Mary Hennessy - Photo Ops - The Pearl Harts - ROWSIE

Mary Hennessy - Teeth.

Teeth is a fabulous new song where a smooth flowing indie soundtrack is the perfect backdrop for Mary's melodic and distinctive vocals that glide and dance above. Mary Hennessy is a 24-year-old, Liverpool based singer-songwriter, who has been releasing music since 2018. Her debut album came out during June of 2020. Mary released her single Rollerblade on Friday 3rd March, as the first of three singles in anticipation for her new album.

For the past three years now, she has been making her second, long-awaited follow up album ‘Feels Like’ which drops Friday 5th May. Mary has an atmospheric nature to her music, which is guided by her delicate vocals that deal with all thing’s life in her lyricism.

“I wanted Teeth to have a sense of impatience about it, like something was gradually building under the surface that you could no longer ignore. The lyrics don’t directly say how they really feel, but from what they are saying, the situation is not a happy one. So, I knew I wanted the song to end in a sort of chaotic way, as if the situation is getting out of hand, but something is still yet to be done about it.”

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Photo Ops - When You See Something Beautiful In The World.

The autumn blaze maple tree, famous as music in Nashville, is a fast grower. Imagine its teeming majesty of red leaves from above one house in the city’s Inglewood neighborhood. You see it ensconced like a controlled flame by rolling hills and winding roads. A familiar pattern lulls you from days into nights in this dreamy park town. You never realized from the ground, under the shade of that tree, how all these beautiful designs in any city keep you sane.

The sweeping vantage points of Photo Ops’ Burns Bright belong first to the quiet of Nashville’s first modern suburb after World War II. Terry Price lived there while perfecting the melodic soft-rock modes that pleased audiences on tour with Camera Obscura and Fences.

Price took this way of seeing to a new home in Los Angeles. Long drives through dimensional vistas ended in his room in Los Feliz where he recorded Burns Bright. When Etta James, Molly Drake, and The Byrds are all touchpoints of sound and silence, what emerges is a gentle homage to the commonalities of lasting influence in pop music, a kind of time-bending presentiment — the moment of tracking in a studio when everyone senses it’s a moment that will be remembered. Reaching through the layer of industry noise in both hallmark cities as we know them from a distance — is this a hit? — Price treasures the visceral experience of making and recognizing music.

The most devout of craftspeople, Price is on a quest toward the merciful essence of recognition when he writes songs; each line discovers a pure element of comfort, calling back to the land and to his musician mother’s love of transcendent melodies. Burns Bright reminds us how those forces are one and the same.

Price’s heroes in music are more than inspirations. To him, they offer examples of how to keep breathing in a culture that discourages total presence. It’s true that moving an open heart through the world comes with constant risk. Looking out at the expanse we all share — really seeing that world — is the practice of Burns Bright, and the special ability that makes Price a songwriter to cherish.

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The Pearl Harts - Hypocritical.

SE London rock duo The Pearl Harts have unleashed “Hypocritical”, the second single to be taken from their awaited second album ‘Love, Chaos’ (out 21 April, via Double Bang Records).

Blending amped-up punk motifs with booming alt-pop stylings, “Hypocritical” sees the two-piece challenging the perceptions of what it means to be a woman making rock music and relishing the freedom. Spirited and sardonic in equal measure, it’s a playful power-pop anthem with a bitter sting in its tail. As The Pearl Harts explain:

“Hypocritical is a bratty, fun, scream-a-long song, influenced by the hi-octane pop of Miley Cyrus and Gwen Stefani with the punk attitude of ‘Impeach My Bush’-era Peaches. It’s an empowerment song for women and girls taking on the world.”

Following comeback cut “More”, a track praised by Classic Rock as “a single that adds a little polish to their gritty blues-rock sound”, and the Steve Lamacq (BBC 6 Music) and Radio X supported “Wild Me”; “Hypocritical” is the third sampler of the duo’s eagerly awaited second album ‘Love, Chaos’ (out 21 April 2023).

Produced by the band themselves in collaboration with Danio (Husky Loops, Kari Faux), the record features twelve tracks of the high-octane rock’n’roll The Pearl Harts have become known for, while adding some ‘90s NYC punk, 2000s hip-hop and modern polished pop touches into the mix.

Teasing the album, the duo say: “‘Love, Chaos’ is about saying goodbye to unhealthy patterns that we all identify with in our lives. Be that work, alcohol, sex, drugs, procrastination, love… Whether we like it or not our whole lives are a series of patterns that shape our personality, they can come about through the unconscious, through family dynamics, through everyday interactions and through trauma. ‘Love, Chaos’ is about realising and accepting this and forging a life beyond.”

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ROWSIE - Makeshift Grave.

ROWSIE, the four-piece band from London known for their thought-provoking, emotive brand of rock n roll, have released a new charity single titled ‘Makeshift Grave’.

Recorded at the world-famous RAK studios, the song takes a hard, honest look at the mindless ongoing violence and conflict in Ukraine, shedding light on how the destruction of truth is often the first step in rationalising psychopathic behaviour that leads to the carnage we are blatantly witnessing today.

For the video the band thought to involve some first-hand witnesses to the recent atrocities produced by vocalist & guitarist Richard Rothenberg with bassist Alan D. Boyd taking on director’s duties. It’s a simple concept with Ukrainian dancer Angelina Lengyel and choreography by Anastasiia Artiushok. Costumes and floral crowns were provided by designers Nataliia Horbenko and Anfisa Polyushkevych. All have been affected by the war in personal ways.

Proceeds for the sales of this single will go to the charity British-Ukranian Aid who ROWSIE have worked with in 2022 raising over £10,000 for the charity in a previous benefit concert.

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Sofie Winterson - Pitou - Georgia Mooney - Stephen Wilson Jr

Sofie Winterson - Jump.

Amsterdam-based musician Sofie Winterson announces details of her forthcoming album Southern Skies produced by Benny Sings via Excelsior Recordings in June. The project is a continuation and expansion of their 2019 collaborative EP Moral and new single "Jump" offers up more of the accidental magic which is at the core of their partnership.

"Jump" chronicles uncertainty yet offers soothing reassurance with its lilting, warm indie-pop sound. A nod to the rest of the album which saw Sofie embrace simplicity and foster a new perspective. Of the new single Sofie says: "Jump is about wanting to make a big change in life, but not knowing where that change will take you. It’s meant to comfort you in this state of insecurity. It can encourage you not to overthink where that change will lead you, since you will be a different person by the time you’ll get there."

