I am BOLEYN - Beverly Kills - Zinnia

I am Boleyn serves up some intimate synth pop, her melodic vocals drift above a thoughtful soundtrack, this is hard to resist music. Gothenburg's Beverly Kills share a feisty indie rocker, the band are tight and refined and the vocals add even more hooks. Zinnia's brand of art pop is quite addictive, she sings with real feeling above a musical arrangement that slowly builds into a magnificent backdrop.

I am BOLEYN - Limit Of Love.

London based Synth-pop singer-songwriter I Am Boleyn is poised to release her new single with the arrival of ‘Limit of Love’ and follows on from her recent release 'Too Much'.

She says: "Limit of Love is about the secrets that we all keep, the dark feelings or guilt that we hold very close but one day have to show someone to really love them and let them love us. What is the Limit of Love? What could we find out about someone, or reveal about ourselves what would push those limits too far? In the end the honesty of sharing our real selves is liberating and leads to a deeper connection".

I Am Boleyn spends her time shuttling between London and Stockholm, working with Swedish based music production collective FMLY STHLM. Influenced by Robyn, Mo, Goldfrapp and MS MR, her take on electro-pop brims with hints of neon lit 80’s Berlin bars with a futuristic twist of Blade Runner.

I Am Boleyn grew up in St. Petersburg, Russia, went to Oxford University to study history and has been writing songs and singing in bands since she was young.

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Beverly Kills - Revellers.

Beverly Kills are creating an impressive name for themselves as one of Gothenburg’s up and coming bands to watch. Last year saw the band release ‘Fourteen’, ‘Melodrama’ and ‘Dreamless’, gathered great acclaim from both local and international press including being mentioned as one of the “Best Swedish Indie Debuts 2018” by HYMN and being nominated for the" Breakthrough of the Year” in the Gaffa Awards.

This also saw the band playing Gothenburg music showcase festival Viva Sounds and a side show at this years by:Larm Festival along with shows supporting Agent blå, Moaning (USA- Sub-pop) and Västerbron later this March. The release of Beverly Kills brand new single ‘Revellers’comes with the announcement of their debut physical release ‘In This Dim Light/Melodrama’ limited edition 7” vinylthrough Australian Indie label Hell Beach.

‘Revellers’ encapsulates the very essence of Beverly Kills, emotionally charged and full of energy, as they seemingly blend driving, raw and catchy sonic landscapes with dark and complex lyrical content. The energy of the song is set by a punchy and aggressive rhythm section laid down by Viggo Mattson and Hampus Höggren, which is perfectly matched by John Jonsén tight rhythm guitar playing. Dreamy synths and atmospheric guitar tones act as points of relief throughout the song as Alma Westerlund’s vocals float effortlessly throughout the track delivering catchy vocal melodies and most importantly the lyrical content.

The idea behind the lyrics came out of a spiraling, weird thought that John had after reading about the increasing numbers of the ‘Bystander Effect’ in Sweden. This got Johnthinking about a potential world where we’ve killed off everything and everyone just to satisfy our need to see deathand chaos, “until there’s nothing left to kill but ourselves”. ‘Revellers’ clearly demonstrates Beverly Kills song writing prowess and further establishes their emergence in the ever-exciting Gothenburg indie scene.

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Zinnia - Bullets.

Zinnia is the Toronto-based art pop project of Rachael Cardiello. With layered synth and driving beats, Zinnia brings an explosive range to Cardiello's writing, equal parts intimate and fierce. Zinnia’s debut album Sensations in Two Dot is due out in 2019.

"There are statistics that had always seemed far fetched and distant when I was young. As I've gotten older I've watched those statistics very much become a reality for the women in my life.

Bullets was written four years ago on an old upright at my mom's house in Montana. I've carried it with me since then and sifted it through many arrangements and band settings.

Though written in response to specific events, it has been heartbreaking to see the song remain relevant over these past years as the same struggles appear in the lives of those close and far.

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Wasuremono - Hafdis Huld - Julia Rakel - Junaco

Wasuremono continue to ramp up interest in their June album release with 'Are You OK?' where synth textures and layered vocals combine with melodic hooks. Hafdis Huld's fifth studio album is a collection of thirteen incredible cover versions, where she reinterprets some classic songs in a really imaginative manner. Julia Rakel's new E.P. is shared in full, it's a creative affair as she digs into relationships, doing so in a very individual and colourful way. 'Willow' from Junaco is a desirable indie song where the vocals are beautiful as they drift above a clever musical backdrop.

Wasuremono - Are You OK?

Wasuremono have announced their new album 'Are You OK?' will be released on June 14th, they have also shared the title track from the album after teasing the news with previous single 'Lonely Type'.

In 2018, Wasuremono made quite the impression; with the release of their self-titled debut album, Steve Lamacq’s invite to record a live session for BBC 6 Music at the legendary Maida Vale Studios, Lauren Laverne describing them as a “favourite”, supporting both the The Flaming Lips and Phosphorescent on tour, and playing at iconic venues such as Shepherd’s Bush Empire.

New album, ‘Are You OK?’ was written and recorded by multi-instrumentalist William Southward in his shed. On the newly released title track, Southward has said that the song, "seemed to turn into a pep talk to myself, with themes and sounds of the seaside and clearing the mind asking yourself or someone else ‘Are you ok?’. It’s got a really 80’s vibe to this song with the help from the Linn Drum Computer pounding through the song backed up with synth sounds played on an old Yamaha Dx7."

With the enlistment of friends Madelaine Ryan, Isaac Phillips, and Phoebe Phillips, Southward’s songs come to life. Wasuremono will be performing across the UK this summer in support of 'Are You OK?', with stops at festivals including Live at Leeds, The Great Escape, Bluedot, and Dot To Dot, as well as a headline show at the Sebright Arms in London on June 19th.

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Hafdis Huld - You're the First, The Last, My Everything.

Hafdis Huld’s fifth studio album 'Variations', is a collection of her own versions of songs by other artists. Consistently different, she and producer Alisdair Wright devised simple arrangements that focus attention on the lyrics, often revealing stories with surprisingly dark and twisted undercurrents beneath the smooth surfaces.

In another twist, tracks will be digitally released, two at a time between 1st February and 26th April, building into a full album. With typical consideration for her fan-base, members of Hafdis’ mailing list were able to buy pre-release copies of the physical album two months before the digital releases began.

