The Limiñanas - Shadow People (feat. Emmanuelle Seigner).
Background - French psych duo The Limiñanas have released a new track taken from their ‘Istanbul Is Sleepy’ EP out 17th November. Featuring acclaimed French accress Emmanuelle Seigner, 'Shadow People' was recorded in The Limiñanas' home studio in the South of France, and finished at The Brian Jonestown Massacre's Anton Newcombe's studio in Berlin.
Lionel from the band explains: "The shadow people are an American myth, they are described as furtive apparitions, comparable to ghosts observable from the corner of the eye. These "spirits" accompany throughout your all life, a sort of paranormal glue stuck to you... Emmanuelle came to visit us in the South of France, and we asked her to sing "Shadow People" with Renaud Picard, the singer from Hair and the Iotas.
We recorded it in just a few minutes over an afternoon...". Emmanuelle Seigner added: "A friend introduced me to The Limiñanas, I was in love with their Music. Three days before our first meeting, Lionel Limiñana called me and offered me to sing on one song off their new album. He sent me 'Shadow People'. Then we recorded directly at their home, it was fast, easy and pretty natural". FACEBOOK.
We first featured The Limiñanas around six weeks ago, & following quickly after we now have 'Shadow People'. Last time we mentioned that the song was psych through & through, with the latest track there is more melodic sound and the mixture of vocals adds to a catchy & richly layered piece.
Background - Nashville artist Jacob Thomas Jr. has released "Running Through My Mind," the second single from his upcoming LP, Electric Sex, out February 16, 2018 on Summer Dress Music. "I wanted to write about my divorce, but I’ve never been someone who’s able to articulate thoughts and feelings while I’m in the midst of extreme emotional situations," reflects Jacob. "I find it more beneficial to wait until there is some time and space to gain perspective. ‘Running through My Mind’ is hard to talk about. It’s one of those songs that reminds me of a period in my life when I was a person that I no longer am. It’s not a cryptic or vaguely written song. It’s about as straight forward as a song can get.”
Jacob’s debut album, Original Sin (2014), was a solo-acoustic dive into his past that explored the path that brought him to Nashville in 2008. On that brutally honest debut, we learned about his dramatic shift from Louisiana pastor to Nashville musician. After being fired by his own Parrish for spending too much time performing in bars, Thomas made the incredibly difficult decision to leave his wife and pursue music full-time in Nashville. If the bare-boned songs on Original Sin shone a light on Thomas' ability to pack a punch with little more than an acoustic guitar and a gorgeously ragged voice, then Electric Sex — full of heartfelt, anthemic anthems about getting laid, getting lost and getting left behind — shows the full range of his abilities. Electric Sex explores his life after the church, with Thomas telling us, “At 25 years old I said ‘f it all,’ and this album is me trying to reclaim my sexual identity after years of growing up in the church.”
10 years into his professional music career Thomas has played out with some of Nashville’s best country/rock artists including Rayland Baxter, Uncle Kracker, Sonia Leigh, Randy Montana, Logan Mize, Elise Davis, Goodbye June, and Danielle Bradbery to name a few. However, on Electric Sex he's a frontman, leading a studio band whose members include pedal steel wiz Drew Belk (Billy Currington, Midland), producer and keyboardist Jason Morant, bass player Jason Harris and drummer Jake Finch. Together, they make a sound that nods to rock & roll's biggest moments — from Fleetwood Mac to ELO to Silverchair's Diorama — while still pushing into new territory. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.
'Running Through My Mind' is one of those songs where less is more. Heartfelt, personal vocals that are full of emotional intensity, are backed by a beautiful musical arrangement that slowly builds adding to the mood.
Background - Brooklyn's Fever High released their long-awaited full length album FHNY. The duo - multi-instrumentalists Reni Lane and Anna Nordeen - made their debut with last year's critically acclaimed All Work EP.
FHNY continues the band's collaboration with Adam Schlesinger (Fountains Of Wayne, Ivy) who also produced the All Work EP. Reni says, "After releasing All Work, we entered a new stage where we really honed our sound, lyrics, and mood... the new batch of songs takes everything to the next level." Adds Anna, "We want to sing about things we really feel and have fun at the same time."
