Eliza Shaddad - Becca Mancari - Clare Means - Omni - Mystery Art Orchestra

Eliza Shaddad - White Lines.

Background - Eliza Shaddad is back with 'White Lines', the first preview from her long-awaited debut album Future.

Eliza Shaddad's singular artistry was not formed in any one crucible alone, her work is the flourishing product of modernity without borders. Born to Sudanese and Scottish parents, she’s the descendant of a long line of progressive artists and poets dating back to the 1800s. She also speaks four languages and holds an MPhil in Philosophy and spent a postgraduate year at the Guildhall School studying Jazz Vocal Improvisation. Not beholden to the politics of indie or commercial regionalism, every facet of her music, from vocals to lyricism to performance and production, is the purest distillation of herself.

Even without the fascinating esoteric trivia that radiates from of her unique background, Eliza is a musician fit for the world stage. Having released two EPs on indie label Beatnik Creative, her music has found acclaim amongst the loftiest tastemakers. On the airwaves Shaddad’s slick songwriting has gained followings from all the key tastemakers across Beats 1, Radio X and BBC Radio 1, 2, and 6Music, along with critical support from publications as diverse as FADER, Sterogum, i-D, Nylon, Wonderland and The Sunday Times to name a few.

Her latest single ‘White Lines’ is the first to be taken from her upcoming album Future, which is produced by her Mercury-nominated longtime collaborator Chris Bond who also worked on her Run and Waters EPs. With it’s chorus-soaked guitars and throbbing leviathan bass grooves, it grips with a vitality and cleverness that’s rarely seen in indie of any period. Nothing feels spare in Eliza’s impassioned performance as she voraciously co-opts a nostalgic love of classic melodic-pop songwriting into her effortless alt-rock soundscapes. On writing the song during a spell of solitary travelling up Australia’s east coast Eliza says: "White Lines is about the jubilation felt on finally being brave, making the right decision, and heading into the great unknown." TWITTER.

Eliza Shaddad's vocals are melodic and smooth on 'White Lines' whilst the music arrangement is faster paced as it adds layers of instrumentation and ups the energy level. Indie pop/rock with plenty of hooks.

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Becca Mancari - Golden (Acoustic).

Background - Becca Mancari has released a new recording of her song "Golden" that originally appeared on her 2017 debut album Good Woman. The new version was produced by Juan Solorzano and features harmonies from Mancari's Bermuda Triangle bandmates Brittany Howard and Jesse Lafser.

"'Golden' is one of those songs that just keeps coming back. The story lives on. For this version, I wanted to recreate the song in way that focused on the vocals and felt dreamy like a memory," explains Mancari. "Juan Solorzano produced and wrote the most beautiful strings on this song which help bring the listener to such a special place.

I have been singing 'Golden' on the road with my other band, Bermuda Triangle, and I was thrilled to have my band mates and best friends, Jesse Lafser and Brittany Howard, on harmonies. It's just such a special moment for me, tracked in the same room at Trace Horse Studies. I could not be more excited to share this stripped down version of 'Golden!'" WEBSITE.

The new acoustic version of 'Golden' is gorgeous. The vocals are pristine, the harmonies beautiful, and the music is both calm and arranged to a very high standard. A perfect unwind song to dream away to.


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Clare Means - Hollywood Zoo.

Background - In today's world, the definition of a Folk/Americana artist is constantly evolving. Finding roots in the politically turbulent 60s, folk artists used their platform to highlight hypocrisies and expose wrongdoings whether they be social or political. Los Angeles singer-songwriter, Clare Means, is bringing the activism back to folk music with her new single, "Hollywood Zoo." 

She is using her voice to express how she feels about the endless misogyny that is circulating around the city she calls home. "Hollywood Zoo" brings to light the constant state of sexism and mistreatment women in entertainment have had to deal with. Clare knows firsthand saying, "I've had experiences that were unsettling as have many women I know in the industry."