Fearless covers of power ballad giants Dolly Parton, Tina Turner, Queen and Whitney Houston sit remarkably comfortably alongside more eclectic choices.  Unexpected songs from The Divine Comedy and Loudon Wainwright III, songwriters’ songwriter Boo Hewerdine and the Walrus of Love himself, Barry White, serve to underscore the fact that Hafdis loves to shake things up.

She explains: “Stories are what interest me and each one of these has a great story to tell. When you’re not distracted by musical fireworks, a surprisingly different message can emerge from the lyrics.”


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Julia Rakel - indie fEELz EP.

Umeå-via-Malmö Swedish musician and producer Julia Rakel is the latest addition to Stockholm indie label Rama Lama Records' (Melby, Steve Buscemi's Dreamy Eyes, Chez Ali etc.) roster. Singles PDFILWM and People was released early 2019 and have since grabbed the attention from influential Swedish media as well as international blogs, calling them "lo-fi gems". Debut EP 'indie fEElz', the first collection of and look into Julia's peculiar bedroom pop, is out now on all platforms and limited vinyl.

The EP is the result of hours of music making in the lonesome bedroom. Julia works at the well-known Malmö studio Tambourine and her credits include sound design for the award-winning short film Plankton. With her expertise as a producer she's refined her stripped-down sketches to a daydreaming beautiful soundscape that develops with every listen. This, put together with Julia's individual vocals and often ironic lyrics, create an intimate and memorable sound.

Julia Rakel says that "indie fEElz” is an EP where I try to describe the very different kinds of relationships we have with each other - and ourselves. This with a lot of irony, drum machines and way too many choirs parts. People is about forced acquaintances, A love letter is of course about love, You’re not getting it a desperate attempt to be understood, PDFILWM a sad celebration of friendships, Evel Knievel how we feel about our ego, and Moviestars - a flirt with how ridiculously we’ve all tried to be somebody we’re not."

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Junaco - Willow.

Junaco is the foundation of Shahana Jaffer and Joey LaRosa. Born in the unincorporated mountain town on the outskirts coastal Northern California, the duo found an escape from musical conventions. Fleeing the rituals of rushing through songs, away from the nonsense of worrying, a budding partnership was found based equally on half-parts progression and melody. Mellow bursts of epiphany and pleas of gentle seduction give way to driving grooves in Junaco’s music, leaving the immediate fan with a delicate, instantly familiar and completely unassailable batch of songs.

Jaffer, a natural talent whose limbs were too long to dance, met a counterpart in LaRosa, a guitarist and percussionist’s dream who from a young age had been told that “musician” wasn’t an achievable career. Though conventionally unlikely on the global scale that a Pakistani songstress would find her way into the creative adventures of a drummer from Indianapolis, they found in their partnership a desire to make music for music’s sake; to write honest songs that meant something true enough for themselves, that someone else might be able to take it and make it true for them, as well.

The forthcoming EP helmed by Omar Yakar (War on Drugs, Perfume Genius) from Boulevard Recording, whose engineering and production prowess brought this young and refreshing outfit’s mountainous incubations to life. The duo initially set out with the intention of nothing but creation and expression and resulted in a stunning collection of tracks detailing the emotions of freedom. Jaffer reveals, “The underlying theme is about coming to terms with experiences and hardships we have faced and finally putting them out there. It’s very healing”. 

Leading single ‘Willow’ features warm dark tones, ominous instrumentation and soulful vocals which glide gently atop the jangly guitars. The single emits an accurate and organic feeling through its use of storytelling lyricism and atmospheric soundscapes. Thematically ‘Willow’ is inspired by emotions. “Emotions are often intensified by our surroundings. We rarely separate the two - when we are inspired by a feeling it is all encompassed by the environment we are in. The message of this music is to except those feelings rather than trying to mask them”, confides Jaffer.

Junaco hope to create music that will leave listeners feeling a sense of connection and closeness to. With the aim to remind others of our innate human emotions, Junaco’s debut EP highlights just how similar we are at our cores. 

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Mags On Earth - FEVA - Julie Kember

Around six weeks back we featured 'Tulip Stone' by Mags On Earth and the video for 'Old Ford Road' is a welcome follow up, as once again we are treated to another inventive and alluring song. It's our third feature for FEVA in a couple of years, this time with 'Undone' a potent and mesmerising alt rocker. Julie Kember is a fabulously soulful singer and yet adds so much more in her music, whether it's folk, rock, or blues, as 'Lived A Million Lives' helps demonstrate.

Mags On Earth – Old Ford Road.

Following the January release of her debut single ‘Tulip Stone’, Mags On Earth today releases her second single ‘Old Ford Road’.  It’s another example of her delightfully crafted, dreamily melancholic, electronic-touched pop music, drawing inspiration from the sultry pop sounds of artists like Lana Del Rey and Lorde.  And just like her debut single, ‘Old Ford Road’ comes with another self-produced video, which Mags shot in London.

Recorded with producer Jose Manuel Cubides in London, Mags explains the inspiration behind the single “My whole EP is very self-judgemental as it deals with pressure of youth, and pressure of the concept that you are the designer of your own life. To think we can all be anything is a beautiful thought, but it has a very dark side too. It places so much emphasis on self-fulfillment and comes hand in hand with feeling like a failure if you can't live up to your own expectations”

“All songs on the EP address these feelings, but in Old Ford Road there is self-compassion, self-forgiveness and a sense of enjoying life in the imperfect present. Being in London definitely plays a role in those hopeful emotions for me. Big cities do something to me, they free me. I like the rush and anonymity. I love just walking around for hours in different areas of the city, stopping for a coffee somewhere, watching people passing by, maybe checking out some second-hand-shops and just keeping walking. It’s one of those things that make me feel very grounded in myself, like it’s just me and the city. That’s the sentiment that ‘Old Ford Road’ is dealing with”.


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FEVA - Undone.

Hauling themselves right back under the indie spotlight, Newcastle’s Feva share scorching new anthem Undone, a relentless rocker that only further cements their status as one of the region’s most exciting emerging acts.

Fresh from supporting fellow Geordie risers The Pale White on a sold-out UK tour, the quartet are firing on all cylinders and demonstrate their trademark anthemic qualities in this latest effort, providing more evidence of their unbridled potential.

