Benjamin Dean Wilson - The Smartest Person in the Room.
Background - Benjamin Dean Wilson is a one man show - his new album, "The Smartest Person in the Room" was written, produced, and performed entirely by him and recorded in analog using a Tascam 1/2 inch tape deck.
Featuring a unique storytelling structure, each track is like a short film with its own ensemble of characters and blends elements of traditional "talkin' blues" style together with musical theater.
Benjamin Dean Wilson started his creative career in the film industry before turning to music, working as a camera assistant on commercials. He then made short 16mm films and play before deciding to tell his stories through music instead. He released his first album, "Small Talk" through German label Tapete Records, followed by a European tour. Benjamin Dean Wilson: guitars, piano, keyboards, bass, drums, harmonica, violin, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, organ, percussion, bells, etc. Maria Grigoryeva: fiddle on "The Smartest Person in the Room". FACEBOOK, BANDCAMP.
The title track from the new album 'The Smartest Person in the Room' is a very good indicator of the sheer quality and imagination that has gone into this impressive collection of songs. More or less a one man band, the musical arrangements are nonetheless tight and pleasing and the vocals add some real distinction to the music. Catchy, likable and individual this is an album to delve into.
Background - Forest Ray experiments in the analog and psychedelic. Their progressively vintage sound will have you spiralling back to the 1960s and beyond in a whirlwind of fuzz wound like a Roland Space Echo. Garage punk and psych with tinges of post-punk and drone rock recorded on an 8 track reel to reel. Started in San Luis Obispo, CA by Peter Sumic and Robby Porovich and currently based in Seattle. Their first record, Musical Witchcraft, was released October 28th, 2016 on 180g vinyl.
AKA Forrest Rey, Forest Ray is a Psychedelic Rock experiment that was born out of a DIY studio in San Luis Obispo, CA. The Studio, which was originally a slum lord junk dungeon attached to an apartment building, was transformed into a menagerie of vintage recording artifacts filled with tape machines, oddball microphones and prehistoric delay boxes.
Dedicated to the analog recording process and use of reel to reels for all steps of mixing and mastering for a darker, older and more intimate sound, more time was spent rewinding and marking tape for recording projects than was spent eating or sleeping. Originally released on Demo Cassettes hand-drawn by a good friend and collaborator in the Seattle Area, Forest Ray will release its first Vinyl LP mixed and recorded fully analog by Peter Sumic (Guitar, Bass, Vocals) and Robby Porovich (Guitar, Vocals) and mastered to Vinyl by Pete Lyman at Infrasonic Sound Studios in Los Angeles, California.
Forest Ray's recording have never touched a computer or any digital effect or amplifier during the recording , mixing or mastering process. The recordings are 100% analog until the vinyl and digital masters are made seperately and transferred from tape. The music combines guitar driven psychedelic rock with tinges of raw synth-laced UK post-punk, Tropicalia and Latin psych flute influence, expressive uninhibited saxophones with stoney jazz influences with energetic drumming that embodies the youthful garage punk aesthetic that fueled the group’s creation. FACEBOOK, BANDCAMP.
Casually coming into play the music on 'Laughing' is beautifully arranged and has so much clarity. The vocals add a little psychedelic feeling to the song, whilst the music on this occasion holds centre stage as it digs in deep.
Background - Ellie Schmidly has released "One More Wave," the second single from her upcoming debut EP, Blossom & Bone. Composer Jordan Critz arranged strings for "One More Wave," with Todd Gummerman (of MuteMath) producing this song along with the rest of Blossom & Bone. "One More Wave" is available today at all digital outlets, with Blossom & Bone following on May 11.
"'One More Wave' is about the bittersweetness of beautiful moments in life," recalls Schmidly. "I sometimes find myself celebrating joyful times only to be interrupted by the fact that the moment will pass. It seems grim, but I think it gives us freedom to find gratitude for something in every season of life."