Clare Means is known in the LA music scene for her smoky voice, memorable melodies and thought-provoking lyrics. She’s about to release her fourth studio album, Sidewalk Astronomy, a cohesive patchwork of musings on life in Los Angeles, love, forgiveness, and the recent loss of her estranged father. As Clare says,

"Most of the songs were written over the course of a couple years and were sparked by a variety of moments in my life... the day I found out my father was sick, when I fell in love, when I knew my relationship was doomed, when I got my heart broken, the day my father died, and when I woke up from a strange dream about sheep." Clare’s quirky take on life is fresh and comforting at the same time. She’s a true underdog’s champion. WEBSITE.

Clare Means vocals are earnest, passionate and have plenty of power on 'Hollywood Zoo' a song with a message that is clearly delivered. Indie pop meets rock in a very catchy manner!!

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Omni - Confessional.

Background - As the good fortune of Omni continues to soar, Chunklet is fortunate to release yet another single by this Atlanta three piece. Omni now shares the second single from Chunklet, "Confessional" on Immersive Atlanta.  

"Confessional" follows the release of "Sunset Preacher".  Recorded exclusively for this single, “Sunset Preacher” and “Confessional” are a resounding one-two in the gut reaffirming, yet again, that Omni are far and away one of the best bands going right now.

Frankie and Phillip continue to tighten the screws in their song writing and effortlessly bounding further down the path started by their masterpiece records on Trouble in Mind. Why is it every time you hear new Omni, it just makes you reach out your bowl and say “yes, I’ll have more please!” BANDCAMP.

Omni Tour Dates:
04/26 - Jackson, MS - Space Camp -- 04/27 - Dallas, TX - Deep Ellum Art Company
04/28 - Austin, TX - Levitation @ Barracuda -- 04/30 - Mobile, AL - The Merry Widow
05/8 - Bloomington, IN - The Bishop Bar -- 05/9 - Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
05/10 - Toronto, ON - Horseshoe Tavern -- 05/12 - Montreal, QB - Bar Le "Ritz" P.D.B.
05/13 - Brooklyn, NY - Baby's Alright -- 05/14 - Philadelphia, PA - PhilaMOCA
05/15 - Washington, DC - Songbyrd DC -- 05/16 - Raleigh, NC - Kings Raleigh
05/22 - Atlanta, GA - 529 -- 06/1 - Barcelona, ESP - Primavera Sound
06/2 - Bordeaux, FR - Ahoy! Festival -- 06/4 - Ravenna, IT - Beaches Brew
06/6 - Lyon FR, - GRRRND Zero -- 06/7 - Cologne, GER - BUMANN & SOHN
06/8 - Gottingen, GER - NÖRGELBUFF -- 06/9 - Hilvarenbek, NL - Best Kept Secret Festival
06/11 - London, UK - The Lexington -- 06/12 - Leeds, UK - Hyde Park Book Club
06/13 - Manchester, UK - Deaf Institute -- 06/14 - Coventry, UK - Tin Music and Arts
06/15 - Ramsgate, UK - Ramsgate Music Hall -- 06/16 - Nantes, FR - Fumetti
06/17 - Paris, FR - Espace B -- 06/19 - Wurzburg, GER - Cairo
06/20 - Vienna, AT - FLUC -- 06/22 - Krakow, PL - Klub RE
06/24 - Halles, GER - Pierre Grasse -- 07/7 - Roskilde, DK - Roskilde Festival
07/28 - Binic ,FR - Binic Blues and Folk Festival -- 07/29 - Binic, FR - Binic Blues and Folk Festival
08/17 - Becons Brecons, UK - Greenman Festival.

Feisty and with of plenty of hooks 'Confessional' is hard to pigeonhole. The songs musical arrangement reminds me a little of Television, I think it's the guitar style, however the band carve out a fresh energised sound that is very much their own. Music like this is made to perform live, something the band plan to do very soon.

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Mystery Art Orchestra - Awake.

Background - So the world did not end in 2012 after all – but that same year, the German singer and guitarist Tino Bogedaly was drawn to Berlin to discover a new one. The city's rock 'n' roll underground, centred around the legendary 8mm bar, provided what he’d been missing out in the sticks. Inspired by the local music culture – he founded the Mystery Art Orchestra.