“Undone is another step towards us finding our sound”, the four-piece stated. “From the beginning we’ve wanted to write huge, heavy tunes that remain upbeat and have a hook, not dissimilar to soul and pop songs, and we feel as though we’ve done that here and hopefully have a chorus that’ll be stuck in people’s heads for days”.

With festival dates alongside Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and The Vaccines already lined up this summer, the band’s widespread tastemaker approval and radio support (BBC Radio 1) is sure to increase in the coming months with further new material in the pipeline.

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Julie Kember - Lived A Million Lives.

With critical acclaim, chart success, international TV syncing and awards a-plenty, it is hard not to see Australian songstress Julie Kember as a bona fide overachiever. The beating heart of all her wild success is wonderful music that touches the soul. Built around the gorgeous timbre of her voice, Kember's songs are majestically poetic, cinematic and relatable – providing her with a passport to tour the world. From Tamworth and Boyup Brook, to Nannup and Nashville, Julie Kember's music is at home anywhere it touches the ground.

Capturing her story in all its globetrotting glory, Julie Kember is proud to announce her album, Million Lives. As the title implies, Kember has woven her experiences throughout the album, documenting her trials and triumphs over the years through honeyed melodies and honest yet inviting lyrics. The album's somewhat title track Lived A Million Lives is wonderfully autobiographical – a musical retrospective diary. Driving the song is the same power that fuels all of Kember's work: love.

Commercial success has flowed effortlessly for Kember, whose list of musical accomplishments spans the live arena, recording, film and TV. A true storyteller, her songs paint a vivid picture that has won the hearts of people far and wide. Her talent has been recognised all over as Julie has continued to tour the planet – from the global hubs of country and folk, to the Middle East, Solomon Islands and Australian outback. From her hometown of Eneabba to the stages of the world, Julie Kember has joyfully committed herself to the life of a troubadour.

With a WAM Award for Outstanding Regional Artist, and several coveted WA Country Music Awards in her trophy cabinet (including 2019 WA Songwriter of the Year at Boyup Brook Country MF), it would be easy for people to assume Julie Kember is a genre specialist. Alas, the multi-talented songwriter is better known for a more sophisticated, nuanced sound. Incorporating the best aspects of blues, soul, folk and pop, her music is versatile and creative – expanding beyond one style into a wondrous new thing all its own. Sewn throughout all of Julie Kember's deeply personal songs, this beautiful uniqueness is what makes Million Lives an exceptional work of art.

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Melby - Skand

We featured Melby a couple of times last year and now ahead of their debut album due in April we have 'VCR'. It's an expansive indie rocker from the band and gives a glimpse of the album which packs some real variety driven by their distinctive sound. Skand have shared a new video today for 'Down To My River' a refreshing and uplifting modern folk song from this refined duo.

Melby - VCR.

Since debuting with catchy single Human early 2016 things have moved steady for Stockholm psych pop act Melby. The 2017 debut EP received praise from both Swedish and international sources such as Amazing Radio, Ja Ja Ja and Line of Best Fit, making Melby one of the most exciting names on the Swedish indie scene. The band returned with Reject and Overthinking last year, a year which then saw tour dates in London and Berlin, as well as all over Sweden. Debut album None of this makes me worry is yet another piece to the exciting puzzle that is Melby's music and another step in what is forming to be one very promising career.

The album is out April 12th on all digital platforms and limited vinyl via Stockholm label Rama Lama Records and Sinnbus.

The band often gets comparison to fellow swedes Dungen and Amason but Melby’s dynamic sound, with influences from folk, psych, indie and pop, stand out. The quartets light, semi-psychedelic folk pop is led by Matilda Wiezell’s enchanting voice which fits perfectly with Melby’s unique musical landscape - a sound that's been called "otherworldly, and wholly brilliant" by The Line of Best Fit. The band consists of Wiezell, Are Engen Steinsholm (back-up vocals, guitar), David Jehrlander (bass) and Teo Jernkvist (drums) and formed while living together in a Stockholm shared housing.

None of this makes me worry catches all of Melbys many qualities in a way that truly represents the bands musical expressions. Beautifully intertwined song and guitar melodies are often in focus and ranges between catchy pop to emotional melancholy. From childish, playful opener VCR to the closing dynamic live favourite Stalker there is a common theme, even if the inspiration comes from a wide variety of directions.

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Skand - Down To My River.

The duo band Skand from Marseille, France is releasing its first music video, Down To My River, from their album Dive an "Intimist Rock" album with a touch of blues.

Probably the most introspective and Folk track of the album, Down To My River asks us to dig deep within, to turn our gaze towards our own sensations, emotions, memories and projections.

It is about (re)-connecting to the present moment, and, in the midst of our inner chaos, to experience a feeling of peace.

For this track, Skand chose to use natural and organic sounds (leather, clay, wood...) and tribal voices evoking links with nature and roots. Gospel influences also elude to a sense of spirituality.



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Drahla - Dylan LeBlanc - Tempesst

A semi-surreal music video accompanies 'Stimulus For Living' from Drahla but it's the bands creative mixture of punk and art rock that makes it's mark in a big way. Dylan LeBlanc's vocals are fabulous and 'Renegade' is one hook filled rocker, ahead of his next album due out in June. Tempesst make a much welcome return to Beehive Candy, their stylish alt rock has a fresher indie feel on 'Is this all that there is?' a catchy and very likable tune.

Drahla - Stimulus For Living.

Leeds-formed three-piece Drahla have announced their highly-anticipated debut album 'Useless Coordinates' will be released via Captured Tracks on May 3rd 2019. The band have shared the arresting first single 'Stimulus for Living' as a taster of the album along with a video.

‘Stimulus For Living’ is the second track taken from ‘Useless Coordinates’ following the release of ‘Twelves Divisions Of The Day’ last summer. The album was recorded in Yorkshire in the second half of 2018, and sees the band’s sound continue to evolve with the addition of saxophonist Chris Duffin across the record. Since finishing ‘Useless Coordinates’ the band have spent their time touring the US and Europe, including stops at Eurosonic and La Route Du Rock this winter.

Blending wiry, dark post-punk with unpredictable art-rock, Drahla have established themselves as a formidable and distinctive band across their three sold out 7” singles and 2017's Third Article EP. Formed in late 2015, Drahla quickly found their identity in Yorkshire’s fertile music scene with their minimal yet robust bass-heavy sound. Their reputation as a fervent live act is ever-growing, with the band being asked to share stages with the likes of Parquet Courts, METZ, Ought, Buzzcocks, The Cribs and multiple festival appearances - including Meltdown at the request of The Cure’s Robert Smith. (Photo - Sam Joyce).