Created in primarily Benny Sings' canal-hugging studio in Amsterdam, Southern Skies was formed as an act of stripping-back and growing as a songwriter. Sofie’s last full-length album Sophia Electric instead acted as a way to expand her work as a producer. Her varied influences, from the soul and folk she grew up on to the dream-pop of her university years can all be heard as part of the album’s eclectic palette which leans in a more minimal direction than before.

Putting the lyrics and storytelling front and centre, Sofie’s love of reading has never been more evident than in the way she approached writing for this record. “What I try to do in my lyrics [is] to find the best way to describe a thought,” she says, “the thought could be anything, it’s always my challenge to try and find exactly the right words.” Noting that her favourite part of reading is not so much following the narrative, but revelling in the descriptions of situations.

Featuring original vocal takes and lyrics that were written in the room, it marked a new way of working for Sofie, with Benny encouraging her to approach writing in a different way, a more technical way. Pulling inspiration from both Adrienne Lenker and Rachel Cusk’s ‘Transit’ in tandem, what’s clear is Sofie Winterson’s never-failing ability to tell a story with grace, immense consideration and the freedom to be projected upon and moulded as her listener’s see fit.

 

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Pitou - Knife.

Dutch artist Pitou’s musical awakening came from an unlikely source. From a very young age, she developed an unexplainable interest in classical music – her father would often find her crouched down by the radio, in search of the sound of orchestras and choirs. From the age of 9, Pitou started singing in a children’s choir, and she soon found herself performing at the baptism of Catharina Amalia, the Princess of the Netherlands, and in renowned music halls throughout Europe. “Singing together with other singers, making harmonies together, made me feel like nothing had ever done before,” she says of that moment.

It's a memory that continues to inspire. Big Tear, her long-awaited debut album, is a rich, fearlessly creative collection of alternative pop that draws from her classical background; unexpected harmonies and song structures, vocal layering, loops, wistful melodies, and classical instruments all swirled together in stylish, clever ways.

The record also marks her own development, both as a performer and a songwriter. “I knew I wanted to move away from the guitar being self-evidently always there,” she says. “I also wanted to find out what it felt like to tell the stories of my songs on stage with just my body and voice, without the physical restriction of the guitar.” Eager to move into other sonic worlds, she embraced the creative possibilities of different instruments – piano, harp, synths – and using computer programs to build and refine her music; some tracks were written entirely on piano or using software.

To celebrate the release of her new album, today Pitou has shared a new music video, 'Knife'. Of the video, she says: "'Knife' is the emotional axis of this record, very raw in its sentiment, which is always a challenge to translate into visuals. The song is about a person deciding to break away from a bond, for their own sake. I visualised a couple living in a small, quiet home. One half of the couple would be a human, the other a faceless but ever-present being.

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Georgia Mooney - I Am Not In A Hurry.

Eora/Sydney based musician Georgia Mooney (All Our Exes Live In Texas), shares her empowering new single ‘I Am Not In A Hurry’. Celebrating freedom and all the adventures born along the way, the track comes as a glacial moment of escapism. Following her cinematic debut solo single ‘War Romance’, ‘I Am Not In A Hurry’ is the second single taken from Mooney’s to-be-announced debut solo album, and is out now globally through Nettwerk.

A beautifully matter-of-fact bucking of pressures to stay in one place or settle down, ‘I Am Not In A Hurry’ was written in Florence, Italy just after a spontaneous three-day holiday marriage to a painter in Skopelos, Greece. Its sonic warmth comes via a dulcimer that Mooney won in a raffle in Canberra - a suitably whimsical fit for a song that celebrates the impulsive, unexpected moments in life; the impossibility of settling down when something new and exciting could be around the corner.

The track is accompanied by a diaristic music video bursting with nostalgia and a lust for life. Georgia Mooney shares on the video, “The video for ‘I Am Not In A Hurry’ is comprised entirely of little snapshots of moments from the last fifteen years of my life. Some of them are small and gentle like a cat on a fence, some of them are more momentous, love affairs, big concerts, cross-continental adventures. The video is personal, nostalgic and whimsical. It is no more extraordinary a life than any other, it is just a little open window into one.”

I Am Not In A Hurry was Co-produced with Noah Georgeson (Cate Le Bon, Devendra Banhart, Marlon Williams, Joanna Newsom), the release itself is a tribute to Joni Mitchell, one of Mooney’s musical and personal idols - and her song Cactus Tree, in both spirit and sound. “Mitchell (a painter, poet, songwriter, traveller) is herself hard to pin down”, says Mooney.

On ‘I Am Not In A Hurry’, Georgia Mooney shares, “I was in Florence for almost a month writing songs… It is no wonder that this song emerged there. In those weeks, travelling alone and caught up in the romance of it all, I couldn’t imagine ever wanting to stay in one place again. How could you when there is so much to explore and there are so many people to meet? This song is about internal restlessness too and the desire to throw off the expectation society imposes on us to settle down, find a partner, have a baby. Why the hurry?”

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Stephen Wilson Jr - American Gothic (feat. Hailey Whitters).

Southern Indiana-born, Nashville-based artist Stephen Wilson Jr. announced he has signed to Big Loud Records, and released his debut EP bon aqua. The seven-song collection compiles 6 previously released songs and the brand new single “American Gothic” (feat. Hailey Whitters) that was co-written with Whitters. Wilson is currently on the road supporting Whitters and will hit the road with The Lone Bellow next month before performing at Bourbon and Beyond Festival and CMA Fest later this year.

“Fellow cornfield kid, Hailey Whitters and I met some years ago writing songs and she had this beautiful idea inspired by her favorite Grant Wood painting to showcase parts of the American cultural fabric using nostalgia and the same duality that the painting seems to represent. We ran with it and sang it from the top of our lungs,” Wilson explains about the song.

“The first time I heard Stephen Wilson Jr. was at The Basement a few years back and he absolutely blew me away.... his writing, his songs and his live show is next level. He’s one of a kind and this genre is so much for the better with him in it,” Hailey Whitters proclaimed.

About his debut EP, Wilson adds: “Bon Aqua: Good water. Everything starts with good water. We are made of mostly water. The world is mostly water. As a microbiologist, I used to test water for pharmaceutical companies and everything from shampoo to aspirin to pet food to anything you can think of requires water.  Not just any water… good water. I was in charge of making sure the water was good. In and around Bon Aqua, Tennessee is coincidentally where I wrote and conceived most of this EP and filmed most of the videos and visual aspects. Hence the name, it is known for its good water and it only made sense for it to all start there."