After releasing the All Work EP, Fever High began to play live, with Adam and drummer Brad Wentworth joining Anna and Reni onstage for a run of club shows, as well as a string of dates supporting synthpop pioneers Book Of Love. They found radio support from influential stations like Los Angeles' KCRW and Austin's KUTX, and their songs showed up in numerous films and TV shows, including the CW comedy Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Netflix’s To The Bone, and three songs in the 2017 film Fun Mom Dinner. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.
The opening piano chords had me interested, then when the vocals kicked in 'Casting My Spell' had me hooked. The production quality gives away that this is a more recent song, the style however is timeless & gorgeous.
Background - South Coast quartet Sad Palace unveil their latest single, Melody Crux, its was release via Kissability on November 10th. Brimful of grooving attitude, the single is a continuation of the icy pop Sad Palace have already made their name with, just three sharp releases into their career. Fizzing organs and piercing alt.rock guitars sit atop jazzy breaks, delivered seamlessly by the rhythm section, whilst imperious vocals deliver commanding hooks, breaking at times into infectious falsetto.
If the track is channelling late night vibes, then here’s why: 'Most of the lyrics were written on a night out, sometimes you go out partying for the night when you really shouldn't. It's a weird feeling, being out dancing and drinking, and then realising you're just not in the mood.The music stays really upbeat as the words slowly deteriorate with the night, because the night doesn't care about your feelings, it goes on anyway.'
Sad Palace’s previous single Frostbeat was released on limited edition tape as part of International Cassette Store Day earlier this year, a move echoing their sonic combination of retro and contemporary influences.
With online acclaim building, invites to perform at the exclusive Sofar Sounds sessions and another glacial diamon under their belt, Sad Palace look set to break beyond their small town constraints, possessing the creativity and ambition to level-up to national indie stalwarts. Melody Crux will be available on all streaming and downloading services from 10th November. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.
'Melody Crux' is a refreshing and sprightly song where the band are clearly putting their hearts into the music. It might be Indie or Alt something, it's certainly a breezy pleasing song.
Background - Ali Murray has just released a new EP called 'Only Wind'. Musically it's kind of atmospheric folk, influenced by the dark hills and barren moorlands...and the general harshness, beauty and sadness of remote Scottish island life. He will also be following up the EP with a full-length album sometime soon.
”Ali Murray is a songwriter/musician hailing from the cold and rainy Isle of Lewis in northern Scotland. Equal parts grandiose and humble, effervescent and melancholy, spatial and solitary, Ali’s dark blend of acoustic folk, atmospheric post-rock, and dream pop is as beautifully depressing as it is introspectively invigorating.
His lyrics, which speak of longing, loss, and various degrees of emotional turmoil we can all relate to in some way, speak volumes themselves but are also wonderfully complimented by moving melodies and expansive soundscapes; Ali proves himself to be a creator of an incredibly vast array of sound for a single person. An artistic channeler of all spectral ranges of human emotion, Ali Murray will appeal to any and all folks looking for that faint, but visible light at the end of the tunnel.” - Kevin Berk. BANDCAMP, FACEBOOK.
The title track and one of four on the EP 'Only Wind' is typical of the refined and high standard of music Ali Murray creates. On the featured song Stephanie Ratcliff adds some beautiful additional vocals. It's worth noting however, that as a solo artist Ali is more than capable of filling all voids, and some.
Background - ‘Water’, the brand new single by Welsh Indie / Pop five piece 'The Tates', has been eagerly anticipate after the success of the band’s debut release ‘Electric Girl’. The song was supported by Huw Stephens, BBC Introducing, Radio 1 and gained Amazing radio playlisting as well as being A-listed on BBC Radio Wales.
Energized by their summer tour in support of ‘Electric Girl’ a confident and inspired band returned to the studio in Cardiff to work with producer Steffan Pringle (Estrons, Himalayas, Future Of The Left) again. They emerged with a sense of purpose with a song that will redefine 'The Tates' as the torch-bearers of a new sound, a sound that ranges from The Libertines’ poetic raw energy to the death disco of early New Order and the fuzzed day-glow pop melodies of MGMT. Lyrically ‘Water’ asks a poetic question exploring themes of nature over nurture, as Tom the guitarist explains: “Are the flaws that we share with our parents who we are, or have we learnt from them?