What started as a warmer psychedelic sound turned cooler when André Wlodarski joined the band on keyboards and has since evolved into a modern interpretation of post-punk - but without losing sight of its roots. Drummer Bastian Müller is the driving force, giving minimalistic rhythm to varied guitar arrangements while electronic bass and synthesizer add another dimension, echoing and observing the musical scenery from an ethereal distance.

The result is sometimes disruptive and sometimes strangely familiar, almost as if different musical decades have been torn apart and stitched back together in unexpected ways. After several live shows in Germany, England and Portugal, Bogedaly, Wlodarski and Müller have produced the debut album "Prismatic Dream", which will be released on 25 May 2018 on their own label robojim. It seems we can be lucky the apocalypse has been postponed for now. WEBSITE.

One of eleven tracks on the forthcoming 'Prismatic Dream' album, 'Awake' is a very good indicator of the bands style and musical direction. What's more the overall quality of this collection is consistently impressive and very addictive. I am confident to say that if 'Awake' is your thing, the album will be a massive delight. Mystery Art Orchestra are unpretentious, solid and just get on with being a notable rocker of a band.

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The Vryll Society - BATTS

The Vryll Society - Andrei Rublev.

Background - Liverpool psychedelic rockers The Vryll Society announce the arrival of their latest psych-driven single Andrei Rublev, creating further anticipation ahead of the release of their debut album this summer. Inspired by scenes from Andre Tarkovsky’s 1996 arthouse classic film, Andrei Rublev is an emotive charge of hip-hop drums, crunching bass lines and hypnotic guitar solos, hinting further at the themes and ideas likely to form the basis of their upcoming record.

Having produced a series of critically acclaimed singles over the last few years, including live stalwarts ‘A Perfect Rhythm’ and ‘Shadow Of A Wave’, the fast-rising Merseyside outfit are primed for their first full-length release, with impressive appearances at the likes of Glastonbury, Reading & Leeds and TRNSMT helping them develop a staunch grassroots following.

Extensive support from BBC Introducing has arrived in the form of slots at their SXSW and Glastonbury showcases alongside a Maida Vale live session over the past 18 months, whilst widespread acclaim from Huw Stephens (BBC Radio 1), Phil Taggart (BBC Radio 1) and Steve Lamacq (BBC 6 Music) has seen the spotlight on the psych-pop quintet intensify, leading to supports with Blossoms, The Coral and The Kooks.

Produced and engineered by Joe Fearon and Tom Longworth (Parr Street Studios, Liverpool). The Vryll Society is Michael Ellis, Ryan Ellis, Lewis McGuinness, Benjamin Robinson, Lloyd Shearer. TWITTER.

Live Dates:
18-19 May – The Great Escape Festival, Brighton
21 July – Liverpool International Music Festival (LIMF).

'Andrei Rublev' is a melodic psych rocker that within just a couple of days is already getting considerable attention. That's not surprising, the bands musicianship is gorgeous and incredibly easy to become immersed within, add the fabulous vocals that are just so right for this genre, and we arrive with a song that really is very special.

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BATTS - Shame.

Background - Melbourne’s BATTS  releases her new single ‘Shame’ the first music to arrive from the Radio 1 and Radio X-supported artist this year, following 2017’s well-received ’62 Moons’ EP. BATTS (aka Tanya Batt) has also announced a string of London dates including a headline show at Notting Hill Arts Club on May 6 as part of Communion Presents - full list of dates below, including shows in support of Cub Sport. ‘Shame’ is streaming here.

Though the Britpop-tinged insouciance of ‘Shame’ marks a musical departure from the more ambient sounds of ’62 Moons’, it further mines BATTS’ deep interest in all things related to space. ’62 Moons’ itself was informed by NASA’s release of previously unheard sounds recorded in outer space, whilst ‘Shame’ now dryly imagines a failed human attempt to colonise another planet, “Maybe Saturn, Jupiter or Mars / Where Bowie watches us from the stars”.