Ellie’s journey to this point is a serendipitous story. Starting to write and record this EP was daunting process because she felt so far behind everyone else. She hadn't set out to become a songwriter. She wasn't attending a music program in Nashville, and wasn't considering music as her career path. Instead, her music was discovered by famed producer Charlie Peacock (The Civil Wars, The Lone Bellow) after one of her performances was posted to Twitter.
Peacock was so taken with her Springfield, MO house show performance that he reached out to her the very next day to introduce himself. Peacock invited Ellie to Nashville to partake in songwriting sessions and introduced her to those in the community that could help cultivate her music. She says Charlie’s encouragement was life-changing. It turned out to be literally life-changing because she left her home, friends, family, and school in Missouri where she was studying public policy, to make the move to Nashville. After years of learning, working, and continually writing, Ellie has arrived at this seminal point when she'll unveil her debut, Blossom & Bone. TWITTER.
Just a month ago we stated "Ellie Schmidly's vocals are personable and charming" when we shared her first single. The follow up 'One More Wave' is another beautiful song, once again the vocals are enticing and melodic, the music is in fine harmony, this really is something special.
Background - Formed in Wakefield, but now based in Manchester, Hover Bored are an up-and-coming grunge-pop quartet set to release their new single, the fiery, exhilarating Safe Side on March 30th.
Searing riffs, rolling bass, crashing drums and bratty vocals coalesce into a fiercely infectious track. Only just breaking the two-minute barrier, it calls to mind the likes of Dinosaur Pile-Up, Honey Lung and King Nun. Hover Bored’s sound is a fuzzy concoction of modern grunge and scuzzed out power-pop.
“With our music constantly adapting, 'Safe Side' captures the progression we have made over the past year” the guys explain,“It began as a throwaway idea until we made it the ending of another song. We fell in love with the energy that this small interlude brought to rehearsals and shows; so we decided to make it a full track.”
Gigging extensively across the key cities in the musical hot-bed that is the North West of England, Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds, it’s no surprise the four-piece bring to their recordings an urgency usually reserved for blisteringly loud live sets in grimy, sticky venues.
Safe Side was recorded with Sugar House, who have produced records by Pale Waves, Vynce and Larkins, at Catalyst studios in Manchester, was self-released last Friday. TWITTER.
From the opening moments 'Safe Side' signals that this song is going to be a thunderous affair. Guitars soar above, the rhythm is intense, the vocals passionately determined, in all this is a feisty blast of grunge rock, and some...
Background - Sydney based Songstress Esmé lures her listeners in with a spellbinding tonal quality and a rhythmically entrancing sound. Imagine a soundscape of stripped back beats, electro-acoustic guitar melodies and a soul imbued voice.
Esmé's unique approach to music and song writing can be attributed to her upbringing. She is one of eight children and was home schooled until grade 8, mastering the art of independent learning at a young age, self taught in both voice and piano. She left school and home at the age of 16 and began performing in small cafes and bars in Northern Queensland, before moving to Sydney to pursue music full time. Her long awaited debut single Come with Me was self released in December 2017, sparking the attention of Triple J and surprising the Sydney music scene with her understated sound. Esmé will release her second single I Wonder on the 30th of March 2018.
“My sister Olivia and I have always been extremely close. In 2014, our father passed away in our arms after a very long struggle post car accident. It was just the two of us with him at the time. I feel like this experience especially has always lead us to explore ontological ideas, me through music and her through poetry, she’s a writer. She texted me the words to ‘I wonder’ randomly one day. Her lyrics seemed to latch onto my melody, and my chords seemed to occupy the space in between the words perfectly.“ - Esmé
I Wonder song explores the invisible reality of human beings that can’t be physically seen like our bodies, yet we often understand to be the most alluring aspects of ourselves. I wonder explores the question with lulling electric guitar patterns and subtle synths, to what extent are we transcendent? Esmé music is reflective of the person she is; quiet and understated at first but full of intricacy and emotion the further you listen. Esmé lures listeners in with a spellbinding tonal quality and a rhythmically entrancing sound. She draws inspiration from jazz, soul, art and poetry to create a hushed hybrid of jazz infused electro soul. WEBSITE.