Are we free to be the people we want to be or are we trapped by our genetic makeup and our immediate environment and society?” It is testament to the band that with their unwavering belief in the pop song they are in full control of their chosen genre - they make the pop song theirs. 'The Tates' build from the ground up, step by step until they can reach the stars. FACEBOOK.
'Water' is vibrant and feisty. Vocals and harmonies are bright, and supported by a determined and delicious musical arrangement. Whatever it is in their 'Water' it's definitely a mood lifter!
Background - I'm With Her, the band of Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, and Aoife O'Donovan, have announced the release of their full-length debut, See You Around, out February 16, 2018. “See You Around”, the title track from the album, is available everywhere now. Co-produced by Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams, Laura Marling, Paul McCartney) and the band and recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios in Bath, England, See You Around is a 12 track LP filled with finespun narratives and breathtaking harmonies – full track listing is below. Additionally, I’m With Her has announced an international headlining tour that will kick off in March 2018 and bring the band to major cities across the world including Los Angeles, Paris, London, and more.
See You Around presents a warmly textured, yet stripped-down sound layered with lush guitar tones and crystalline harmonies. The album is comprised of 11 originals, penned by the band in Los Angeles and Vermont, plus the never before released Gillian Welch-penned “Hundred Miles.” With each member playing guitar and handling various aspects of the instrumentation— including fiddle and ukulele for Watkins, mandolin and banjo for Jarosz, piano and synth for O’Donovan—the band cut most of the album live, performing just a few feet away from each other in the tracking room. All through See You Around, I’m With Her exhibits a refined musicality that reflects their deep musical roots.
After years of crossing paths in their intersecting scenes, I’m With Her came together by happenstance for an off-the-cuff performance at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival during the summer of 2014.The multi-Grammy-Award-winners have individually released nine solo efforts, co-founded two seminal bands (Nickel Creek and Crooked Still), and contributed to critically acclaimed albums from a host of esteemed artists. The band has garnered tremendous acclaim for their unique blend of instrumental interplay and indelible harmonies.
"We all feel immensely fortunate to be in this band together,” says I’m With Her. “As longtime friends and fans of each other’s music, it’s been wonderful to realise that writing and collaborating together fits so seamlessly into our lives. And now, we’re so excited to get to tour and share the work we’ve done as a band with our debut album, See You Around." WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.
UK Tour Dates: Jan 30 London, UK @ Bush Hall May 11 Belfast, UK @ Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival May 12 Dublin, Ireland @ Whelan's May 14 Gateshead, UK @ Sage Two May 15 Manchester, UK @ Band On The Wall May 16 Bristol, UK @ The Station May 17 London, UK @ Union Chapel
I'm With Her just oozes class with 'See You Around'. The music is highly crafted yet restrained allowing the superb vocals & harmonies to hold centre stage. February feels like a long time to wait for the album, this song suggests it will be worth each week.
Background - Robin Martin is a recording artist from Northern Ireland. While making a living from cover bands, Robin always had a passion for American country music. “The first singers voice I remember as a child was Willie Nelson singing "Yesterdays Wine" while traveling to the north coast to visit family.”
Robins influences include Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard and more recently, Chris Stapleton, Zac Brown Band and Brad Paisley!
Robin has recently teamed up with the very talented song writer and producer Paul Mahon from Croc Recording Studio' to record his song "Drunk On You" After shooting the video Robin and Paul decided that this would be a partnership worth pursuing.
“With the help of my beautiful wife Karen, we will share our love of country music with anyone who wants to share the journey with us." FACEBOOK.
American country music has travelled well across the Atlantic to Northern Ireland care of Robin Martin. 'Drunk On You' is a natural helping of classic Americana, considering how many folk from Ireland made the journey west decades ago, music like this might well be part of Irelands heritage.
Background - 'Greed Wears A Disarming Face' is the first track to be released from Soho Rezanejad's debut album 'Six Archetypes', which is due out 19th January 2018 via Silicone Records.