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Alison Sudol - Brian Dunne - Ryan Daykin - Darling West

Alison Sudol - Come On Baby.

London-based American singer-songwriter and actress Alison Sudol has followed up on the release of her autobiographical and intimate new album, Still Come The Night, with the moving visuals for her poignant single “Come On Baby.” The song and video powerfully capture the shared journey of grief Alison and her partner, Welsh actor and director Tom Cullen, experienced following the miscarriage of their first baby during lockdown. This new visual arrives ahead of tomorrow’s reading of the U.K.’s Miscarriage Leave Bill in the House of Commons, which if passed would ensure three days of paid bereavement leave for people who have experienced miscarriage.

“In the days following my pregnancy loss, I was physically and emotionally crushed,” shares Alison. I was meant to be on tour when it happened, but due to the pandemic, the dates were canceled and I was lucky enough to have time to recover at home. Most women aren’t so fortunate, and have to go into work despite their tremendous emotional and physical grief. This bill would at least provide a small buffer in a difficult time, as well as an acknowledgment of the gravity of the loss. I deeply hope the UK government will recognize this need and act accordingly.”

Written and directed by Tom, the visuals are permeated by the disarming honesty and integrity both Alison and her partner share as artists. Transforming their own pain into beauty, Alison and Tom created a piece of art that transmutes their trauma into a healing experience.

“It was deeply meaningful when she asked me to write and direct the video for ‘Come On Baby’,” says Tom. “It’s a searing, raw and deeply moving song.” “The song addresses the night the miscarriage happened as directly as I could,” explains Alison. “I needed to face it head on. It’s what the whole album is centered around.”

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Brian Dunne - Stand Clear Of The Closing Doors.

Brian Dunne shares his new single “Stand Clear Of The Closing Doors,” off his upcoming album Loser On The Ropes, which releases April 14 via Kill Rock Stars.

“Any New Yorker knows the phrase ‘Stand Clear Of The Closing Doors’ because it’s what comes over the loudspeaker on the subway at every stop,” states Dunne. “I hadn’t ridden the train in a while because of the thing (trying not to mention the pandemic for the entirety of this album campaign) so when I hopped back on in mid-summer 2020, I really ‘heard’ it for the first time. Get in or get out, but get out of the way. And that’s really how I was feeling. So I wrote this narrative about a character who’s spent a lot of time ‘living, laughing, loving’ her way through the modern world, only to be jolted by a revolutionary awakening. And she has to make a choice, whether to embrace it, or run from it. It’s really an indictment of my younger self, if I’m being honest.”

Dunne signed with Kill Rock Stars on the strength of his demos for Loser On The Ropes, which he’d whittled down from nearly 200 tunes penned over several years of incessant writing. Working with producer Drew Vandenberg (Faye Webster, Of Montreal) in Athens, he fleshed the tracks out with analog synthesizers and reverb-drenched guitars, taking cues from Jonathan Richman, The Pretenders, Dire Straits, and Tunnel of Love-era Springsteen to cast a warm, cinematic haze over the whole thing that helped blur the already fuzzy lines between fantasy and reality for the characters who populate the collection.

Loser On The Ropes explores defeat and denial, fortune and faith, shame and redemption, all set against the backdrop of a world run by blowhards and bullshitters who manage to perpetually skate by without cost or consequence. The songs are lean and gritty, cutting straight to the heart of things with Dunne’s raw, understated poeticism, but rather than getting lost in the darkness of it all, Loser On The Ropes emerges as something much more resilient and exhilarating.

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Ryan Daykin - Tears Of Sin.

Ryan Daykin Victorian based Singer/Songwriter is back, leaning into his authentic approach to crafting REAL songs, with the Alt. Country tinged “Tears Of Sin”.

His impressive body of work, including his 2019 EP “Keeping Secrets” and previous single penned with Felicity Urquhart “Broken Feathers” has racked up accolades, but more than that, it has cemented Ryan’s place as an artist with a mission to create music that rises above the ordinary, that captures emotion and tells stories that draw a listener in.

Tears of Sin shows us a darker side of the previously more pop country leaning stylings of Ryan Daykin a “It’s a provocative story that talks to our internal struggle of who we are versus who we think we should be”

To compliment the edgy concept of the song, Ryan entrusted iconic producer Matt Fell to produce the track, allowing a more alternative country instrumentation and production, showing us a matured and versatile side to Ryan Daykin. ‘I was trying to move away from the pop/country based vibe of my previous releases, but not stray away completely because it would be inauthentic, I think we came up with a solid compromise”

Tears Of Sin is a personal story of an internal battle, and one that Ryan knows too well, having struggled with his self identity for many years, Ryan drew on support from Mary Harrison to express his feelings and at the revered DAG songwriting retreat, Tears Of Sin, which had been a work in progress for Ryan for years, became a co-write between the two artists.

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Darling West - Still Here.

The music on the new album 'Cosmos' searches outward, while the lyrics look inward. The resulting record includes elements of pop, while it pushes the envelope for what Norwegian americana can sound like. Cosmos is also about loving yourself, and there are of course a handful of love songs about shaky relationships – as we’ve come to expect from Darling West. The band continues to develop their unique musicianship and Cosmos is indeed another masterstroke from the band.

We are told the following about 'Still Her. Being in a long-term relationship is not always easy, as you can tell from a lot of songs in any genre. This one explores a moment when you realize that you have to deal with something and not put it on hold any longer. Most of us have been in these situations. It can fall both ways, but you have to choose. Work on it or let it go. When Thomas hit us with this drum groove in the chorus we almost fell off our chairs. So surprising and fun to play along with.

When Mari and Tor Egil Kreken started Darling West back in 2013, the project was intended as a way to give the married couple an opportunity to spend more time together. Tor Egil was one of Norway’s most critically acclaimed studio/live musicians, and he frequently toured the world with some of Norway’s biggest artists.

Mari was hardly idle at home, and although she didn’t play any instruments at the time, her beautiful voice landed her gigs as a backup singer for artists such as Marit Larsen, Stein Torleif Bjella and Maria Solheim. After a few years of practicing the guitar, harmonica and other instruments behind closed doors, Mari was ready to enter the stage as the frontwoman of Darling West. In creating Darling West, Mari and Tor Egil combined their fascination for American songwriting traditions and their ability to write catchy and memorable melodies.

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Anna Elyse - Lilac Haze - Tipps and Obermiller - Alice Howe - Mary Lee Kortes - Foyer Red

Anna Elyse - Faster Than We ran.