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Dylan LeBlanc - Renegade.

'Renegade', the new album from acclaimed musician Dylan LeBlanc, will be released on 7th June through ATO Records. Produced by Grammy Award-winning Dave Cobb, the album features ten new songs including the first single and title track, which is out now.

Recorded at Cobb’s RCA Studio A in Nashville, the 10-song album features LeBlanc and his longtime band, The Pollies. Of the album, LeBlanc shares, “I wanted to write the same type of songs that matched the atmosphere the band and I were bringing live. So, I started with ‘Renegade,’ which was fitting since I felt myself going in a new, more intense direction with this record. In the studio, I let go almost absolutely and let Dave Cobb do his work. It was a different experience for me—how focused Cobb was and how quickly we would get live takes down. Mostly in one or two takes. Never more than three. It left me spinning at how quickly it all came together. With beautiful gear and a keen ear, it was fun to work with my best friends alongside Cobb. Over the course of ten days 'Renegade' was complete and ready for mastering. And I couldn’t be more excited to share it with you.”

Born in Shreveport, LA with time spent in Muscle Shoals, AL, LeBlanc has released three full-length albums including his most recent, 2016’s Cautionary Tale, which featured Brittany Howard (Alabama Shakes) and was produced by John Paul White (The Civil Wars) and Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes). Of the music, NPR Music praised, “The third album from the Muscle Shoals singer-songwriter unfolds with the wariness of a social and spiritual outsider who broods his way to graceful defiance,” while No Depression declared, “There’s not a single song that deserves to be skipped on Tale—it’s a near flawless record, cohesive and self-assured.” Since his debut in 2010, LeBlanc has toured extensively worldwide including shows with Bruce Springsteen, First Aid Kit, Drive-By Truckers, Lucinda Williams, Alabama Shakes, Anderson East, The Wood Brothers and many more.


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Tempesst - Is this all that there is?

London-based indie-psych quintet Tempesst have released a new single entitled 'Is this all that there is ?' Recorded in Melbourne, the new single was written whilst frontman Toma was back in Australia in January. "I was at Little Cove, a beach in Noosa," he recalls. "It’s a little stretch of beach near a national park, it was totally filled with people. I just sat there in this ideal setting and realised how strange people are, especially when they’re at the beach. I wrote about what I saw and how it made me feel."

Continuing to expand on their '60s and '70s influenced psychedelic rock roots on 'Is this all that there is?' - their expansive instrumentals, sumptuous pop melodies, and progressive songwriting offer a welcoming breath of fresh air to the genre.

"What a bore to be obsessed with dying, like I'm the only one to put up a fight" they pose in the chorus, before questioning "Do I give up? Is this all that there is?". This single follows their widely acclaimed previous EP 'Doomsday' - which covered themes revolving around the band's daily anxieties, as well as the overstimulation and constant temptation that exists when living in a metropolitan city like London.

Originating in Queensland, Australia on the Sunshine Coast, the now London-based outfit – made up of twin brothers Toma (vocals, guitars) and Andy Banjanin (vocals, drums), and rounded out by Eric Weber (guitars), Kane Reynolds (keys), and Blake Misipeka (bass) – have been going from strength to strength over the past 12 months.

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The Empty Threats - Ted Kennedy

Australia's The Empty Threats have a new E.P. 'Ablutions'. Described as exploratory rock, it's a description that actually makes sense having listened to all four songs, what's more the individuality of each track doesn't dilute the quality or the overall vibe, this is one very fine E.P. Ted Kennedy's new song 'Forty' showcases his distinctive and very engaging vocals, the electronic musical backdrop is equally striking and the melodic hooks do the rest.

The Empty Threats - Ablutions (E.P).

Exploratory rock comes in many shapes and forms, though leave it up to The Empty Threats to fully embrace a cataclysmic sonic earthquake. The Adelaide four-piece declare a pretence of maligned, experimental rock and visceral psych embellishments.

The Empty Threats are proud to release their new EP into the world. After turning plenty of heads with a string of singles including 'Heavy', 'Loss Of Breath' and 'Magnolia', The Empty Threats' new EP, 'Ablutions', is out now via GD FRNDS.

Recorded, mixed and mastered by two-time ARIA Award-nominated producer, Matt Hills, at Hillside Studio, 'Ablutions' is a four-track masterpiece about cleaning oneself from negative and upsetting memories in the hope to move into a positive, more fulfilling future.

'Ablutions' sees the outfit put together a concoction of prog and psych rock, expertly blended to form four huge tracks that all compliment each other ever so smoothly. The body of work is filled with drenched guitar tones, booming, yet intimate, vocals, rolling electric clarinet solos and tight drum and bass lines to help bring the contemporary madness all together.

The EP is an internal look at a band who's changed and developed considerably. Further, it's a comment on remaining positive in the crushing reality of being a musician. Guitarist, Matt Schultz, explains.

"It's a reflection from the band about the change that we have been through over the past year or so. Commenting on our personal mental states, the state of society and trying to have a positive headspace moving forward."

Over the last year, The Empty Threats have really honed in on what makes an audience click. Their extremely energetic live performance has been put to hard work since embarking on their first national tour in early 2018. They've since been performing regularly to ever-growing crowds, including a main support slot for The Babe Rainbow.

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Ted Kennedy - Forty.

It’s a brutal truth that you can’t help someone who doesn’t realize they have a problem. All your energy, support and love isn’t enough. Their addiction is out of your control. No matter how much it hurts, sometimes you have to let go.

My new song, “Forty,” came to me when a close friend relapsed after many years of struggling with opioid addiction. I remember thinking how the cycle of addiction and denial wears people down.

There were just so few people left around my friend that it dawned on me –the ones who remained, the ones who loved him most, were just the last ones to say goodbye.

I have an album’s worth of material that I’ll be releasing throughout 2019. I’m looking forward to performing these tracks  live. I plan on growing Frequencies (a monthly concert series that I curate) this year, expanding to more cities and putting on larger events in Toronto. There is just so much going on in electronic music right now, and I feel lucky to be apart of it - Ted Kennedy.