The single marks the first in a series of videos, which will be themed around a different Archetype from the record. Speaking about the concept, Soho says "“The first passage in the video relates to the record’s overarching narrative and title, Six Archetypes. Apple seeds rest in my hand while I sleep, searching for my mother in a dream — a reference to the orphan complex that Carl Jung writes about. He thought that children orphan themselves by abandoning their heritage for the pursuit of a particular quest, one which in no way fits their parents' or caretakers' expectations.
In a different sense, one can become orphaned from society. An idea or ideology can become so common that the mass establishes a system of expectations: one person's idea becomes the people's image. So what choice do we have other than to be orphans? I am drawn to this archetype because it possesses qualities shared by all visionaries of the world. Inasmuch as the orphan relates to being alone, it's also about the obsession for breaking and challenging systems.”
Soho Rezanejad’s Six Archetypes is an exploration of humanity’s essential postures, and a bold statement of the artist’s range. The album is at once an opera and intimate ledger. Like in any good theatre, gestures within this album suspend not only reality, but a division between the universal and the particular. FACEBOOK.
A thought provoking song title such as 'Greed Wears a Disarming Face' left me hoping for something a little different. A rhythmic and atmospheric piece with gorgeous & almost pleading vocals, above a dark and sombre soundtrack, yes this is a little different, it's pretty special as well.
Background from Jason S. Matuskiewicz - Here's a song from yours truly, me, Jason S. Matuskiewicz, Esq. This is a song about similar formative trials--experiences that are, in a way, mutual to my girlfriend and me. It was written while she was undergoing intensive chemotherapy and was essentially bed ridden for the majority of the time.
To watch someone that you don't just love but love more than you ever imagined yourself capable of loving someone is a profoundly challenging experience. My only outlet is song. So, I wrote an EP and this is the opening track. And my friend let me record it at the studio he heads.
This song explores the alt folk and alternative styles that I have always loved, but band members have not embraced as much as I have, which is the magic and the frustration of collaboration. It also features Adam Kruckenburg, my band mate in Shapes on Tape, and Justin Craig, our producer, who produced the track and drums on it.
The major third garners The Pixies comparisons, my team of experts has determined. I hope you like it. FACEBOOK.
'Battle Born' may have come from extreme and difficult circumstances, I suppose from an artistic point of view, that situation fuelled the emotional charge in the vocals, and passion across the song. I'm still trying to figure out if that's a good thing or not, I guess plenty of music has come from intense pain and concern. If this seems a little deep, it's because a relative & friend faces this treatment very soon. Art from angst, on reflection this is a fine song.
Background - Empathy Test shares new LP track "All It Takes". Empathy Test will be releasing two LPs, Safe From Harm and Losing Touch (Remastered), next Friday, November 17th, both of which contain remastered versions of previously released material as well as brand new tracks. You can pre-order the LPs here.
Empathy Test was formed in 2013 by childhood friends Isaac Howlett and Adam Relf. Sharing a mutual love for all things sci-fi, the London-based duo draw inspiration from ‘80s movie soundtracks, ‘90s guitar bands and underground dance music. Their name, borrowed from Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi masterpiece, Blade Runner, gives a clue to the DNA of a band that, since its conception just three years ago, has self-released a string of meticulously layered, life-affirming Synthpop tracks that have won them both critical acclaim a legion of dedicated fans worldwide.
The twin debut albums, Safe From Harm and Losing Touch, represent the culmination of four years' work from Howlett and Relf, who, in a now wholly over saturated synth scene, have used their considerable talents to form an enthralling, standalone identity. Starting out with the dark, melancholy nightscapes of early tracks like their debut, ‘Losing Touch’, which has now had over half a million plays on Spotify, the duo's sound has continuously evolved, propelling them towards the genre-defying territory reserved for the likes of other UK acts like Editors, Hurts and White Lies.
Fiercely independent, the band remains unsigned, having already turned down their fair share of record deals in favour of crowdfunding their twin debut albums via PledgeMusic. The hugely successful campaign is now 600% funded and counting, showing the huge weight of support they have behind them. Despite the lack of label-backing, they’re also turning in the kind of Spotify streams you would expect from the latest industry-backed buzz band, with their last single Bare My Soul already having racked up 85K+ plays. BANDCAMP, FACEBOOK.
We featured Empathy Test less than a month ago, however 'All It Takes' is gorgeous and deserves to be shared immediately. Electronic pop of a very high calibre.