'I Wonder' opens with an understated musical arrangement that allows the vocals to beautifully engage with the listener. The soundtrack develops in an intricate manner, always making room for some soulful jazz infused vocals, that come together with refined style.
Background - Nottingham duo, Natalie and Colette of You Want Fox are proud to announce that their second album Reverse The Curse will be self-released with the help of Inflight Music Distribution on 27th April 2018.
After the success of their debut album ‘You Can’t Sit With Us’ in 2016, the girls have played a number of prestigious festivals including Dot to Dot and Macmillenfest as well as landing a tour in Los Angeles.
Melodically they are channelling Queens Of The Stone Age and Sleigh Bells, they capture you and pull you in with their massive pop hooks, making tunes that stick in your head for days.
Equal parts lipstick pouts and knife fights, they emit an effortless fusion of girly pop sensibilities with biting distortion and primal rhythms. TWITTER.
'Liar Liar' is one of eleven tracks on 'Reverse The Curse' a potent rocker of an album. The vocals add some pop sensibilities to the music, whilst musically the rock & roll is uncompromising as it barnstorms from song to song. There are shades of Blondie's debut album on occasion, but with more power, whatever the comparisons this is one vigorous rocker.
Background - Frog Eyes are set to release their final album Violet Psalms May 18th on Paper Bag Records. Frog Eyes have announced a North American tour in support of the album. Frog Eyes have made their last album. 17 years after their teetering debut, the Vancouver band unveils Violet Psalms—a giddy lament; a gnashing jubilee; a rain-drenched allocution on hope vs. horror, paradise vs. pride, Marx and Brexit and bad acid trips.
It's an ending like a beginning. "We were trying to pretend it was our first record," Carey Mercer says. This is their final record, Frog Eyes' last gasp—but the art-rockers wanted to capture the energy of a debut, the freedom you feel "when there's no expectation that anyone will actually listen." They made it at home, burrowing under the house where Mercer lives with drummer Melanie Campbell. The goal was to blot out the world, focusing on what they could grow down there, four musicians in a basement. Could they squeeze out ten songs? Was there enough paste in the tube to squeeze out 10? "In the end there was. Which is rad."
No guests, no engineers. A self-invention. Violet Psalms began with its frantic, reverb-drenched guitar, squiggling over a modulation pedal. Next Mercer and Campbell concocted the drum parts—imagining them as onomatopoeia then recording them in fragments, kickdrum by kickdrum, tom by tom, with tailored effects. "The goal was to disorientate," Mercer explains, but also to work by instinct, gut—a cut-up of music and image, songs that coil back and kiss. The band pruned as they went, adding Terri Upton's bass parts, taking other parts away. Whereas past LPs used piano, Shyla Seller worked with shimmering synths—chords like bleeding water colour, shadows casting on a wall. TWITTER.
Tour Dates: May 11th, Kamloops, venue TBA* May 12th, Kelowna, Milkcrate Records* May 18th, Toronto, Handlebar* May 19th, Montreal, The Ritz* May 20th, Ottawa, The Warehouse* May 21st, Hamilton, Mill's Hardware* May 25th, Victoria, Copper Owl* May 26th, Vancouver, China Cloud* June 29th, Bellingham, Shakedown Tavern* June 30th, Portland, The Bunk Bar* July 1st, Seattle, Sunset Tavern* July 3rd: LA, The Moroccan Lounge*$ July 5th: SF, Bottom of the Hill*$ July 7th: NYC, Elsewhere: Zone One*# July 8th: Philadelphia, Johnny Brenda's* July 9th, Washington DC, DC9 club* * = With Hello Blue Roses $ = With Skygreen Leopards # = With Zachary Cale
The vocals on 'Idea Man' are different in a wonderful way, the music is fresh and vibrant and the art rock direction is refined. In summary, this is one of those songs that impacts hard, it's fabulous.