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Hannah & Ben - Fafa Galoure - Izzie Walsh

Hannah Sanders and Ben Savage share a near flawless folk song where every component is just wonderful. Fafa Galoure's live session includes 'I Am The Sun' a refreshingly natural rocker that is full of hooks from the opening moments. Izzie Walsh's vocals are gorgeous on the melodic country song 'Sidelined' a vibrant and pleasing piece.

Hannah & Ben - Hidden Things.

Hidden Things is the first in a trilogy of singles by Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage. After widely touring for the past few years 2019’s singles reflect the duo’s relationship to the spirit of place; all three songs were written and arranged in different counties whilst they were touring their critically acclaimed album Awake in 2018.

The first in this trilogy, Hidden Things, takes its inspiration from a time spent in northern Sweden. Hannah says “I was reading my friend Francesco Dimitri’s novel “Book of Hidden Things”. I was sitting on the coast of Stockholme’s Archipelago reading a novel set in Southern Italy and I was moved by the idea that landscapes hold dreams - love, mystery, loss… Dimitri’s book is about how stories become part of our connection to landscape. Like stories, songs can be a way of bringing the land’s dreams to life…”

Huddled round a single microphone, singing intimate duets with just mountain dulcimer, dobro and guitar, Hannah Sanders & Ben Savage are an acoustic duo that look & sound classically timeless, yet their music is unique. Fleetingly, they may evoke a memory of Gram & Emmylou, Shirley & Davey, or Gillian & Dave but their distilling of musical influences from both sides of the Atlantic produces a refined sound that is decidedly their own.

Their unique unplugged presentation creates a widescreen, cinematic soundscape with open spaces and atmosphere, giving their beautifully pure vocals room to share the songs’ emotion and narrative. The material is as joyful and fun as it is intense, but the common factor is the duo’s warmth and confidence in each other; their natural ease and connection is clearly evident on the recorded music, and a genuine pleasure to witness on stage.

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Fafa Galoure - I Am The Sun - Live Spring Sessions - 2019.

Fafa Galoure is set to release the brand new single “I Am The Sun”, the first track to be taken from the band’s upcoming ‘Live Spring Sessions’ EP. An unconventional love song, “I Am The Sun” bursts out of the speakers with a flare of adolescence and playfulness and represents an intentional back-to-basics approach,

Fafa Galoure is an intriguing Israeli "Deep Dive Rock" band fronted by vocalist and songwriter Efrat Cohen. The band debut album ‘As You Are’ was released at the tail end of 2017 and was backed up with numerous shows in their home country as well as a European tour.
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The foundations for the band were set in 2011 when Efrat returned from an extended trip to India and began shooting ideas back and forth with longtime friend and collaborator Asi Ashkenazi. The two began processing the materials Efrat had been accumulating and the compositions began to take on a life of their own. "For me the core of the song; the words, the content and the meaning come before the musical arrangement, I love this process in which we try to give the music different arrangements and expressions".

Following various iterations, today Efrat and Asi are joined by Omer Hershman handling live and studio production, Karni Postel in cello, Ofer Prion in the guitar, Ran Yakobovitch on drums and Adi Gigi on bass and double bass.


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Izzie Walsh - Sidelined.

Manchester singer songwriter Izzie Walsh has announced the release of her new single Sidelined. With a unique sound that blends country, bluegrass and folk, Izzie Walsh has built an impressive organic fanbase over the last couple of years, following the release of her debut EP The Curse and successful single Take Me Back. Not only does she have two BCMA Awards and an Indie Week UK award under her belt, Izzie is also a former BBC Introducing Artist of the Week and recently performed on ITV’s Cold Feet. She will be releasing new material this year following new single and live favourite Sidelined. 

The melodic and rhythmic Sidelined showcases Izzie’s powerful and wide-ranging vocal, accompanied by catchy banjo and Mandolin to create a modern country track. She will be releasing a live video of the track soon, filmed out in Canada late last year. She says;

"Sometimes life doesn't work in your favour and Sidelined is a song about that. It’s about working your hardest, even though you might come out second best, and still following your dreams even if they seem impossible; there's always another day to achieve them."

Izzie has been performing around the world over the last year, including a support slot with Curse of Lono, festival performances at the likes of Dot to Dot and Bluedot and her own sold out headline shows at Manchester’s Deaf Institute and London’s The Slaughtered Lamb.

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Holly Abraham - The Wild State - John Southworth - Alf Hale

'Refine In Fire' by Holly Abraham exudes atmosphere as the acoustic guitar and soft layers of electronic sounds combine to make a sophisticated backdrop for her beautiful vocals. We featured 'Air Runs Out' by The Wild State just over a month ago, and 'Youth' is a contrasting follow up, the bands musicianship is striking and the vocals add real character. John Southworth shares a memorable song where the simple key changes, understated musical arrangement and his personal and tender vocals are just splendid. We have two of the eleven songs that make up 'The Rainy Season' album due out in May, between them they give a good flavour of what to expect within this very fine collection of songs.

Holly Abraham - Refined In Fire.

Refined in Fire is the 2nd single and the captivating title track of Holly Abraham’s forthcoming debut EP. Haunting vocals accompanied by melancholic acoustic guitar, and intricate electronic details create an atmospheric track that maintains both vulnerability and power.

Regarding the single, Abraham says: “Refined In Fire is inspired by a difficult season a group of friends and I went through a few years ago. It’s a reminder that though we never desire painful life experiences, they are necessary for growth and change to occur in us as people. Though it can be raw and messy, it is always worth the gold found on the other side - we just have to remember to look for it.

Holly Abraham is a mellow indie folk singer/songwriter originally from Wales, now based in Bristol. Combining deep, soulful lyrics with raw, misty vocal tones, Holly creates mesmerising melodies which will leave listeners both captivated and enamoured.

After spending the first half of 2018 on a soul-searching trip to Australia and Cambodia, Holly solidified her ambient sound and developed her identity as a solo artist. Inspired by musicians such as Novo Amor and Of Monsters and Men, Abraham began working closely alongside Norwegian producer and lead singer of indie-pop band Firewoodisland - Stian Vedoy. Together they produced Abraham’s debut single “Shore”, which picked up love from BBC Introducing in the West, Indie playlist-curators like Alex Rainbird Music and Indie Folk Central and have accumulated over 18.000 streams on Spotify in only 3 months.


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The Wild State - Youth.