A poet at heart, Anna Elyse is a singer, songwriter and producer who draws inspiration from prolific songwriter like Neil Young and looks to modernize her sound with influences from  producers like No ID, Mike Dean and Illangelo."I always found solace in music, especially when I connected to the stories. And I hope to provide that for someone else."

After graduating from UCLA, with a concentration in Creative Writing (Poetry), she went on to Audio Engineering School and found that one of her very favorite places to be was in the studio. She was used to spending many hours in the dance studio growing up, and stepping into the recording studio was like slipping into an immersive world she knew she fit.

She worked behind the scenes in recording studios and serendipitously ended up on a few prominent hip-hop albums (Logic's albums: Under Pressure, The Incredible True Story, and No Pressure). But, it wasn't until a couple of years ago that she decided to let go of her reservations and release her own music. Her self-produced and mixed debut single, "Trading Glances" landed her on several upcoming folk-pop playlists (Greywood Records, Dave Powers, HQIndie).

Anna Elyse is excited to share her newest track, "Faster Than We Ran" with the world on March 23rd. Here's what she had to say about it: "This song came to me one foggy morning at the beach while staring out at the water and the thick mist hanging over everything. It felt like I was about to watch a portal open up into a different world. 'Faster Than We Ran' is about looking back on something that was magic and feeling immense gratitude for it. It may have been short-lived and incongruent or wrong in some ways, but it still lit you up and that's what life is about. It's looking back and saying, 'That was so awesome, the human experience is such a magical thing.' even when it's imperfect".

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Lilac Haze - The Ghost That I Once Knew / Lilac Haze.

Bath-based dream pop artist Lilac Haze is pleased to announce the release of her debut double singles ‘The Ghost That I Once Knew // Lilac Haze’ today March 24th 2023. Lilac Haze is the project name for Bath-based songwriter Katrina Swift. Greatly influenced by bands of the ‘80s/’90s, Swift draws inspiration from The Cure, All About Eve, Eva Cassidy and Fleetwood Mac, combining atmospheric and ethereal textures with a sense of nostalgic romance.

Lilac Haze’s stunning debut double singles The Ghost That I Once Knew // Lilac Haze were produced by Calum Wotherspoon (Nightswimming) and mastered by Adam Ayan (Paul McCartney, Lana Del Ray, Carrie Underwood), with guitarist Sam Allan (Nightswimming) and drummer Torin Moore (Nightswimming) collaborating on the tracks to create the backdrop for Swift’s hypnotic vocals.

With a background performing across the U.S and Europe fronting ensembles and orchestras and classically trained with a high, gentle voice, Swift’s angelic, haunting vocals gently soar upon soft guitars, delicate strings and dramatic synths.

Speaking about the inspiration behind the singles, Swift explains, “In December 2021, I wrote Ghost after a period of self-reflection during a time when I felt unsure and lost in my new surroundings. It’s a reflection of the loss of innocence as we mature… a farewell to your old self. Lilac Haze however is a song written for anyone who has been affected by loved ones lost to Alzheimer’s and Dementia.”

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Tipps and Obermiller - Thick As Theives.

It took no time at all for songwriters Hilary Tipps and Steve Obermiller to fall in love and start their lives together. But it was a decade of trying to create life, deal with death and build careers before they wrote their first songs together.

“Love (and Other Mysteries”) is a debut album that bursts open a dream deferred: tunes written long ago, newly developed duets, and their first three co - writes that promise great things for their future. It is a collection of songs with equal parts contemplation (Willow Tree, Heart, Rewind Repeat), wisdom (Mrs. Montgomery, These Hands, Jack), and simple fun (Thick as Thieves, Ferris Wheel, My Love Will). The album ends with a raucous version of Trouble in Mind, recorded in 2017 and added as a tribute to late friend and guitarist Joe Ward.

This is a songwriter’s record that defies genre: folky in its roots, dabbling in country, jazz and rock. Yet, it avoids being too many things. Trey Ware (drums), Aden Bubeck (bass), and Matt Tedder (guitar) give this album a distinct continuity. Their personalities can be felt weaving through Hilary and Steve’s well - crafted songs and offer a through line to the whole of the album.

Though you might call them Folk or Americana, Hilary Tipps and Steve Obermiller are not genre - specific songwriters. Just as they write about every aspect of life and living, they use every style of music to suit the song at hand.

Tipps and Obermiller · Thick As Theives

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Alice Howe - Love Has No Rules.

LA-based, Boston-bred, singer-songwriter Alice Howe new single "Love Has No Rules," is out today March 24th. The song is about those unexpected things that happen when it comes to matters of the heart - you can't help who you fall for, and love definitely has no rules. "Love Has No Rules" is from Alice's forthcoming LP, Circumstance, out April 21st.

Recorded in two sessions at the legendary FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Circumstance chronicles Alice's personal and musical evolution. The songs evoke both the classic singer-songwriters and the seminal music that once filled airwaves, roadhouses, and juke joints.

It’s a deep, personal journey across a soundscape dotted with blues, folk, country, soul, and rock, a personal, soulful nod to her influences and the music she loves. In spirit, it draws from admired singers – Alison Krauss or the 1970s Laurel Canyon circle — but its soul is pure Alice Howe.

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Mary Lee Kortes - Green Sand.

Singer, songwriter and author Mary Lee Kortes has shared a video for her new song “Green Sand” which features Joe Jackson on backing vocals. “Green Sand is partly inspired by the story of Bonnie and Clyde,” writes Kortes, “by the envy and coveting of the riches and plenty of others so prominent in the Depression era—Beulah's era—but also by the more universal desire for what seems forever out of reach. Joe Jackson offered to guest on the record and this song gave the perfect opportunity for the brilliance of both his voice and piano playing.”

The song is the second single from her recently announced album Will Anybody Know That I Was Here: The Songs of Beulah Rowley. Recorded with the Grammy-winning producer Hal Willner, the project presents the story of the fictional dustbowl-era songwriter Beulah Rowley. The record will be released on April 22nd as a Record Store Day vinyl exclusive.

Kortes previously shared the track “Born A Happy Girl,” which premiered with American Blues Scene who writes that Kortes “...has brought her considerable talents to craft songs that sound like they came right out of the Depression Era.” “As a writer, you get in a zone. You get possessed by something. If you're lucky,” says Mary Lee Kortes.

