thornton’s sound echoes with a history beyond his years. At age 7, Thornton delved into classical music, and through his adolescence expanded his palate through involvement in different types of bands in his hometown of Norfolk, VA, from thrash punk to folk to post-rock. His current musical expression resides in a delicate balance between Americana, timeless folk, and progressive post-rock. His sound provides a unique tension: the balance of remembering the past and hoping unabashedly for the future. Each song on Lineage flows from one to the next like movements in a symphony, ideas weaving incandescently throughout. 

Sparks of world influence and folk traditions light up different tracks, such as the African influences heard in the fretless banjo dancing through “Philadelphia,” and distinctly Appalachian influences mixed with sounds of hope and history in “Dance Upon the Tables.” With “See You Through,” an ode written from a father to his daughter, the album comes to a crescendo of three part harmonies and a unique combination of Asian and Appalachian melodic influences. One could see this as a soundtrack to the film of Thornton’s life experiences, carrying secrets of friendship, made from family and for family. Its concept carries a definitive story of the golden threads of family history. In this Thornton finds purpose, writing odes to generations past, with songs such as “See You Through” serving as a guidepost for generations to come. Website here, Facebook here.

Some delicate acoustic guitar playing provides a fine backdrop for Ian Randell Thornton's notable vocals on 'Who We Are'. As the rhythm kicks in the song moves up a notch and some fine melodic vibes unfold. It's one of eleven tracks on the new album, and I have to say they are all at least as good as the featured song, with a few real gems along the way.

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Basement Revolver - Tree Trunks.

Background - 'Tree Trunks' follows the success of last year's EP and debut single 'Johnny'. Their new EP 'Agatha' is out July 21st on on Yellow K Records (U.S.) and fear of missing out records (U.K.).

The EP has had a lasting impact, racking up over 800,000+ plays on Spotify and nearly 100,000 plays on SoundCloud. ‘Johnny’ and their second single ‘Words’ reached the higher echelon of the Hype Machine chart, while the EP has made various ‘best of 2016’ listings around the blogger community. 

Lead singer Chrisy Hurn on the new single: "Tree trunks was written when I started experiencing panic attacks for the first time, and my increasing need to find a professional who could help me to find better ways to cope. It also tries to mirror how I imagine the environment feels sometimes - and how the environment is tied to many people's mental health. I was very fortunate to find the help that I needed and I would encourage everyone to go after the mental health resources that are available to them." Bandcamp here, Facebook here.

Last years debut single 'Johnny' really did standout from the crowd, since then we have featured Basement Revolver a couple of more time and now we have 'Tree Trunks' to share. This is a band that can consistently deliver beautiful, melodic, emotional songs with incredibly large hooks, fabulous!

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GREY \\ WATER - The fin. - Tom Rosenthal - Guts - Tom Walters

GREY \\ WATER - Jimmy.

Background - GREY \\ WATER is a culmination of close friends blending their influences to create one distinct sound. 

As a band they wanted to create a song that challenged them to maintained their DIY spirit, while recording new material at a studio for the first time. To delve into a variety of creative processes. 

Lead singer Charlotte Grace Victoria's thoughts on the song: "I feel as though the story of Jimmy and his significant other reflects the same idea. On the surface, there is a couple in the midst of honeymoon love, yet along with that, there is an undertone of the pressure to change and evolve into something new." Facebook here.

Some brisk and bright guitar lead music introduces 'Jimmy'. When the beautiful vocals join in, the songs emotional feel deepens, and the melodic hooks really dig in.

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The fin. - Pale Blue.

Background - Arriving just in time for the start of summer proper, ‘Pale Blue’ is a sun-bleached slice of disco-tinged lysergia akin to Currents era Tame Impala. Yuto Uchino’s infectious melodies have a hint of Bee Gees’ irresistibility about them, and his impressive full-bodied production approach builds towering walls of synth and funk guitars around his hooks. The organic and electronic elements warp and merge tactfully to make a heady musical trip. It’s the second track to be taken from new album following ‘Afterglow’, the LP is expected to land next year. 
  