Background - The Rare Occasions have been steadily releasing new music since 2013, but have yet to release full-length album - that news changes now with the announcement of their proper debut Into The Shallows, which comes out May 25th (the renowned Spanish artist David Navas gave them permission to use one of his pieces as the cover art too).
The Rare Occasions originally formed in Providence before migrating west to LA. The band draws inspiration from each successive wave of garage rock, while always putting their own dark spin on it.
Their sound melds angular guitar riffs with indie pop melodies, evidenced by their previous songs like the blistering psych-anthem “Dysphoric” (from Feelers) to the dreamlike track “Bug Eyes” (from Futureproof). This variability and depth of styles, layered with lyrical themes of existentialism and self-reflection, are what both define them and set them apart.
Primarily recorded in their cramped LA rehearsal space, The Rare Occasions’ debut bring their northeast sensibilities with them to California… the record delves deeper into the musical and lyrical concepts which have come to define the band’s aesthetic. WEBSITE.
Expansive indie rock comes to us in the form of 'Mercy Mercy' packing some slick guitar sounds and vocals that plead for your attention. The band are tight and rhythmic as they slide out some fine hooks with apparent ease.
Background from Lavender Child - I released my debut EP “Reflections” independently this past fall. Yet, I was eager to dig deeper into my artistic vision. I created a collection of videos that premiered in January to a private audience of over 120 people at Ildsjel Collective in Toronto’s east end. Two videos (“Happy Illusions”, “Beautiful Landscapes”) have since been released publicly, with two more to be released in Spring 2018.
Plutomania is the story of a person who has always valued wealth and material possessions over personal relationships. As the person nears the end of their life they reflect on their past and come to the realization of deep loneliness and sorrow. There is an enormous range of dynamics and emotion throughout the song as the narrative moves through the process of realization, denial and acceptance.
The music video features the plutomaniac erotically and ravenously consuming “the fruits of their labors” and in the closing scene these indulgences come to an abrupt end. The production for Plutomania was proudly run by an all female crew, both behind and in front of the lens. With performance by Michaela Woeller, special thanks to Emma Aurelia/ Jessie Gaumond and front-woman Stephanie Traplin directing/filming/editing/ and providing the fashion from her shop Take Time Vintage. TWITTER, BANDCAMP.
With 'Plutomania' we have an intriguing subject, a creative and thought provoking video, however for me, most of all we have a gorgeous song. I thoroughly recommend checking out the full EP, where the vocals are mesmerising, the musical arrangements beautifully crafted and as debut releases go, this one is very special.
Background - Moonshine Booze present 'Happy' as the second single off their debut album 'Desert Road', released via Seahorse Recordings. Along with that they reveal a new surreal video shot against the backdrop of vivid Kafkaesque scenery. Written by Emiliano Zapata and realized with the masterful supervision of videographer Jessica Montebello, who shot and edited the clip, in addition to her tremendous artistic contribution involving certain peculiar characters.
This story juxtaposes the immense landscape of the scorching desert with a smoky and dark journey that projects through an illusory door. Darkness and light, solitude and freedom side-by-side and yet opposite, and the fragile equilibrium of the characters, such as the emblematic clown, obsessed by chronic mood swings. These are allegories of the most arduous and torturing journey the mind can conceive - a journey towards happiness and the demolition of 'social rules' that inevitably tide the mind within stringent tormentuous borders.
Combining grit blues rock with alternative country, Moonshine Booze's music has been described as psychedelic country blues-tinged rock, as well as brazen desert alcoholic acoustic rock. The album's release was preceded by their first single 'The Place', along with a fiery retro-freakish yet humorous video.