Background - Kentucky based newcomer Willie Breeding will release his debut album ‘Big Sky’ in early 2018. With influences ranging from Lee Hazlewood to The Strokes, Marty Robbins to A Tribe Called Quest, "Big Sky" is first and foremost an album of well-crafted tunes. The melodies are rich and wavy, complementing well the lyrics of someone torn between their years in New York City, and their generations in Kentucky.
The first single to be take from, ‘Prague Spring’, features a guest vocal from Caitlin Rose.
Detailing the story behind ‘Prague Spring’ he explains "One night in Prague, 1962, the son of the Italian ambassador met an actress they called, “The Czech Bridgette Bardot”. Their adventures were like a black and white noir. Bullets were drunk out of martini glasses. Official diplomatic vehicles were stolen. 14 years later, my wife was born"
"I knew I wanted to make these stories into a song. The melody came first, but it was a hard story to tell in song form, and I didn't want it to be spelled out and specific like a folk song. I just wanted it to evoke what I imagined the feeling to be. I called Caitlin because she's one of my favorite lyricists, and I thought she would enjoy the story. I felt too close to the material working on it myself. Later, when I was showing my wife the lyrics Caitlin and I had written, she instantly came up with the last line of the song, which I took as a good omen" FACEBOOK.
With an eclectic range of influences mentioned above Willie Breeding set expectations high and with the help of Caitlin Rose on 'Prague Spring' delivers a fabulous song. If the pass mark is wanting to hear more, then it's A+ and as soon as possible please.
Background - “It started with the keyboard part. Doug (Grey Goon) played it in the studio one day. It found it very peaceful and aligned with a kind of freedom I had been enjoying lately. That year I had driven alone from LA to Utah and back twice. I absolutely loved it, in the way I’ve always loved the independence of no one needing me, no one expecting me, no one to confer with about where I might stop, when I might leave, if I might come back. I was grateful on those trips (as one usually is) for the dissolution of a relationship I had been overly attached to. I was grateful that my mind was clear and that I had the experience to myself. I was happy. I didn’t need to know what was next.” - Rebeca Arango
Oddnesse is the soulchild of songwriter-producer Rebeca Arango, a first generation American from Hoboken, New Jersey. Arango met her partner-in-crime, fellow songwriter-producer Grey Goon (aka Doug Walters), in Los Angeles. The two east-coast expats bonded easily over pop hooks and apocalyptic prep while sporting the mandatory black uniform of studio nerds who find solace spending hours inside making music even when it's very very nice out.
The Oddnesse directive is to construct heavy, harmonious dreamscapes of soaring melodies and simple grooves, pulled freely from a wide range of nostalgic sounds. The project features numerous contributors and collaborators, including musicians Casey Feldman, Eddie Rivera and Lauren Kinney (who all perform in the live band), and designer/art director Dexsy Repuyan. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.
'I Used To' is the fourth song we have featured by Oddnesse this year. Last time we stated that "the ability to sound both powerful and yet uncomplicated is increasingly
becoming a hallmark of their dreamy and passionate music." I stand by that assessment, with yet another fine track to enjoy.
Background - Stockholm-based Dream Pop band Novah have teamed up with acclaimed singer/songwriter Amanda Mair for new single ‘Ghost’. This follows their debut EP ‘Alaska’, which won them fans across Scandinavia, North America and the UK.
Taking their cues from the likes of Broken Social Scene, Beach House and The Radio Department, the track features industrial drum grooves, which are juxtaposed with haunting piano chords and Mair’s delicate voice. On working with Amanda Mair Novah told us: “Amanda is a really cool artist, we’ve been talking for a long time about doing a collaboration with her and when this song came up it just felt right.”
Having recorded their debut EP on a remote island, a studios’ individuality has a significant effect on Novah’s recording process: “We were recording in Stockholm in a studio with an old upright piano, and started messing around with complex beats on a drum machine and then adding piano chords together with it. It took a while before it turned into something you can actually listen to… but it ended up as a beautiful song and we are very proud of this one!”