The fin. are a group comprised of Yuto Uchino (vocals and synths), Ryosuke Odagaki (guitar), and Kaoru Nakazawa (drums / bass). Since their formation in 2012 as an extension of Yuto’s musical vision (he wrote and recorded their initial records in his bedroom), they’ve performed to thousands of rapturous fans at major festivals including Fuji Rock, SXSW and Rising Sun. Staking their claim on America in 2015, they embarked on a major tour there, which included a performance at SXSW, before signing to Lost In The Manor the same year to release their debut UK EP ‘Night Time’. Last year’s ‘Through The Deep’ EP was a cleverly refined follow-up and it prefaced their decision to move to London that autumn. 

Their tenure here has seen them develop themselves artistically through collaborations writing, recording, and touring with a wealth of British artists and producers like Brad Spence, All We Are, Ten Fe, Circa Waves, Last Shadow Puppets, Petite Noir, FEWS, Anchorsong, Slow Dance and many more. They’ve just finished a world tour that included the UK, Japan, USA, China, Thailand and Malaysia along with a showcase at SXSW and another to come at The Great Escape. Praise has built quickly around the group and they’ve achieved over two million Spotify plays for their stylish Europhile blend of synth-pop, chillwave and dream-pop, complete with English lyrics addressing universal themes of everyday uncertainties. Latest single ‘Afterglow’ will be remixed by FEWS and Anchorsong (a huge fan of the band having played at their all-nighter parties in East London), and with it they’re evidently reaching the zenith of their artistic maturity, making vital and exciting new music for the road ahead. Pertinently, The fin. are a reflection of the idea that music is rooted in feeling and not borders. Facebook here.

Our third feature for The fin. who first came to my notice getting on for a couple of years ago. New track 'Pale Blue' has a hint of classic disco hidden amongst the bands excellent melodic sensibilities and a clever arrangement that allows both vocals, harmonies and the fine musicianship, all to shine.

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Tom Rosenthal - Take Over.

Background - Tom Rosenthal has this to say about his new music video ‘The video is about a couple meeting on a train for the first time and the starting of a romantic spark that prompts the male character to give the female character a pineapple but it's a magic pineapple... Hannah is an incredible animator with a style totally unique to her and I've been lucky enough to work with her for a few years now. Our previous collaborations have been viewed over 4 million times so something must be right!'

With songs featuring on a number of TV soundtracks (‘Skins’, ‘Hard Knocks’, 'Kid Poker'), major films including 'Comet', 'Anesthesia' and 'The Odyssey' (2016) as well as Vodafone’s official campaign, Rosenthal has seen his audience grow firmly, promptly and rapidly with more and more demand for his music.

It is worth mentioning that he’s achieved all this fully on his own and without any help from a manager, record label, publisher, booking agent, PR or PA. Subsequently his YouTube channel, showcasing his award-winning music videos (which he’s won for Best Video at the European Independent Film Festival 2017), has now amassed well over 30 million views and his Spotify streams well over 60 million…

Now he’s just released his much-anticipated new album ‘Fenn’. Sonically it fits high up there with the likes of Bon Iver, James Vincent McMorrow and Father John Misty.

The album 'Fenn' was written and recorded following the birth of his 2nd child (named Fenn) and is his most ambitious project to date. Having previously stuck to simple acoustic instrumentation, here Rosenthal expands into the world of trumpets, choirs, and 1970's Moogs. Comprised of 15 varied tracks, 'Fenn' was composed as an antidote to the troubled and shifting times of 2016. So apart from 'P.A.S.T.A', here we find songs ranging from reflections on modern man's coffee habits (‘What's Getting You Down, James?’), to songs simply focused on rising above it all (‘Throw The Fear, It Won't Be Me’).

Conclusion? Tom Rosenthal is an odd pearl worthy of your attention, so sharpen your ears, put your headphones on and let the music do the rest. Facebook here.

I think it's eminently fair to say I'm just a little late to the party when it comes to Tom Rosenthal. 'Take Over' being my first conscious listen to his music, leaves me urgently checking out his other material. A fabulous song!


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Guts - Everybody Wants to Be a Star (feat. Wolfgang).