With the release of their powerful debut single 'Air Runs Out' last month, enigmatic new Brighton band The Wild State were instantly earmarked as ones to watch, garnering high praise and comparisons to likes of The War On Drugs and Bon Iver. Today they have shared their follow up track, 'Youth'; a beautiful, melancholic and orchestral ode to juvenescent love.

Speaking about the track, the band's drummer and one of two lead vocalists Oliver Spalding explains "The whole song is viewed from the perspective of someone looking back on their youth, and the intense, desperate and very real love that comes with naivety. Those feelings we experience when reminiscing are rose tinted and dreamlike and that's exactly what we wanted to re create in music".

The Wild State began making music together whilst studying songwriting together at BIMM, and worked in earnest to create their beauteous debut album. From the strength of their initial demos, the band signed a publishing deal with IAMSOUND Music and have now returned from recording their forthcoming debut LP 'Light Along The Waves' in Connecticut, with legendary producer Peter Katis (The National, Interpol, Kurt Vile).

The two singles released thus far are an epic and emotionally rich introduction to the British band, who are already garnering excitement industry wide for their impeccable live show.

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John Southworth - I Loved My Girl.

John Southworth is an archaeologist of love, sifting through relics and artefacts, the compost of this world’s memory, revealing stories that feel caught in slow motion, in mid-air, no beginnings or endings. Everything has always existed in this chaotic present; once distant stars now the altars of Tin Pan-Schubert Alley. Today, the prolific artist shares 'I Loved My Girl', the beautiful first single from his new album, Miracle in the Night.

Out 3rd May on Tin Angel Records (Nicholas Krgovich, Crack Cloud, Trembling Bells), the songs of Miracle in the Night read like a stoic’s recital of an untraceable lieder. Carefully, each is a gradual, unfurling cadence. You may recognise his long-time band ‘The South Seas’ - gentle and steady, calm and restrained, playing just before dawn, a solstice cabaret in a megalithic tower. The endless red curtains from the Lynch dimension rise and fall around you.

Talking about the album, Southworth said: "The songs exist in a kind of inner dimension I like to regularly visit, outside the bubble and the babble. They only really work at night. And only can be really sung in the still of the night. Each a kind of nocturnal prayer. Each containing a little miracle. A little spell. Designed to get you across the almighty swinging bridge, from here to eternity!"

In this world, John Southworth lives in Toronto with his family, teaches the art of song, appears in films and wanders the parks looking for clues. This is his 12th full-length release, arriving on the hooves of 2016’s Small Town Water Tower, which crosshatched a glam-pop ooze into the rigorous comparative mythology of 2014’s epic Niagara. Similarly rich with symbol and folklore and pristine melodies, Miracle in the Night offers us a delicacy of fantasy, focusing our attention into a state of constant revelation, alive in song.

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Alf Hale - My Lover's Arms / Naive (from The Rainy Season Album).

"The Rainy Season" is the second full length album from singer/songwriter Alf Hale which is due for release May 10th.

Having spent almost a decade in the wilderness, Singer / Songwriter Alf Hale had a spectacular return to the music scene with his EP 'Misanthrope' which chronicled his remarkable journey from the depths of alcoholism to his eventual redemption.

This was swiftly followed up by his debut album 'City on a Hill' which saw Alf, accompanied by fiddle player Jade Morris, channel the dark underbelly of Southern American Country, Folk and Blues infused with his unmistakable English charm.

Hoping to build on the success of his first two releases comes "The Rainy Season", which sees Alf yet again take on a new musical direction. Unlike City On a Hill, a more stripped back affair, The Rainy Season saw Alf take to the studio with a full band in tow delivering a fuller, darker sound. 


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Julia Rakel - Paige Stark - Hush Pup

Julia Rakel's music might be described as lo-fi, however it's also packs a dreamy punch with the layers of gentle sounds and her seductive vocals. We've featured Paige Stark once before as a solo artist, along with several Tashaki Miyaki appearances, and she continues to really impress with her latest offering 'Depression Song'. It's less than a month since we first shared 'The Hours' from Hush Pup, 'Oasis' is a very welcome follow up where their experimental pop is once again blissful and endearing.

Julia Rakel - You're Not Getting It.

Umeå-via-Malmö Swedish musician and producer Julia Rakel is the latest addition to Stockholm indie label Rama Lama Records' (Melby, Steve Buscemi's Dreamy Eyes, Chez Ali etc.) roster. Debut single PDFILWM was released in January and have since grabbed the attention from influential Swedish media as well as international blogs, calling it a "lo-fi gem", followed by People in February. New single You're Not Getting It is out now and is the third and final look into Julia's peculiar bedroom pop before her six track debut EP on March 15. 

Just like previous singles You're Not Getting It is the result of hours of music making in the lonesome bedroom. Julia works at the well-known Malmö studio Tambourine and her credits include sound design and music for the award-winning short film Plankton. With her expertise as a producer she's refined her stripped-down sketches to a daydreaming beautiful soundscape that develops with every listen. This, put together with Julia's individual vocals and often ironic lyrics, create a intimate and memorable sound that there will be plenty more of during the upcoming months.

Debut EP indie fEElz lands on March 15. A six track creation that according to Julia is a try to deal with the very different kinds of relationships we have with each other and ourselves through "a lot of irony, drum machines and way too many choir parts". The tracks treat universal topics such as forced acquaintances, love, desperate attempts to be understood, how we feel about our egos and a sad celebration of friendships.

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Paige Stark - Depression Song.

Paige Stark (of Tashaki Miyaki) releases "Depression Song."

Paige Stark is a songwriter, multi-intstrumentalist, & producer from Los Angeles, California. She has released records with her band Tashaki Miyaki & contributed production to fellow Angelenos L.A. Witch & Cherry Glazzerr as well as her own band, Tashaki Miyaki.

This is her debut solo effort. It was recorded by Grammy winning engineer Cassidy Turbin (Beck) with contributions by Jon Brion.

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Hush Pup - Oasis.

Inspired by the films 3 Women and Paris Texas, "Oasis" is about a feeling of blurriness. Sometimes the blur feels blissful and sometimes it feels like a loss of identity. Going in and out of this blur, occasionally you find something to cling to, that's the oasis. Sonically the track is inspired by dusty landscapes and Danny Elfman's music in Pee-wee's Big Adventure.