Will Anybody Know That I Was Here: The Songs of Beulah Rowley, Kortes’s new stunning and immersive album, was born from one of those all-encompassing possessions, from a feeling she couldn’t shake, one she had to write through to fully understand. She knew she wanted to expand upon a typical album format to create a more cohesive work with a sense of character that could incorporate her love for writing fiction. “I went to sleep with all of this on my mind,” she says, “and I woke up in the morning with this woman in my head named Beulah Rowley, a depression-era singer-songwriter, from the Midwest like me, and I immediately started writing the song ‘Born a Happy Girl.’” Kortes would go on to create the biography of Beulah Rowley—and her complete songbook.

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Foyer Red - Gorgeous.

Following their more anarchic first single, the new single "Gorgeous" offers a compelling new wrinkle in Foyer Red's sound. Though composed of characteristically eccentric parts, it contains some the prettiest moments in the band's catalog to date, with an arrangement delicately balances the warmth of singer Elana Riordan's voice with the more discordant elements that bubble over wonderfully in the final third of the song. 

The confidence and creativity with which the band explore an unfamiliar sonic landscape provides another engaging example of what makes Foyer Red so exciting.

Riordan expands on the track's background: "We wrote this song organically in the studio together one day. It was one of those songwriting experiences that blows your mind over and over and makes you feel incredibly lucky to have such well-matched collaborators. I recorded a voice memo of us playing (later renamed it “wow gorgeous jam”) and listened to this low quality voice memo on repeat for days, literally bubbling up in bliss. I wrote the lyrics about my partner and bandmate Marco, for whom I keep a list of 'Marco-isms', his ever endearing botched colloquialisms that I hope he will never correct." Yarn The Hours Away will be released on Carpark Records on May 19th.

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headboy - Tapeworms - PACKS - Black Nail Cabaret

headboy - Cement.

Fast-rising London trio headboy reveal details of their debut EP and release its lead single "Cement". The band's upcoming debut EP 'Was It What You Thought' will be released on the 9th June via Blitzcat Records and follows a flurry of exhilarating sold-out headline shows in the capital, support slots with Porridge Radio, Goat Girl, DEADLETTER, Heartworms and THUS LOVE, along with their three 2022 standalone singles "Televised", "Toothrot" and "Alligator".

Consisting of guitarist/bassist and vocalist Mars West (they/them), bassist/guitarist vocalist Jess Collins (she/they) and drummer Oli Birbeck (they/them), headboy have already established themselves as a beguiling force to be reckoned with on the live stage, cultivating a devoted following in London and further afield.

The trio's much-anticipated debut EP 'Was It What You Thought' tracks a period of political turbulence; rediscovering and reflecting on the importance of friendship and loyalty, ending with a heartfelt treatise on loss and vulnerability. Ultimately a study into the often cyclical, yet always unpredictable nature of life itself, newly released single "Cement" specifically zeros in on that significance of friendship, amidst a backdrop of bright, intricate indie-rock.

Speaking more on the lyrical inspiration behind new single "Cement", the band said: "In the heat of a turbulent summer, misrule reigned. Cement is about taking stock and refuge in the comfort of your friends and the people around you; and the rediscovery of friendship. It includes advice from Mars’ grandfather ‘don’t count the days it slows them down’ - a warning against wishing away life."

"Cement" lyricist Mars West went on to say: "When things are difficult I often find myself thinking 'how long before this will end?' Then I think about my grandfather's warning - 'don't count the days it slows them down'. Sometimes you have to absorb yourself in whatever chapter of life you are in, instead of spending all your time wishing for the next one. Cement is very much about that."

 
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Tapeworms - IRL.

Arriving right in time for Spring, known as the season of rebirth, “IRL” is a melting pot of sparkling sounds that blend digital string sections with warped sample solos.

Following on from their debut album ‘Funtastic’, released in 2020, the new track sees Tapeworms build their own innovative bridge between sugary synth-pop and contorted indie. Pushing their sound in new and exciting directions, “IRL” brings a steady tempo and lush production that connotes images of surrealistic dreamlands.

The acronym for ‘In Real LIfe’, a phrase born on social media to distinguish ‘virtual life’ from ‘real life’, ‘IRL’ was heavily inspired by Japanese light novel ‘Haruhi Suzumiya’. Blending ethereal vocals with wonky pop beats, the track explores the relationship between dreams and real life and phantasm and reality.

Accompanied by an official video and dazzling new imagery inspired by livecam websites and early lifecasting macro-stars such as Jennicam, “IRL”’s accompanying visuals play with a variety of narratives and captures the band living out their day-to-day lives. A promising new addition to the Tapeworms catalogue, “IRL” is set to open a new chapter for the band — one full of never-ending pop exploration.

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PACKS - EC.

In a little under two weeks, PACKS will be releasing their sophomore LP Crispy Crunchy Nothing on Fire Talk Records. The follow up to their acclaimed 2021 debut Take The Cake, which earned accolades from outlets like The FADER, Stereogum, NYLON, Paste, BrooklynVegan, NME, Gorilla vs Bear and Bandcamp, who called the LP "the sound of classic indie rock as delivered by a promising new voice," the album has seen the release of two singles "Brown Eyes" and "4th of July", earning best of the week nods from outlets like Uproxx, Consequence and Alt Press who called it "a delight".

PACKS' new LP sharpens the laid back appeal of the band's debut, displaying a newfound flair in its arrangement and production that heightens the subtle strangeness of leader Madeline Link's songwriting. A collection of bright, imaginative vignettes of loneliness, yearning and confusion, under-pinned by Link’s distinct sense of humour, and her writing has found a new emotional register, which is exemplified by the album's final single "EC", which is out now.

The writing of the album was tied up in Link processing the death of her aunt, who was killed in a hit and run incident in Seattle near the start of the pandemic. While "EC" was not written directly about that loss, it addresses the way that grief can strike in unexpected ways and with surprising weight, and has an emotional rawness that's only been hinted at in Link's songwriting to this prior to this album.

"The unexpected death of a coworker I had never met struck me like a brick wall," Link explains. "I had been in charge of packing up all of his electronic hardware and shipping it to him just months before. As I found myself preparing shipping labels for his mother to place on the boxes to send back, a lasting sadness set in."

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Black Nail Cabaret - Sister Sister.

Black Nail Cabaret unveil the lyric video 'Sister Sister' as the first single taken from the forthcoming experimental album "Woodlands Memoirs". Under the banner Black Nail Cabaret and Friends, the Hungarian duo and three closely befriended musicians have created a one-off rather analogue and organic project that is different from their usual avant-garde synth pop style by transforming their own songs into thrilling cover versions. Please see below for more information on this album. 