Background - The energy levels are spiking into the red with Guts latest fuzzy retro synth infested groove cut ‘Everybody Wants To Be A Star’ (ft. Wolfgang). With a plethora of guests and varied palette of sounds encompassing afro, soul, jazz, funk, hip hop and more, the French producer is aiming to ‘Stop The Violence’ and instead create a world of pure joyous united vibes with their new EP of the same title.

The unpredictable nature of life for a band with members scattered around the globe have forced Guts to give his line-up a shake to start their various tours in the best possible conditions. A Brand New Revolution!

So Leron Thomas gave way to Wolfgang Volburn, who is also lead vocalist of The Ephemerals. Mary May climbed onto Lorine Chia’s throne. Beat Assaillant plucked a mic from the air that was still burning from the flow of Von Pea. With Florian Pellissier remains riveted to the keyboards, versatile Greg F. on the guitar and Nico Rajao on drums, Guts has gobbled up the miles and bestrode stage after stage at the head of a revitalised live band.

New recruits had kept enhancing the well-practised repertoire with their vibes, redefining some of the contours, adding a bit more soul here or a lightness of touch there. Their impact was so great, in fact, that changing line-ups have become part of the band’s identity.

Galvanized by this new alchemy, Guts and his new-look live band stopped off in the studio to compose and record some new tracks which he has brought together on Stop the Violence, a five-track record that’s more like a mini-album than a simple EP.

High on this regenerating juice, energy levels spiking into the red, Ain’t Perfect, Pick Me Up, Everybody Wants to Be a Star, Drummer’s Delight and the title track light up boxes marked soul, afro, disco and jazz, brighten a groove carpeted with retro-funky keyboards and the brass of Cotonete, Heavenly Sweetness’s resident jazz-funk specialists.

Two birds with one stone, since Guts and his live band will obviously use Stop the Violence to set the stage ablaze after burning up people’s decks. Label website here, Facebook here.

Mixing retro synth styles and more modern musical sounds 'Everybody Wants to Be a Star (feat. Wolfgang)' is a buoyant, upbeat and very catchy song. A perfect summer soundtrack song, to dance or listen to.


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Tom Walters - Marlborough.

Background - Tom Walters is an up-and-coming folk-rock artist based in the inner suburbs of Sydney. Walters has spent the last year crafting a catalogue of catchy, riff-based tunes to be released as an EP in the near future. The music is a blend of John Butler-esque finger-style guitar, acoustic pop sentiments in the realm of Ed Sheeran, and some classic rock and roll vibes to keep things fun!

Walters has a simple mission; “write songs that have a heart and a hook.” 

‘Marlborough’ is the debut single for Tom Walters. The song was first demoed in February at One Flight Up Studios in St Peters along with a handful of other tracks. In April, Walters was back in the studio to start tracking Marlborough for single release. The song was produced by head engineer Adam Barns at One Flight Up. Walters also enlisted the help of ‘Stormbird’ drummer Nedad Teofilovic as a session player during the recording process. The recording was completed in early May with additional vocals, guitars, synths, and percussion laid down to fill out the track.

Tom says on the creation of the track, “‘Marlborough’ began when I was still living at home. My Dad was teaching himself how to play ‘The Rain Song’ by Led Zeppelin on my guitar, so he kept tuning it in this bizarre open style tuning. Sometimes I couldn’t be bothered to tune it back so I would just jam with it in this open tuning and sure enough, some interesting riffs started to flow out of me, including the main ‘Marlborough’ riff. I felt as though I understood the instrument better in this new open tuning and song after song started tumbling out of me and my guitar.” 

‘Marlborough’ is a melting pot of Tom Walters’ musical influences. The acoustic guitar riff is then layered over with gritty electric guitars, simple attacking rock grooves on the drums, and some synths to add depth to the sound.

The vocals move from single layer melodies to increasingly rich harmonies as the song progresses. Lyrically the song is about finding comfort in a person, losing that person, and then finding new comfort in activities and substances that offer short term healing but perhaps will prove damaging in the long term. Tom Walters can be found playing at the Town Hall Hotel in Newtown, Sydney Wednesday nights. Bandcamp here.