Hush Pup makes experimental pop music that sounds a lot like driving at night through the board game Candy Land, soft cotton candy trees brush up against the windows of your glass car as you ride toward a friend’s cabin nearby the molasses swamp. Forming for a show in 2012, they have since played across Canada, the U.S. & Europe.

Their EP ‘Flower Power’ & LP ‘Panacea’, a romantic film-inspired album, will be released on a double cassette with Lone Hand (lonehand.xyz) in March 2019.


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Sarah P - The Ninth Chapter - The Arthur Brothers - Trouble in the Wind

We featured the 'Maenads' E.P by Sarah P. back in January however the video for the excellent title track is well worth a share. Australian six piece band The Ninth Chapter mix the genres and styles up with a funk meets folk kinda song. We featured The Arthur Brothers a couple of times last year and now we have an award winning video from them for what is a really good song entitled 'Violet Hum'. Trouble In The Wind share a gorgeous rocker with plenty of passion and feeling to round things off today.

Sarah P. - Maenads.

Maenads is a disco-inspired song about those nights that are empty of feelings. The video's visuals are a fast-forward to Sarah's life in Berlin - rather secluded, away from distractions. "This isolation-by-choice gave me time to process life events that had shaped me."

The song's video features Sarah and Sabina Smith-Moreland cast as a bird that symbolizes mental illness. The video shows the importance of coming to terms with own struggles while not letting them overtake one's life. "I’ve been struggling with depression and anxiety for a long time, but I'm convinced that it's possible to control one’s mental health, rather than living a life controlled by mental illness," Sarah shares.

"Mental illness never truly goes away, but learning more about it can help understand what’s going on inside your body and mind and therefore, control it better."

Sarah P. on the filming of the video: "For the last part of the Maenads trilogy, I decided to film in Berlin - where it all started for me. This video is perhaps my least “ethereal” work-to-date - with “ethereal” being a word that’s often used to describe my work. Berlin isn’t ethereal - it’s boxy and well structured in its chaos. Berlin’s light is very different compared to the light in Athens; in Berlin, the light is moody and arrogant - especially during the winter, where it makes rare appearances. Maenads was filmed at Theaterhaus Berlin - a space that felt homely and brought me closer to my drama school years. I had the pleasure to work with photographer and visual artist Colette Pomerleau and dancer Sabina Smith-Moreland. For the coloring of the video, I worked once again with David Hofmann who previously colored the other two parts of the Maenads trilogy. Although the concept and set are meant to symbolize my life in Berlin, my “Greek Maenads” (Clio “Lil Cli” Arvaniti, Dora Pantazopoulou, Rania Ainiti, Marianna Pagrakioti) make a special appearance on Maenads TV. The additional visuals were filmed & edited by George Geranios, on a rooftop in Athens - the concrete jungle. Lastly, Apostolia Gogara is responsible for the fantastic hair and makeup of the additional visuals."


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The Ninth Chapter - My Own Time.

The Ninth Chapter possess a powerful ability to groove. Layering elements of funk, blues and folk, the Australian six-piece revel in exciting songwriting that takes listeners on a diverse musical journey. With over a decade of touring and three EPs to their name, the band successfully launched their first full-length over the weekend with two massive shows -  to keep the good vibes flowing, The Ninth Chapter will be taking their hot show through NSW and Qld over the coming months.

As an amazing live outfit The Ninth Chapter are renown for pairing its heavy groove with thumping horns, but on record the group sculpt a vast landscape of sounds, moods and tempos - a definitive representation of where The Ninth Chapter's musical evolution has taken them. Led by Jaz Munro’s bluesy vocals and slinky guitar, the ablum is a showcase of The Ninth Chapter's dynamic sound: the driving rhythm section of bassist Daniel Bowland and drummer Zac Page, the expansive percussion of Glen McClymont, and the richly layered horn section of Dillon Carlsson and Tom Hilliar.

Following on from the aptly titled taster What's Going To Happen Next, new single My Own Time is the band in total cruise control - one arm out the window and enjoying the ride. Smooth and summery, it is a song that celebrates travelling at your own pace – an ethos very much at the band's core. With its members scattered across Australia's beautiful north east coast, The Ninth Chapter perfectly encapsulate the laid-back lifestyle of Australian beach culture.

With the band proudly committing to a non-digital recording process with Geoff Wright at Lucky Boy Analogue studios in Byron Bay, The Ninth Chapter presents the group in all their glory – from the broad spectrum of genres they span, to their irrepressible live energy. It is a true reflection of their journey thus far. But beyond all else, The Ninth Chapter is a band about mateship... the kind of brotherhood that feeds creativity – both collectively and for the individuals within it. This more than anything provides the chemistry that makes the band's debut album so true to their hearts.

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The Arthur Brothers - Violet Hum.

The Arthur Brothers; an artistic alliance centered around the biological brothers Matt and Danny Arthur and the producer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist J. C. Wright. After the releases of ‘Ninth’ and ‘Flawless’, tracks that demonstrated the darker, brooding side of the band, The Arthur Brothers released ‘Violet Hum’ on March 1st via ClearLight Records/Declared Goods.

A rollicking musical collage that seductively takes you on a journey through mad unexpected scene changes.  Beginning with a 1930’s wireless parlour sound which transitions quickly through 70s nonchalant pop, sun drenched Beach Boys-esque a cappella vocal bridges, Welsh colliers choir breaks, a calypso beach party scene, and even a ‘The Who - Sellout’ style radio ad break.

It features a horn section that included trombone and trumpet from Tim Hart and Pablo Mendelssohn (member of The Specials horn section and the Book of Mormons House Band) and a string section led by violinist Sarah Anderson (Chrome Hoof, Deep Throat Choir).

The eccentric, eclectic nature of this musical collage of a song is brilliantly manifested in the award winning animated music video by Tribambuka (Anastasia Beltyukova) who used a mixture of different techniques and styles to take the viewer on a crazy journey with the brothers through strange and whimsical worlds on the back of a grumpy fish to messy abstract subconscious states of mind, where chaos and cosmos collide.

The video has been recognized at a number of international film festivals including, Best Music Video, Feel The Reel International Film Festival 2018, Glasgow, UK and International Animated Film Festival ReAnima 2018, Bergen, Norway, along with numerous other events.


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Trouble in the Wind - Fall Guy.

Presenting the new music video 'Fall Guy' from San Diego Trouble in the Wind. This video marks the lead single off of their album 'Hammer On'.