The release date has been scheduled to May 26, 2023. Black Nail Cabaret comment: "For us, 'Sister Sister' has long been a favourite from the 'Dichromat' album", singer Emèse Árvai-Illes remarks.

"The original track has a cold wave vibe that we now somewhat unintentionally turned into a sonic entity that rather resembles a 'Twin Peaks' score. It is a beautiful representation of what we have aimed to accomplish by covering our own songs."

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Talking Flowers - David Kitt - Jodie Langford

Talking Flowers – Storytelling.

Rama Lama Records proudly welcomes Talking Flowers to the label family. The moniker of Malmö musician Astrid Lagerstedt has been on our radar since 2021’s debut single and we’re happy to announce that her next release, the double single ‘Storytelling’ is released through us today on March 21st.

Playful and multilayered psychedelic synthesisers meets Astrid’s dreamy and mesmerising voice and creates an equally haunting and captivating soundscape that gives the listener a feeling of entering a Twin Peaks-esque world that is both frightening and alluring at the same time.  The world of Talking Flowers is a world one often wishes that the real one would be a bit more like, a world of mystery and excitement and a lot less grey and beige colours.

Astrid “draws inspiration from the 60s, both when it comes to songwriting and recording techniques”, something that is obvious both on the debut release and the new Storytelling double single. She describes the new release this way:

“When we recorded Storytelling and Bedroom Wall I was listening a lot to Margo Guryan, and we were aiming for that kind of sound in the production. Although as usual I couldn’t keep away from the synths, so it might have ended up in a more futuristic version of the 1960’s.”

Storytelling and Bedroom Wall are recorded in the legendary Tambourine Studios in Malmö (bob hund, The Cardigans etc.) and produced by Joar Sylvan. The double single is out March 21st on all digital platforms via Rama Lama Records (Melby, Steve Buscemi’s Dreamy Eyes, Wy, Guds Pengar, Chez Ali, Kluster B etc.).

 
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David Kitt - Wave Of Peace.

A breezy blend of plodding, percussive drums and swirling vocal harmonies, “Wave of Peace” sees David Kitt joined by three special guests: Dylan Lynch of Dublin alt-pop band Soda Blonde on drums, and Katie Kim and Margie Jean Lewis on vocals.

Following the release of earlier singles “Wishing Well”, "Till The End” and “Balances”, the new track is taken from the artist’s forthcoming album ‘Idiot Check’ — set to land on 31 March via RE:WARM.

Kitt’s ninth studio album to-date, ‘Idiot Check’ sees the artist tap into a diverse range of influences once more, emerging as an ambient and atmospheric record that puts an eclectic experimental spin on traditional folk music.

A unique and sincere songwriter with an expert ability to meld inspirations, eras, and sounds, Kitt’s music glimmers with a sense of timelessness well-earned after over 20 years immersed in music.

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Jodie Langford - Chaos Of Time (EP).

Having built on the success of her debut ‘lockdown’ release I Miss It, with singles TV Or Not TV, How It Is & Disturbed, Northern wordsmith Jodie Langford kicks off 2023 with her debut EP Chaos Of Time – 6 tracks that explore the complexities of human feelings like obsession, heartbreak, fear, anger, despair & nostalgia, but still have the ability to ignite a dancefloor with instantly catchy hooks. The EP was produced by Hull’s “King of Electro” Endoflevelbaddie – a creative relationship that Jodie describes as an ‘absolute dream’, citing the producer’s ability to transform a simple piece of lyricism into an evocative & theatrical piece of music, as one of their many talents.

Title track Chaos Of Time with its infectious electro-club beat, lyrically encapsulates the state of worry & overthinking we can all trap ourselves in sometimes. “Its incessant nature is inspired by Underworld’s Born Slippy” says Jodie “& like the 90s banger, I wanted it to feel like a stream of consciousness with an unsettling undertone to it”.

Describing herself as unapologetically Northern, passionate wordsmith Jodie Langford began writing & performing at The Warren Youth Centre when she was 16 – but it was after a chance remix by Endoflevelbaddie of her track Wet Newspaper Wishes for the 3 Minute Heroes project, that the 2 began working closely together. Now writing & performing as a team for the past 2 years, Jodie’s presence on stage is totally electric, performing with a furious purpose & always getting the crowd to sing along to her trademark hooks.

Citing Loyle Carner, Keaton Henson, Mac DeMarco, Fontaines DC & Slow Thai as recent points of inspiration, Jodie feels the EP has given her the opportunity to release tracks that come from a much more personal place than her previous output. “They might not be anthems” she says “but they are close to my heart & very special to me. Being released as a collection of songs, I’d like to think they may end up being special to someone else too”.

Warren Records · Jodie Langford - Chaos Of Time EP

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Clifton 2.5 - Carolina Story - Velvet Beach

Clifton 2.5 - Outskirts of Nowhere.

A lush slice of opulent and airy alt-pop, “Outskirts of Nowhere” sees Clifton 2.5 find a shimmering synergy between gentle acoustic melodies and fluttering electronics, served with a side of crystal-clear vocals and an ethereal sense of optimism.

Standing as the first song she ever recorded, it is also one influenced by the evocative settings depicted in Delia Owens’ celebrated coming-of-age novel ‘Where The Crawdads Sing’. As Clifton 2.5 explains: “”Outskirts of Nowhere” was written after I finished reading the book ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ as I was inspired by the landscapes painted in the book, especially the marshes and the imagery of a lonely, heartbroken girl who had been left behind. The song just landed in my head in about 20 minutes and I knew it would be the first song I recorded.”

“Outskirts of Nowhere” follows Clifton 2.5’s glimmering recent release “Under Attack” and arrives as the title-track of her forthcoming debut EP.

Spanning a wide range of both genre and influence, the ‘Outskirts of Nowhere’ EP includes Clifton 2.5’s two recent singles alongside  “Crossed Lines”, a song about “how it feels to let love go” that was recorded using a half-broken electric organ found in the studio, and “Are you singing to me?”, a retro-tinted cut about “standing in the audience watching someone sing and believ[ing] that their message is meant for you alone”.

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Carolina Story - Let Go.

Carolina Story shares their new single “Let Go” from the duo’s forthcoming album Colors of My Mind, which releases April 7 via Soundly Music. Written by Ben Roberts and five-time Grammy Award-nominated producer/songwriter Paul Moak (John Paul White, Caitlyn Smith, Madi Diaz), the track finds our main character on the precipice of rock bottom, realizing the only way to make it through is to surrender control and trust the process. The band has also announced a special Nashville album release show on April 6 at The Basement. 