Lyrically, the song is about BATTS' view of the world and the idea that humans continue to think if they were to colonise a different planet – Mars – it would turn out any different. Also, the song is about wanting to see more acceptance and positive change.

Alongside the release of ’62 Moons’ - which secured airplay across Radio 1, KCRW, Radio X and Triple J  - 2017 also saw BATTS sign to THAA Records and tour alongside the likes of Timberwolf, nyck and The Teskey Brothers. Alongside ‘Shame’, BATTS will release further new music throughout 2018, ahead of a debut album due in 2019. WEBSITE.

UK Tour Dates:
May 6 | Notting Hill Arts Club, London
May 8 | The Waiting Room, London w/ Cub Sport
May 9 | The Waiting Room, London w/ Cub Sport
May 20 | The Aussie BBQ, Hoxton Sq. Bar & Kitchen, London.

If you like your rock to be powerful and yet refined then 'Shame' is all of that and more. Tanya Batt's vocals are distinct and pleasing, the music simmers with the potential to explode, however it's restraint adds a level of potency, this is one of those songs that is hard to ignore, and even harder not to play again...

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Luna Neptune - Paper Hawk - The Bae Beach Club - Second Still

Luna Neptune - Elspeth and Elijah.

Background - Psych folk producer Luna Neptune releases new single 'Elspeth & Elijah’  and accompanying music video for the 2nd single from the artists upcoming EP ‘Next Automated Wave’.  Fully written, recorded and produced by Luna Neptune, mixing and mastering was completed by Alex Fernandes. Jim Gellatly had the exclusive first radio play on his show on Amazing Radio on Sunday 15th April 2018.

Melodic and memorable, Elspeth and Elijah features haunting guitar lines, and glitch beats to make an old folk trope - love lost at sea - contemporary and relevant.

The video, filmed and edited by Luna, was shot around Hastings after a nasty flu sent her looking for fresh air, and so she decamped to stay with family on the English south coast. The video is a dream-like postcard of seaside Britain – kitsch, nostalgic, but also hinting at economic depression. The track is a response to the way in which “Britannia rules the waves” has been mythologised, and the damage that imperalism continues to contribute to our global society.

Luna Neptune is a Scottish psych folk solo artist, based in Clapton, East London. Comparisons have been made to Jesca Hoop, Grace Slick and Sandy Denny of Fairport Convention.

Luna released her debut EP ‘5th Moon’ in December 2016 and gigs frequently around London at venues such as The Dublin Castle in Camden and The Good Ship in Kilburn. The debut EP was well received gaining blog coverage and artist of the week slots on Skowt, District De Capo and Dear Damsels as well as winning plays on international radio stations including New York’s Radio Soho, Roundhouse Radio, Riviera FM, Valley FM (Aus), SHMU FM, Blues and Roots Radio (Canada), 2 Lochs FM, Crystal FM 107.4, Dunoon FM 97.4. FACEBOOK.

The mixture of modern music techniques is beautifully juxtaposed with classic folk vocals on  'Elspeth and Elijah' a fabulous psych folk exploration, where the atmosphere gradually builds and the story unfolds. This is a very impressive song.


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Paper Hawk - Trails.

Background -  Paper Hawk have just released the new single ‘Trails’ from upcoming EP. Crafting an intimate, ethereal sound, inviting you into their private world, Paper Hawk’s debut EP The Tide is set for release on the 2nd May 2018 through Brighton’s boutique record label Folklore Sessions. The 4-track record signals the beginning of a new adventure for this emerging band. Alongside digital distribution on iTunes and Spotify, a limited run of 50 physical copies will be available on the release date. Each record comes with a handwritten thank you letter, additional artwork, and a signed art print. Although new to the scene, Paper Hawk have swiftly left their mark playing across the country with sets at Glastonbury, 2000 Trees, YNOT and the Alternative Escape Festival.

Recorded in the living room of their Brighton flat the record marks a cathartic release from a tumultuous few years. From the defeated notes of ‘Trails’ - a hypnotising whisper chronicling the throes of a volatile relationship - to the comforting promise of support in ‘Northern Sky’ - The Tide is a collection of songs written with a hand-on-heart approach and striking honesty.