Novah consist of David Tranberg on Vocals/Guitar, Simon Hagström Rennerstedt on Vocals/Guitar/Keys, and Filip Hagström Rennerstedt on Bass. Raised on the same street on an island outside Stockholm, they played in different formations during their early teenage years until they decided to form their first band together at the age of 15 with British Indie as a common musical thread. The project quickly became serious, and their melancholic sounds can be heard on TV shows on networks such as MTV – their intense crescendos are the perfect backdrop for emotional drama. FACEBOOK.
We featured a couple of songs from Amanda Mair back in early October, this time she is featured in the new Novah piece 'Ghost'. This is a gentle dream pop track where the dual vocals contrast beautifully with a detailed & refined soundtrack adding additional dynamics.
Background - Swedish indie/dream pop quartet Steve Buscemi’s Dreamy Eyes are back with an excellent first taste of their upcoming debut EP ‘Four Waters’. New single ‘Swim Deep’ explores the idea of wanting to hide away from your own mistakes in life, deconstructing the feeling behind wanting to simply “disappear”. Effervescent, intriguing pop music, with a pure Swedish heart, on this new single the band meld indie pop, electronic rock, and dream pop - into one fluid hybrid.
Prior to forming via Twitter, all 4 members of Steve Buscemi’s Dream Eyes had been operating in different small Stockholm bands. It was in the summer of 2015 that Tilde Hansen (bass, vocals) tweeted out a request for fellow musicians to start a new band. A couple of months later, Steve Buscemi’s Dreamy Eyes were formed.
Behind the odd name — you’ll find one of the most promising new bands on the blooming Swedish indie scene. With all the band members still at the tender age of 22, they’ve already picked up an impressive amount of attention; from both Sweden’s biggest music sites and influential international sources such as DIY, Billboard and Amazing Radio, Spotify also included the band’s 2016 dance-friendly indie pop single ‘Closer' in their Fresh Finds playlist which helped get the track into the top 10 on the Top 50 Viral in USA Spotify chart.
On 'Swim Deep', Siri Sjöberg leads the vocals, and bassist / songwriter Tilde Hansen said this on the lyrical meaning behind the new single: "Swim Deep is about wanting to hide from your mistakes and all the embarrassing things you’ve done. It’s about wanting to disappear and not having to deal with life. But then realising that you eventually have to face it all and stand for what you've said and done. There will always be people who do it better than you, but that doesn't matter because you will find your way and your people.” FACEBOOK.
'Swim Deep' is a mash of genres that come together in a coherent and gorgeous manner. Atmospheric and flowing, everything from the impassioned vocals to the intriguing musical arrangement works.
Background - "The title track of Future Telephone is a lament on modern day (mis)communication. It was written, recorded, mixed and mastered in Montreal, but Madeline's been based in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2006. These past few years of living a bi-coastal lifestyle have made holding down an intimate relationship challenging. "The lyrics of this tune are paraphrased from actual lines and emotions spoken and felt by myself and my (now ex-) sweetheart in a long period in different timezones, when our words and intentions got lost in pixelation thanks to these future telephones we were trying to communicate complex emotions through.
This felt like the right title for the whole EP because these songs are largely a response to the heaviness of 2016 and they carry so much hope and love for humanity and this beautiful planet, but then I think to myself ... who knows if all that intention will land on peoples' hearts like I hope it will, or if it'll be "lost in pixelation" somehow. Or just drowned out by radio noise of modern life. I feel like our communication as a species is rife with misunderstanding, riddled with assumption and an epidemic single-mindedness. These songs carry with them a hope that we can regain some of our natural empathy and the humility that comes with some sense of the vast complexity of life and all things."
Accompanying herself on piano, guitar and ukulele, Canadian-Californian songcrafter Madeline Tasquin weaves from jazzy folk to soulful ballads in odd meters to playful new romantic pop to delicately dark musical fairytales, delivering it all with a stage presence that radiates joy. With influences including Primus to Billie Holiday to Joni Mitchell to Chopin, it's no surprise that her songs takes harmonic and rhythmic twists and turns, though whether performing solo or fronting one of her bands, she manages to pull this off without leaving anyone in the room behind. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.
Madeline Tasquin vocals are gentle & melodic to begin with, however they are clearly not without passion & power. 'Future Telephone' is a fabulous song, the music builds, with hints of jazz, folk and more.