Trouble in the Wind has been labeled as folk, Americana, alternative, country, surf rock …etc but the Southern California quartet likes to brand themselves as “rock and roll”.

The band’s stripped-down organic sound is a multi-instrumental collective fronted by songwriter Robby Gira, whose staggering powerful voice creates the center of attention of their songs.

The band is completed by musicians Kyle Merritt, Trevor Mulvey, Larry Doran providing lush instrumentation including accordion, upright bass, brushes, banjo and electric guitars. Trouble's songs are emotional at the core and blend a range of styles from ballads to surf folk to soulful rock.


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Porteau - The Hold Steady - Rock Eupora

Vancouver duo Porteau are about to release their debut album 'Water’s Gate' on March 15th. 'Penelope is one of ten songs in the collection and is a good indicator of the quality and beautiful sounds they create. The Hold Steady confirm they still have the knack to write and perform great new songs with this first offering from them this year. Rock Eupora have shared a video for 'Inbetween' a sumptuous rocker that suggests the new album will be rather special.

Porteau - Penelope.

Porteau is the creation of Victoria Williams and Craig Stevenson. The Vancouver duo’s debut album Water’s Gate transports listeners to a world of pragmatic mysticism. Layers of lush vocals and washes of light, modulated guitar are the foundation of their songs. Pulling the record into diverse moods and through vivid textures, their sound weaves through folk-inspired passages, celestial soundscapes, and electronic flourishes. Ethereal and expansive, Water’s Gate is Porteau’s open space for experimentation, and carves a wave into their own unmapped styling.

Collaboration between the couple came about by happenstance. Victoria saw a painting of Andromeda by Gustave Doré and was instantly captivated. She asked Craig if he could help her write music that sounded like the painting looked – cold, urgent, yet liberating. A mutual understanding and inspiration was found from this piece of art. It was a driving and unifying force that was the genesis of Porteau. Using this as a catalyst, a record naturally revealed itself. Sounds which had been independently cultivated now flowed together and a confluence of ideas began to occur. They were heavily influenced by both traditional folklore and the West Coast landscape. Porteau uses this imagery as a backdrop to explore and unearth personal experience.

The couple spent their evenings piecing together the songs on an acoustic guitar. They called upon longtime friends to join them and bring to life their vision of a lush and diverse instrumentation on each track. Utilizing their background in jazz, many moments were improvised in studio, allowing each musician’s natural voice to come through. These recordings of Water’s Gate did not occur overnight – the process took place over the course of many years. Layer by layer, they added individual instruments to the arrangements. With rock-driven drums, fluid basslines, heavy synth, crystalline pedal steel guitar, and pads of unified horn lines, Porteau’s full band sound was slowly brought to life.

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The Hold Steady - The Last Time That She Talked To Me.

The Hold Steady are releasing their first new song of 2019. “The Last Time She Talked To Me” arrives at all DSPs and streaming services via Frenchkiss Records on Friday, March 8. The song is now available exclusively at The Hold Steady’s Bandcamp page. Fans can download the single by donating to The K + L Guardian Foundation, a fund set up to benefit the children of Unified Scene founder “jersey” Mike Van Jura, who died in November 2012.

Recorded at Isokon Studios in Woodstock, NY, with producer Josh Kaufman and engineer D. James Goodwin, “The Last Time She Talked To Me” is the ninth in an amazing series of THS single releases over the past 15 months, a string that includes “Confusion in the Marketplace” b/w “T-Shirt Tux,” “The Stove & The Toaster” b/w “Star 18,” “Eureka” b/w “Esther,” and “Entitlement Crew” b/w “A Snake In The Shower.” Additional performers include Stuart Bogie and Dave Nelson on horns and Annie Nero on backup vocals. All of the aforementioned singles are available now at all DSPs and streaming services as well as the official Hold Steady Bandcamp HERE.

The Hold Steady are visiting London this week for “THE WEEKENDER,” a sold out three-day concert event that will see the NYC-based band taking the stage at London’s Electric Ballroom on Friday, March 8 and Saturday, March 9, followed by a limited capacity third show at Oslo, in Hackney, London on Sunday, March 10. In addition, an exclusive screening of The Hold Steady’s acclaimed 2009 documentary, A Positive Rage, will be held the afternoon of Sunday, March 10 at the Picturehouse cinema in Hackney.

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Rock Eupora – Inbetween.

Neither here nor there: that’s a tough place to be. Sometimes I only feel halfway present. It’s hard for me to live in the now — I’m always looking for the next best thing, always en route. I get so caught up trying to plan and control my future that I miss a lot of realtime fulfillment.

It's safe to say that most of us stay too busy - which I think is partly a reaction to what we value as a culture. We associate worth and meaning with accomplishments. I think it’s good to be driven, but I think it’s more important to be present. I’ve been trying to love myself (and others) right where I am and without qualifications or conditions. I believe that humans are inherently valuable! And if that’s the case, maybe the in-between is what it’s all about

This confession is how Clayton Waller, the Nashville-via-Mississippi fuzz pop artist known as Rock Eupora, opens his self-titled album. With three albums under his belt and an established position in the Nashville rock scene, Waller has developed Rock Eupora’s sound into a perfect blend of punchy guitars and unforgettable melodies.

On the new album, Waller contends with the challenges of a 20-something-year-old searching for his place in the world.  Written, performed, and produced by Waller himself, Rock Eupora is simultaneously Waller’s most cohesive and sonically adventurous album to date.

Recorded in a professional studio as opposed to his typical DIY approach, the change in setting allows the depth of detail in each track to be fully appreciated. Seamless transitions weave the songs together in what resembles a stream of creative consciousness — yet, every song tells a story strong enough to stand on its own. With a slight eighties influences and what Waller describes as “psychedelic tendencies”, Rock Eupora makes for a well-developed follow up to 2016’s Soon the Sun Will Come.

Commitment to his craft is what has carried Rock Eupora this far, garnering attention from venerable local media such as Nashville Scene and national outlets like PureVolume. It is evident that Waller really believes every word he’s singing, making it easy for listeners to believe, too. This sincerity is what gives Rock Eupora the ability to connect with people of varying ages and backgrounds, a gift that doesn’t come naturally to all artists. In a live setting, Rock Eupora comes to life as a full band to create a fast-paced and action packed rock-n-roll experience


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