"This song is about that foreboding feeling that comes before the storm. Before a momentous period of change in someone’s life,” the duo explains. “If you look back in retrospect, all the signs were there. The universe was giving fair warning before it put its plans in motion. It’s difficult to sit in that place of waiting, before the other shoe drops. More often than not, you don’t see it coming despite passing the ominous mile markers into the eye of it all. This needed transformation can only take place if there is total devastation and a leveling of things all the way down to the bedrock. Rock bottom is the firm foundation upon which something new can be created. It’s coming and there’s nothing you can do about it and nowhere left to hide. You can’t resist it. Once you reach that low and finally just let go and let it take you, then and only then can you pick up the pieces and begin to build again."

Colors of My Mind emerged from a period of tremendous pain and metamorphosis for husband-and-wife duo Ben and Emily Roberts (aka Carolina Story). After parting ways with their former label, the pair headed into the studio to sate their creative impulses, but quickly found themselves with an entire album’s worth of material. The resulting collection of songs contains essential truths about transformation, surrender, and the inevitability of impermanence – altogether forming a narrative of transcendence that soon had a life-altering impact on the band itself. The brooding debut single “Animal” showcases an edgier side to their sound, while the follow-up single “Magic” invites us to see the world in awe.

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Velvet Beach - The Dream (Album).

Velvet Beach are an independent band from Toronto. Originally formed by members of Newcomer, Matias Gutierrez and Martin Camara were then joined by Sean Stover (Silus, The Honeycomb Flyers), Suhail Othman (Per Su) and Meagan Aversa. Fusing a wide range of sonic elements with emotive lyrics, the band arrives at a unique sound through each member.

Velvet Beach have been on an upward trajectory since their debut single release this past September. They were honored to be a part of Exclaim’s Class of 2023 show in January and are excited to finally release their debut album “The Dream”. 

A culmination of nearly 3 years of work, “The Dream” showcases the eclectic mix of dream pop and shoe gaze that has come to define Velvet Beach’s live sound so far. Of particular note is Uncertainty, a driving yet ethereal ballad that pushes the bounds of Velvet Beach’s songwriting so far.

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Harry Foxton - Arborist - Soft Loft

Harry Foxton - One More Night.

Boorloo/Perth rocker Harry Foxton is delivering passion and soul in his latest single ‘One More Night’ out yesterday. Not a stranger to the stage, Joel Stevens who goes by the moniker Harry Foxton founded established rock outfit Foxton Kings. Branching out into his own solo project, Foxton found a new passion for music playing his own originals.

Infused in indie, rock and country, ‘One More Night’ is a reflection piece. Exploring themes of love, hurt and the possibilities of these, Foxton sings with hopeful tenderness. His lyricism in ‘One More Night’ tells a warmingly honest story.

‘One More Night’ is a modern heartland rock classic. The track boasts bright upbeat choruses, sleek vocals and flourishes Bruce Springsteen-inspired guitars. Capturing the excitement of a summer love, the song musically expresses the highs and lows of the unknowing possibilities of where love will take you.

Recently visiting Nashville to showcase his work at Americanafest and Tamworth Country Music Festival, Foxton has supported artists Boo Ray, James Carothers and Mike Miz. To add to the list, the country rock singer has supported world class acts including Lillie Mae, Golden Guitar nominees The Banks Brothers, and Portland’s Jenny Don’t and The Spurs on the NSW leg of their Australian Tour.

 
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Arborist - Alabaster Skin.

Alabaster Skin is the third and final single to be taken from Belfast artist ARBORIST’s forthcoming album An Endless Sequence of Dead Zeros released 21 April, Kirkinriola Records, which melds ARBORIST’s classic musicality with the more experimental hallmarks of producer Matthew E. White and the house band of Spacebomb Studio, Richmond, Virginia, where the album was recorded.

An intriguing and boundary pushing sound to file under John Cale, Bill Fay, Howe Gelb, Lee Hazelwood, Dylan’s Nashville Skyline, Wilco’s A Ghost Is Born and The Go-Betweens.

The meditative and utterly mesmerising piano ballad Alabaster Skin was written during recent riots in Belfast, and at what ARBORIST calls “The older, bitter generation stroking hatred in the young, only to realise that they are not of the same mentality, their minds not as poisoned.” Its closing line “Honey, I’ve been dreaming of an awful rage. In another body, in another language” hints at the album’s dream state feel both sonically speaking and in its esoteric lyrics, with much of it written in the surrealist fugue of the last five years.

Alabaster Skin’s dreamy musicality comes curtesy of the lush strings of Trey Pollard (Faye Webster, The Waterboys, Nadia Reid) of the Spacebomb house band and Matthew E. White’s unique production. As ARBORIST expands on the song’s creation “I didn’t want any guitar on the track, however, after a few run-throughs it all felt a little naked and the piano a little exposed, so Matthew came-up with the idea of passing my piano signal to guitarist, Alan Parker’s, Microcosm Hologram pedal and allow Alan to tinker with it in real-time during the take.”

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Soft Loft - Is It Me (Including Live at Hotel Winkelried).

Jorina on their Debut-EP “The title of the EP comes from a song that we saved for the album. There’s a line on there that says, ‘and you give me Joni in case I still get lonely.’ Joni Mitchell’s music helped me through all sorts of stuff over the years, and I hope that this EP will do that for others. That’s why it was so important for us to be this candid while addressing these topics: heartbreak, dealing with anxiety, self-worth, loss of identity, depression, etc.”

The material was produced by grammy-nominated Gianluca Buccellati (Arlo Parks, Biig Piig, easy life, Lana Del Rey) and cut in a snowed-in studio in Engelberg. It was written in all sorts of "safe spaces" created by the band, one of which happens to be a cozy little house in Ticino, the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland. Cut off from the outside world, often for days at a time, they would get lost in music and the bottomless well of late night conversations, and the magic would just happen.

Soft Loft is a safe haven, an attitude, a way of life. It’s where the broken and the imperfect are embraced and celebrated. Soft Loft is non-hierarchical. Soft Loft is where reality is transmuted into dreams and dreams back into reality. Judgement is suspended here. Because vulnerability is the gateway to connection. Anything goes, as long as it’s heartfelt and it flows. Soft Loft is a collective of musicians dedicated to creating safe spaces using sound. Soft Loft are: Jorina Stamm, Sarina Schmid, Lukas Kuprecht, Simon Boss and Marius Meier.