Apart from the fact that it's the other side of the world to me, I could quite happily spend my Wednesday evening at The Town Hall Hotel listening to Tom Walters. With his stated mission being to “write songs that have a heart and a hook.” featured song 'Marlborough' suggests he is well on target to achieve that goal.

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Premiere: Squarehead - Thought Fractals (EP)

Squarehead - Perties (Thought Fractals EP).

Background - Squarehead is the stage name of Melbourne music producer Tobi Yamamoto. After playing bass guitar for various Australian independent artists, including 2010 Triple J Unearthed winners Blud, Tobi ventured into the world of production with Squarehead in 2011.

Since releasing their 2013 debut release ‘Fables’, Squarehead have performed along side many of Melbourne's most creative recent exports such as ALTA, Andras Fox, Halcyon Drive, Rat & Co, Willow Beats and Yeo; including billing at the boutique festivals Inca Roads, Castle Music Festival and Paradise Music Festival.

Their long awaited subsequent release ‘Two-Track’ in 2015 received much attention from local radio stations such as PBS, SYN, and RRR, as well as platforms like Soundcloud, where it totalled over 19 thousand listens.

Squarehead is often seen in the Melbourne live scene as a trio, with a combination of live instruments and electronic samples, combining the raw energy of a band with the meticulous layering of electronic music production.

‘Thought Fractals’ was self-produced and mastered by Adam Dempsey from Deluxe Studios. The new EP shows a refined, mature side to Squarehead’s epic instrumental pieces, whilst maintaining the uniqueness observed in their previous releases. Facebook here, Bandcamp here.

'Perties' is the second of five instrumentals on 'Thought Fractals' the brand new EP from Squarehead. From the outset I was impressed with this EP, it's awash with rich layers of melodic synths, dynamic beats, and not surprisingly some bass guitar, alongside an eclectic mixture of additional sounds. Different musical directions are explored, some catchy hooks and vibrant melodic moments are never far away. If you asked me to define the genre, I would say electronic to keep things simple, in reality it's considerably more than that, so lets just add Fabulous.

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Guided by Voices - Parsons Rocket Project - 1403

Guided by Voices - Just To Show You.

Background - Guided by Voices new album How Do You Spell Heaven is set for release on 11 August 2017. Guided By Voices is on a roll. You could argue, but please don't because I have a headache, that GBV is never not on a roll, that Robert Pollard's output plows past the word "prolific" like prolific is standing still in a snowbank; and that's true, but this new version of the band (Doug Gillard, Bobby Bare Jr, Mark Shue, Kevin March) has given Pollard new tools to complement his song-hammer. Thus, ergo, quod erat demonstrandum: roll. 

Hot on the heels of the smothered-in-plaudits double album August By Cake comes this hot and heavy fifteen-tune long player, a melody-dense thwack to the earholes that will both energize you and deplete your body of its remaining music-appreciation enzymes. Recorded by the band in New York, and by Bob in Ohio, How Do You Spell Heaven capitalizes on the current incarnation's tour-buffed shine without sacrificing eternal GBV verities such as but not limited to: off-kilter rhythmic jolts; krazy chords; purposefully imperfect harmonies; and fragmented structures that start and stop on a coin of small denomination and go somewhere else, and quickly.

For example: Leadoff track "The Birthday Democrats" features a surfeit of pop hooks and swaggering sure-footed wordplay before dissolving like a perfect dream into Beatles-esque sound collage. "King 007" starts off like an acoustic demo from Tommy before shifting gears into a galloping riff-driven hyperspace guitar battle, before pivoting back to some kind of weirdo hybrid of the two… and then stops short just when you think you've got the thing pinned down. "Pearly Gates Smoke Machine" opens like the best thing Marc Bolan never wrote and then stubbornly refuses to cohere into an actual song, instead serving as a platform for some entertainingly normcore guitar pyrotechnics, while "How To Murder A Man" channels David Bowie channeling Scott Walker. Is this enough? Is it ever? How about "Nothing Gets You Real," a deceptively straightforward breezy number that sounds like Pollard looking back at his life-in-rock and nodding, with a melancholy smile, at past versions of himself. It'll make you cry, if you have a human heart.