Moonshine Booze formed in the summer of 2014 in Teramo, Italy. This trio is comprised of Andrea Manila (vocals), Emiliano Zapata (guitar) and Fabio Manchos (drums). The video for 'The Place' was a collaborative effort between Emiliano Zapata and Josh Heisenberg, with Zapata writing the scenario, Josh handling the filming and editing, and both on direction. Having been active on the music scene for over twenty years in various bands, both in Italy and The USA, the trio has gathered and relaborated experiences from different musical genres, putting them to good use in their new project. BANDCAMP.
Back in February we featured 'The Place' by Moonshine Booze and the second single 'Happy' is a welcome follow up. We considered the album back then and remarked "This is a band that are hard to put into just one genre as is made clear with the above promo piece. That they are highly original, creative, and perhaps just a little crazy should be taken as read, you can add fun and emotive, such is the variety packed into the collection." As 'Happy' demonstrates I feel those comments were valid and if I might be so bold, are now endorsed even further...
Background - HARE is the project of New Jersey based songwriter and musician Sebastien Isaac, accompanied by drummer Michael Santa Cruz, keyboardist Jon Caplan, and guitarists James Licata and Graham Orbe. After honing his songwriting during his time in college, Isaac returned to NJ and began showcasing at open mics around the tri-state area.
He soon began collaborating with Santa Cruz, Caplan, Licata and Orbe, developing a new unified sound, and set his sights on breaking into the New York City music scene.
Seb, admittedly, doesn't have all the answers. The NYC based pop-rock artist understands that his journey, up till now, has all the benchmarks of many millennial coming-of-age stories: a passion placed on the back burner, pursuing a pricey degree, accumulation of debt, a transitional period of stasis, and, finally, lifting the passion off the back burner in spite of all the raised eyebrows.
He knows that happiness may just be a fool’s errand, but that’s what makes his devoted search for it on his debut release so seductive. Even though immensely personal, he hopes that his music will be a place where others will be able to place their own agitation, insecurity, and confusion as well. TWITTER.
There is a warm relaxed vibe that flows through 'Rolls Along' a gorgeous alt rocker, which gradually adds layers of refined sound, providing an imaginative backdrop for the enticing vocals and harmonies that make this one very catchy song.
Background from Jaunt - We’re very pleased to announce our forthcoming EP, Cue, out on April 13th. The yin to Chat’s yang, it moves away from our previous light-hearted tendencies to something a little deeper and darker. Featuring vocals from Caitlin Woelfle-O’Brien (AKA Blunt Chunks) and Eliza Niemi of Mauno, Cue also finds the five of us collaborating more than ever before. The songs end up evolving into something we never could have imagined from their starting point.
“Faster Interactions” is probably our zaniest track to date! It was one of the first written for Cue, but also took the longest to complete. We quickly knew that it would be a single, and playing it repeatedly live has helped us finesse it’s nuances. Caitlin and Eliza really helped bring a new energy and dynamic, ultimately making the song more joyous. We’re also trying very hard to bring back the sound of cheap keyboard orchestra hits in pop music. :)
The video for “Faster Interactions” is a bit goofy. It’s a bit disturbing. The idea was born out of wanting to create something that complimented the unhinged nature of the song, while not taking ourselves too seriously. We had a lot of fun with the body-cam shots. TWITTER.
Aside from the intriguing video for 'Faster Interactions' we are treated to a fabulous tune that is different in a good sort of way. The band describe the track as zany, and yes there is that to it, it's also mightily addictive, keeping me coming back for more.
Background - Fusing angular art rock and lilting high-life melodies into their uniquely danceable tropical indie sonics, ‘Love Gotten’ finds Bokito in a reflective mood, lyrically at least. The song is, explains singer Moses, “about desperately rushing into a new relationship when your heart has in no way healed. And the true selfishness that goes with hurting good people as a result.”
Such an honest confessional doesn’t stop the band’s third single from being another that could prise the most reluctant wallflower from the back of the party, however, as the fat contrapuntal groove of ‘Love Gotten’ cuts a hip-swaying swathe beneath Moses’ crisscrossing soprano vocal until the whole band combine as one to elevate the slamming chorus. It almost goes without saying for a Bokito release, but ‘Love Gotten’ is a blast from first note to last.