Soft Loft · Is It Me

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Laurence-Anne - NIIKA - Casual Worker - Holly Henderson

Laurence-Anne - Polymorphe.

Montreal based artist Laurence-Anne returns with her new single 'Polymorphe' via Bonsound and announces a UK tour. Laurence-Anne is an architect of the intangible; she sculpts musical landscapes composed of haunting melodies, lush synthesizers, synthetic rhythms and hazy textures, all coated with her voice, singing in both English, French and Spanish, capable of instilling both comfort and anxiety. All of these elements come together to create a blend of dream pop, coldwave and synthpop inspired by her imagination, intimately connected to her experiences, and deeply infused with her unique perspective.

Shortly after entering the Montreal music scene, Laurence-Anne made a big splash in 2019 with her critically acclaimed debut album Première apparition, making the Polaris Prize long list, which was followed by an EP showcasing her expanded musical horizons. Thus, the groundwork was laid for the release of her second album Musivision, co-produced by Félix Petit (Les Louanges, Safia Nolin, Hubert Lenoir) on which her creative identity was crystallized. 

Following its release, Musivision received high acclaim across Canada, such as being rewarded with an Artist of the Year award at the GAMIQ, a nomination for Album of the Year - Alternative at the ADISQ gala and the album also reached number one on CISM's year-end Francophone charts and was named one of the 15 best Quebecois albums of the year by Le Devoir.

Laurence-Anne’s newest single 'Polymorphe' is a track that affirms her mastery of dream pop. Carried by lush synth arrangements and a heart-warming chorus, 'Polymorphe' is about the ever-changing nature of dreams and the desire to connect with them, as if they were entities in their own right.

 
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NIIKA - Sever Ties.

Chicago-based NIIKA (the project of musician Nika Nemirovsky) is soon to be back with an exciting new release, Still a Soft One. Ahead of that today we have the first single 'Sever Ties' a beautiful and touching song which exudes a dreamy characterful vibe. Her third release is a notable departure from her other works. It’s a solo record with focus on the singer's lucious voice and dynamic guitar arrangements. Easy to listen to, but never lacking in complexities and nuance, lyrically or musically.

Born in Uzbekistan (former USSR), her music draws on a multitude of styles from many disparate parts of the world, ranging from Russian folk and rock, to American indie, soul, jazz, and rock, to bossa nova, to classical, to folk music from India, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe (to name a few). The eclectic array of makes for a spell-binding experience that feels somehow simple and elusive at the same time.

Nika has been making music that dances at the intersections of art-pop, indie rock and neo-soul for nearly 10 years. Still a Soft One seems to mark a really lovely juncture in this artist’s career. She’s been primarily performing solo for the last several years, and her sound has adapted to this new dynamic. The album gives me the same feeling of self-reflection and audio-intimacy as Nai Palm’s 2017 solo release, Needle Paw. NIIKA peels away the bigger sound and more complex instrumentation of her past records to reveal five songs that are sweet and cathartic, but still so powerful. Her lyrics are utterly relatable, often somber, but never lacking in a good bit of fire and a healthy dose of cheekiness.

The recording process for Still a Soft One saw Nemirovsky collaborating with Chicago’s Vivian McConnell (who plays under V.V. Lightbody and acted as producer and “album doula” on this record), Dave Miller as recording engineer for the guitar and some vocals,  her partner and former producer Matty Witney (Dried Spider) as co-producer and arranger, and a few other artists and engineers in Chicago and Brooklyn.

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Casual Worker - Flooding.

Newly signed Glasgow duo Casual Worker release Model Number on 28th April. The three track EP explores our relationship with the digital world - examining themes of misogyny, data and virtual spaces.

Casual Worker are Eve King (vocals) and Hamish Wickham (instrumentation). Inspired by 80’s cold wave and gothic electro-pop, their sound has been described as “dark retro electronica” (The Roddy Hart Show). Lead single Flooding is released today 17th March - the track layers infectious electronics alongside hazy guitar and King's enchanting vocals.

Since releasing their debut EP Mousetrap in September 2022, they have received praise from The Skinny, BBC Introducing and more. The upcoming Model Number EP will be released by Last Night From Glasgow.

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Holly Henderson - Back After Sunrise.

London based Holly Henderson is back with a reflective new single “Back After Sunrise” from her critically acclaimed sophomore album “The Walls”. Glowing with gorgeous harmonies against a retro psych-pop backdrop, “Back After Sunrise” is a song about the end of a chapter and how we look idealistically at the time spent, when it’s all nearly over.

“It’s specifically about when I was ready to leave my home, to start a new life in America, before the lockdown”, says Henderson. “But it was so obviously the wrong choice. But not every decision to walk away from something is rooted in hating someone or something, sometimes it’s just not right, and that’s almost worse. But we soothe ourselves ‘I do my little dance, where we all pretend, we’ll be back after sunrise’, until we’re ready to move on.”, she explains.

The track, which escalates from soft glimmering melancholia into a fuzzy epic, comes from Henderson’s long-awaited sophomore album, “The Walls”, where the singer-songwriter shows a very different side to her musicality and depth. While her debut album, “Monday Green” featured Henderson’s impressive rock guitar work and alternative pop anthem prowess, her new work shows a more introspective, and slightly more delicate side to her songcraft.Recorded in a farmhouse in the English countryside, Henderson’s new album brings her full circle from her previous Los Angeles recorded album. Finely crafted arrangements, sonic musings, and playful themes take us on a journey with Henderson as she deconstructs her Brit Pop and classic influences and reassembles them into progressive-folk wonderment.

On “The Walls”, Holly said, “This album sits within a sense of place. As a songwriter, I can only speak of my own thoughts of home and belonging. I suppose this record is a wandering eye over the fleeting moments from the last few years, of when I felt at home, and when I didn’t. When I felt like the walls were tumbling, when they kept me safe, and when they became my prison. I learned the only way of breaking these patterns, was to let people step over the threshold. 

Due to the intimacy of the songs, I wanted to preserve the organic nature of the words and the arrangements. The heart of every song was recorded live, from the front room of a farmhouse in Sevenoaks - everyone facing each other, hearing each other, and working together. The sounds you hear are preserved in the moment that they happened. Tentative and selective moments were never changed in post. The other-worldly elements, synths, sounds, etc, were still captured live. 3 to 4 of us, tinkering with analogue synths, percussion, voices, iPads, etc, while the songs played. Rowan’s sensitivity as an engineer and producer, preserved every magical moment in his safe hands, while every person in the band shines throughout, regardless of trying to make this happen during the times of Covid, nothing was missing.”

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