Produced by Josh Trinnaman (the brain of jazz-IDM fusion band, Luo), the intimate guitar and vocal arrangements are brought to life with rich soundscapes and electronic ambience, creating a dream-like atmosphere that draws you in and keeps you captivated.

Paper Hawk is an alt-folk duo currently based in Brighton, who combine intricate guitar driven melodies with hushed tones and raw confessional lyrics. A collaboration of two songwriters, Rebecca Brandler and Scott Booth, the project began after the two met a few months after both moving to Brighton to study. Rebecca heard Scott playing a cover of ‘Ocean’ by John Butler and instant musical sparks were ignited and she knew she wanted to write music together. The bond was then nurtured in a cold basement flat with muted rehearsals to avoid complaints from the neighbours but has proven to pay off, being nourished into a harrowingly beautiful EP with layers that muster unique strength, blanketed with velvet vocals. TWITTER.

'Trails' is a richly textured song, where the musical layers ebb and flow beneath some beguiling vocals. The hash-tag states Alt folk, which is as good a description as any other that comes to mind, the track builds both in emotional feel and potency, the EP follows soon.

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The Bae Beach Club - All Day.

Background - St. Catharines, Ontario's The Bae Beach Club is an indie rock group playing songs about daydreaming, the sun, and love. Their ultra-smooth guitar licks and catchy bass lines are sure to provide a quick escape route to an intrinsic beachy dreamland.

The band traveled by train from Toronto, ON to Vancouver, BC to record their soon to be released 'Our Escape' EP at Monarch Studios with Tom Dobrzanski, performing as "Artists on Board" the VIA Rail Canada

Vocalist KiKi Kinaschuk says, "This tune sets the tone for the upcoming EP, Our Escape. ‘all day’ unveils an honest expression of creating your ideal situation introspectively. Ultimately, it invokes a feeling of restlessness when regrouping back to reality.” 'Our Escape' EP will be released on May 18. BANDCAMP.

Upcoming shows:
In the Soil Arts Festival - April 29th
Canadian Music Week (Toronto, ON) - TBD May 7-13th
Our Escape release show @ Warehouse (St. Catharines, ON) - May 19th
My Son the Hurricane @ Warehouse (St. Catharines, ON) - June 9th.

From the opening notes of 'All Day' expectations are set high and the song really does fulfill it's promise. Melodic indie rock and sumptuous vocals are delivered with an easy beat, and the hooks are everywhere on this sun drenched tune.


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Second Still - In Order.

Background - Second Still are back and set to release their second EP Equals on April 20th, 2018 on vinyl via Belgian label Weyrd Son Records, and on cassette through the new tape label Sentimental Records.

After their first full-length record was named “best post-punk debut LP of 2017” by Post-Punk.com, While the songs from this newest release retain the sheer power and intensity of the band’s previous two releases, Equals sees Second Still evolving their sound and progressing forward into sonically uncharted territory. The four main components of the band’s signature sound are still there –chorus and delay-heavy guitar, hypnotic bass grooves, heavyweight drum machine beats, and hauntingly beautiful vocal melodies– but they have added a couple analog synthesizers into the arsenal for Equals, mixing a whole new element into their already uniquely realized style of post-punk. Commanding synth bass, subtle ambient soundscapes, and forceful lead synth hooks now supplement and enhance the distinctive sound that Second Still had already crafted on their first two releases.

The band also explores a more pop-orientated and lighter sound on Equals, especially on the A-side, while the B-side stays true to the band’s more melancholic and gloomy roots. The EP kicks off with “In Order”, an upbeat and throbbing dance-floor anthem with a pulsating arpeggiated synth line driving the song forward. Following that is “Ashes”, a six-minute pop ballad who’s feeling is constantly shifting, at times being tastefully reserved and atmospheric, while at others totally unleashed and unhinged. The B-side offers a nice contrast to the pop sensibilities of side A, with three unrelenting back to back tracks of aggressive and forceful coldwave outpourings.