Having signed to Lost In The Manor Records in early 2017, Bokito’s first two singles, ‘Better at Getting Worse’ and ‘Aloof’ took plaudits and radio plays in plentiful measure, while the band’s jaw-dropping live sets included rousing the rabble in front of a feverish full house at Brighton’s Great Escape, a clamorous full field at LeeFest and a psyched-up capacity crowd at Dublin’s Hard Working-Class Heroes showcase when the band, London-based but largely Irish-bred, voyaged across the Irish Sea.
Peddling an uproarious blend of rock, soca, funk and roots, Bokito have coined a phrase for their unique genre mashup: tropical indie. Anyone fortunate enough to have witnessed the five-piece live, where edgy grooves and unforgettable hooks are delivered as if every show is a sun-baked carnival, would relate to this label. Though much of the attention falls on singer Moses – a man whose extraordinary voice is married to eye-popping stage-front shape-throwing that proves a catalyst for the audience to follow suit – the vice-like tightness and melodious flourishes of the band, comprising Jody (bass), Joe (guitar), Tom (drums) and Sam (keys/percussion), are equally essential. Bokito take inspiration from such diverse sources as J Dilla, Jeff Buckley, Fela Kuti, Justin Timberlake and Queens of the Stone Age to bring a little celtic spirit to London’s global soundscape. TWITTER.
'Love Gotten' is a melting pot of musical styles that come together and gel quite spectacularly. Vibrant, energised and full of good vibes, the band are refined musicians and the vocals add so much more to what is already a terrific tune.
Background - Explosive live sounds from a dynamite band, this outfit pack a mighty punch with a heady mix of garage rock and psychedelia. Formed in 2010 by Matt Burr and Dom Abbott and with heavy rhythm and a crushing beat, The Black Delta Movement’s swathes of sound and texture wash over you providing a vibrant soundscape taking you right back to early Stooges, MC5 and Sonics.
To witness a Black Delta Movement concert is less a performance and more a spiritual affair, wrapping crowds within their plated gown of volume, depth and incessant groove, the group do not ask for your attention but command it and you can do nothing but fall at their feet. Their music draws eclectically from contemporary artists and those of yesteryear from both sides of the pond, confidently ranging from The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Black Angels and The Small Faces. It’s abrasive, raucous and rattles you down to your bones.
They have recorded an extensive list of EPs and singles over the years, each one demonstrating an different period in their time as a band; the sounds range from the far-flung psychedelia of 2011’s Peach Flavoured Hand Grenade through to the garage stomp of 2016’s Seven Circles via the darkness of Ghost Dance and Lavender House along the way. Soaring riffs loom over like fighter jets whilst pummelling rhythm sections possess the potential to bring down the Colosseum of Rome. Their latest offering, a cover of Kim Fowley’s ‘The Trip’ has seen them paint an original with their signature captivating groove, making the song become their own and a staple point of live sets.
The last Seven Circles EP recorded at Magic Garden Studio with Gavin Monaghan (Ocean Colour Scene, Editors) gives a taster of what we can expect from the band, as we wait for the latest ep to be recorded. It is sure to knock you over, watch you struggle and simply carry on with the same ferocity whilst you look around in daze. Fresh from a successful UK and European Tour, travelling over 6,500 miles and visiting 8 countries, The Black Delta Movement came full circle and returned to headline their own sold out show, it was a fitting sign off for that chapter of their story and now they sit gritting their teeth with the wide eyed anticipation of wolves, waiting to see what 2017 will bring.
2018 will welcome the bands first album, ‘Preservation’ recorded in London with Little Barrie collaborator Mike Burnham and mastered by Pete Mayer. UK and European tours beckon in what will be an exciting year for the band. WEBSITE.
One of ten tracks on the bands album 'King Mosquito' is just one dimension of this powerful collection of music. Sometimes full on garage rock, other times timeless psychedelic grooves, more often a mixture of both, the bands flowing psyched out vocals and potent guitar driven rock, is highly contagious.