There's more, much more, but you know that already. The easiest, laziest way to sum up Guided By Voices' latest album, the move we can't fail to resist making, is the most obvious: How do you spell heaven? Shout it from the rafters: G-B-V. Website here, Facebook here, live dates on Beehive Candy's tour news page.

I just do not know how Robert Pollard and Guided By Voices, continue to be so inspired, creative and able to produce the quality and quantity of music, that has spanned their career. For me the new song 'Just To Show You' sits somewhere in the alt rock genre, it's melodic and devoid of any unnecessary extras, and at the same time fresh and pleasing. Another album is on it's way, and once again I am full of anticipation.

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Parsons Rocket Project - Exit Launch.

Background - Atlanta-based Parsons Rocket Project has announced they will be releasing their self-titled debut EP in August. Comprised of six tracks, this is a beautiful mixed bag of dream-gaze, indie rock and space rock. For now, they are previewing their first single 'Exit Launch', which occupies a sweet spot between Blonde Redhead, My Bloody Valentine, Bowery Electric and Slowdive.

Parsons Rocket Project takes its name from American rocket propulsion engineer, chemist, and occultist Jack Parsons.  The band formed in 2015 when drummer, lyricist, and titular figurehead Jody Hasty started collaborating with bassist Paul Curry, guitarist Jeff Holt, and multi-instrumentalist producer/engineer Benjamin Price at Studilaroche in Atlanta. They were later joiined by K. Michelle Dubois on vocals.

The band laid down the tracks for this album in the very studio where Benjamin Price has also worked on releases by Gang of Four and The Hives, among others. The album was mastered by Joe Lambert (Lou Reed, Animal Collective, The National, Hot Chip, Deerhunter, Panda Bear, Washed Out).

his debut EP represents a significant moment in time for the band, who were challenged to overcome very real struggles involving drug abuse, a terrible automobile accident, and the low-level daily drama of domesticity. Some of the ambient and psychedelic exploration is rooted in real trauma – both physical and emotional – while some of it is celebratory in nature, rooted in the unique awareness of a temporary conscious being in our universe.

'Parsons Rocket Project' will be released digitally on August 11, with vinyl to follow via the New Texture label. The digiital version already available for pre-order via Bandcamp here, Facebook here.

'Exit Launch' is the first of six tracks on the bands debut EP due in August. The band are clearly comfortable and capable of taking songs in different directions, whilst maintaining a core overall sound or style, that is easily identifiable as theirs. The featured song is a fine indicator of Parsons Rocket Project quality and imaginative music, the EP adds more depth and substance, as debut's go, this is something for the band to be proud of.

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1403 - Tonight.

Background - East London-based singer, multi-instrumentalist and producer 1403 has been something of an enigma over the past few years. 

Popping up in various guises writing and collaborating with artists such as Sasha, Disturbing London's G-FrSH and Cypress Hill to name a few, he has also contributed to various film scores and advertising campaigns across a wide range of genres and styles.

During this time, he was introduced to Grammy Award Winning Philadelphia based producer Joe ͚The Butcher͛ Nicolo (Fugees, Billy Joel, Lauryn Hill). The pair quickly formed a unique bond which has seen 1403 travel to the US on several occasions over the past couple of years to transform his solo demos into studio recordings.​ Facebook here.

'Tonight' mixes intimate vocals and initially, a stripped back acoustic musical soundtrack. As the arrangement builds, it adds another layer of melody, whilst supporting those beautiful and enticing vocals. The overall effect is wonderful, this is a track that suggests some very good music will follow.

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Men I Trust - NØMADS - Anja Kotar

Men I Trust - You Deserve This.

Background from the band - We recorded You Deserve This last summer. We weren’t supposed to do any music that afternoon, we were really chilled out and in a great mood. We were playing with some rhythms and started having fun with detuned and off-phase synths. 

We recorded the guitars and the final vocals last month following our initial idea: it’s all about relaxing, wishing good to oneself and others and the nostalgic joy of feeling part of the universe.

Founded in 2014, Men I Trust, is an indie-dance band from Montreal (Canada) who produces its own music videos. “We love smooth sounds, calm melodies and simple rhythms that relax, but make your right foot tap and your chin bounce on the beats. We are all in DYI: we record, mix, master and shoot our music videos ourselves, and we’re loving it!” tumblr here, Facebook here.