The EP also has a sixth bonus track titled “Walls”, that is included in the digital and cassette versions of the album, and as a limited edition flexi disc to be given away with the first 100 vinyl purchases. Equals was written over a period of six months, and recorded in various rehearsal spaces and makeshift studios around Los Angeles. Chris King is credited with recording, mixing, and co-producing the EP, and Mike Tierney with the mastering. Jean Lorenzo, a NYC-based graphic designer, created the album artwork, which features a front cover with a die cut design, allowing for select sections of record’s insert to be visible through the openings. FACEBOOK.

Less than a week since our last feature and Second Still are back with yet another single. 'In Order' is the first track on their second EP and continues the bands momentum of turning out powerfully engaging post punk music.

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The Underhill Family Orchestra - Family And Friends

The Underhill Family Orchestra - Chickasaw Fields.

Background - Chickasaw Fields," is the rollicking new single from The Underhill Family Orchestra, that details the strength of working together, compassion, compromise, and relational promise.

Inspired by Johnny Cash and June Carter- esque call-and-response style tracks, the song takes the sweetness that Johnny and June shared onstage and rubs a little reality and grit into it. "Chickasaw Fields" is from the band's debut LP, Tell Me That You Love Me, set for release on May 4th via Skate Mountain Records. The single is the second from the record and follows "When The Trumpet Sounds."

The Underhill Family Orchestra is currently on tour taking their energetic live performance to stages across the land, and will appear at SouthSounds Music Festival this weekend in their hometown of Mobile, Alabama. WEBSITE.

4/25 Fest. International Kick Off!, Lafayette, LA
5/11 Southern Napa Fine Wine House, Daphne, AL
5/22 Strange Brew, Shreveport, LA
5/23 Mercy Lounge, Nashville, TN (w/ Sons Of Old Town)
5/24 Kingfish, West Fork, AR
5/25 The Outland Ballroom (downstairs), Springfield, MO
5/26 Westport Roots Festival, Kansas City, MO
5/27 Pedalers Jamboree, Columbia, MO
5/27 Pedalers Jamboree Official After Party, Columbia, MO
5/31 Lions Lair, Denver, CO
6/1 Harney St. Tavern, Omaha, NE
6/28 The Commodore, Charleston, SC
6/30 The Commodore, Charleston, SC
8/25 Pedalers Jamboree, Mingo, IA.

Some gorgeous roots flavoured vibes are apparent from the opening moments of 'Chickasaw Fields' before it develops into a full on Alt rock meets Americana affair. The mixed vocals and harmonies are sublime, the band create a feisty backdrop, this really is "more please" music.

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Family And Friends - Peaches.

Background - Hailing from the musical mecca of Athens, Georgia and built on the idea that the sum is greater than the individual parts, Family And Friends has steadily gained a loyal following with their spirited live performances and “good music, good people” mantra since releasing their 2015 EP XOXO.

Their new highly anticipated album Felix Culpa, produced by Chicago-turned- L.A. auteur Brad Wood and due out June 8th, is nothing less than an epic coming-of-age tale with a massive sound that amplifies their former indie-folk roots onto a technicolor, Cinemascope screen.

The forthcoming album title, which loosely translates to “blessed mistake," illustrates the notion that while we may continue to search for some semblance of meaning, the fact that we are here at all deserves to be celebrated, and Family And Friends intends to do just that. 

Felix Culpa focuses on a precipice of life’s journey, as we begin the quest for existential meaning and come to terms with the fact that people, relationships, and seemingly universal truths are more complicated than we perhaps realize. Balancing scintillating textures with bright guitars and beautiful vocal harmonies, Family And Friends’ sharply observant lyrics are cloaked in the band’s contagiously upbeat instrumentation, leaving the listener with a sense of hope by album’s end. Peaches is from the forthcoming album Felix Culpa. WEBSITE.

With a fast flowing tempo 'Peaches' launches into a mixture of melodic vocals, subtle harmonies and a musical arrangement that is distinct and tight. Collectively the band fire catchy hooks in all directions.

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