Background - Born and bred on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Chloe Styler isn’t your typical Country artist. The 20-year-old has been influenced by the likes of Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell and Kacey Musgraves to become the artist she is today. In September 2016, Chloe travelled to the Central Coast of NSW to record her debut EP with Simon Johnson from Hillbilly Hut Recording Studios. Chloe is thrilled to have co-written a song with Lyn Bowtell titled Storm Chaser, which is featured on the record.
Chloe Styler’s self-titled debut EP showcases six original songs. Her lyrics are unashamedly real and open to her experiences in love, life and loss, which undoubtedly draws audiences in and keeps them craving more. Chloe took the idea for Storm Chaser to a song writing session with Lyn Bowtell in mid 2016 and was over the moon with the final product.
Co-written with six-time Golden Guitar winner, Lyn Bowtell, Storm Chaser was inspired by a toxic friendship that Styler endured for 10 years too long. It describes how individuals must take control of their life and their friendships within it in order to feel like themselves again. In January 2017, one week after Chloe released her debut EP, Australian Country Music singer Lee Kernaghan shared a post on his Facebook page congratulating the “rising star on the release of her brilliant debut EP.”
Her unique, youthful and captivating voice has attracted a variety of loyal followers. 2017 was an incredible year for Chloe, as she performed as an opening act for Lee Kernaghan in Shepparton, Frankston, Toowoomba and Twin Towns, as well as at the Big Red Bash in Birdsville. Chloe’s original song My Heart Is Yours was ranked number seven on the International Mainstream Country Music Top 40 Singles Chart during the first week of March. Furthermore, she was personally ranked number 36 on the IMCM Top 200 Artists Chart for that same week.
This year, Chloe was a Grand Finalist in the 39th Annual Toyota Star Maker competition and performed on James Blundell, Troy Cassar-Daley and Lee Kernaghan’s TCMF shows. During the TCMF 2018, Chloe was awarded the TSA Songwriters Salute Award for ‘Contemporary Song of the Year’ for her original Control. Chloe has high hopes for the future; already planning a trip to Nashville where she will continue songwriting for her debut album which she hopes to release within the next two years. WEBSITE.
Opening with some refined acoustic guitar chords 'Storm Chaser' is quickly joined by Chloe Styler's melodic and gorgeous vocals. Natural and with hints of modern folk, the song suggests the EP may well be something quite special, as this track certainly is.
Background - Portland native, Sharaya Summers, eventually landed in Echo Park after a short stint of honing her craft in Nashville.
Her drowsy Laurel Canyon songwriting rings nostalgic , yet so pertinent to today.
Sharaya Summers tells a story of disillusionment, dysfunction and discovery. As her debut single ‘Light of the Moon’ rapidly gained over half a million streams on Spotify, she prepares to release her full EP in mid 2018.
Now we have the new song 'Easy Life' released this week. TWITTER.
Our second feature for Sharaya Summers this year as 'Easy Life' gently drifts into view and deserves to be heard. Dreamy, melodic and full of atmosphere, it's easy on the ears as the hooks slowly draw you in.
Background - Based out of Cork and Tipperary, and having supported Teleman, British Sea Power and The Wedding Present in recent months, Pale Rivers new single ‘Montparnasse’ is available now.
Their sound sees electric guitars, drum machines, atmospheric synths and group vocals combining to create a distinctive, ambient sound. TWITTER.
Tour dates (+ The Shaker Hymn):
April 19 – The Roisin Dubh, Galway April 20 – Bello Bar, Dublin April 27 – Gleesons, Clonmel May 4 – The Roundy, Cork May 5 – Connolly’s of Leap.
'Montparnasse' mixes ambient musical swirls of sounds alongside some enticing vocals as the song slowly unfolds. Then the band take us a journey that is both passionate and creative, they are definitely worth checking out on some more.