Ambient vibes, soothing vocals, and a fine melodic feel ensures 'You Deserve This' is a song that registers. Adding in the gentle and understated musical arrangement, really does complete the circle with this delicious track.


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NØMADS - Dementophøbia.

Background - “Dementophøbia” is the June instalment of NØMADS’ ongoing, year-long conceptual album Phøbiac, with each song being a case study based around a different rare or clinical phobia. Dementophobia is the fear of losing one's mind, and its accompanying single is a blistering, fuzzed-out, post-punk explosion that captures the nature of NØMADS as a dynamic post-punk duo. Phøbiac is the follow-up to NØMADS’ critically-acclaimed 2014 full-length, Free My Animal.

The more you question if there are voices in your head, the more the question itself becomes a voice. In a time when so many things about our daily world seem insane, Dementophobia is a phobia that is likely more common than it is diagnosed. On the track, frontman Nathan Lithgow sings the paranoid refrain "Find a faster, louder way to give. Something wrong is always happening; just a prayer for a partial lobotomy. Excuse me I'm all out of me.” 

The duo is the brainchild of Nathan Lithgow (My Brightest Diamond) who handles bass and vocal duties, and Garth Macaleavey (the technical director at National Sawdust) on drums. True to form with all of NØMADS’ output, the duo relies heavily on Lithgow's melodic, yet razor-sharp distorted bass, paired with Macaleavey’s powerful drumming. Together, the band conjure up the sonic power of early Battles' work, as well as the gritty, razor sharp execution of 90's post-rock bands like Death From Above, Trans Am or Tortoise. 

We featured 'Achluphobia' back at the beginning of February describing that song as "a powerful full on rocker, where the vocals pour out every last gasp of breath and the guitars and drums take a pounding. Raw and solid, it's also highly addictive." As we dip back into the year long 'Phøbiac' album with the latest track 'Dementophøbia' we are treated to another blast of energised post punk music, and again there is something about the overall sound that is compelling and demanding to be played again.

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Anja Kotar - How To Be Cool.

Background - 20-year-old Electro Pop artist, Anja Kotar, has released the first single off her debut album, “How to Be Cool”. The song has been dubbed a “summer jam”.

This single is more than just a catchy tune though; it’s been described as a “musically intricate” track that "pushes all boundaries on what a pop song should sound like"; with a "catchy hook which will inspire you to break out every dance move you know".

Anja Kotar had her first taste of the arts while studying piano, dance and acting in the blockbuster movie Gremo mi po svoje and its sequel while in Ljubljana, Slovenia. After moving to San Jose, California in 2012, Anja continued her studies at the Valley Christian Conservatory. It was then that she became heavily involved with theater and jazz. Anja used her time at VC Conservatory to perform in multiple shows and even start writing and directing full length productions such as; “Godspell.” Anja also earned a Voice Certificate from Berklee College of Music after taking online courses while she was in high school. Upon graduation Anja attended the prestigious Broadway Artist Alliance in New York City. At 17 she then completed her widely successful Kickstarter project, which had 156 supports who pledged anywhere from $5 to $1000 in return for background footage, memorabilia and lastly, NOMAD itself.

After the release of her EP Anja was invited to perform at the Slovenian Song Festival (DSZG) the longest running festival in the country that features the country’s top talent and is the most viewed show in the country. After performing her original "Cas je zdaj" (The Time Is Now) and "Too Cool” live, Anja was nominated by RTV for Best Performance, Best Song, and Best New Artist, walking away with 2016’s Best New Artist. She then was nominated for Best Pop Song at the 2016 American Songwriting Awards. 

Currently Anja is working to complete her Bachelor’s degree from Berklee College of Music nearly two years early on top of working with three–time Grammy nominated producer Pascal Guyon on releasing her full length debut album along with an online store that will connect music and fashion. Website here, Facebook here.

It's about time we freshened Beehive Candy up with some funky, modern electro pop, the sort that blows those old cobwebs away. 'How To Be Cool' does all of that, it's fun, young and vibrantly, just right for summer.


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