Wild Rivers is both beautiful and emotional, a song from the heart, where both the band and the harmonies naturally and skillfully connect. The new song from Magnetic Skies is a taster for three E.P's due this year and bodes well with it's subtle melodies and lush musical arrangement. The Indica Gallery have a style that spans decades and yet is fresh as the band carve out a distinct and highly likable sound.
Wild Rivers - Moving Target.
2018 was an incredible gift. We toured North America extensively and met people who share a connection to our music. However, the reality of being touring musicians means that we often find ourselves in unfamiliar situations, far away from the things – and the people – that provide love and comfort.
Our new song, “Moving Target,” is the message you leave for the person back home. It’s about what we do to protect ourselves when relationships get difficult, and the realization that cutting yourself off can do more harm than good.
“Moving Target” was recorded live off the floor with our producer, Dan Hosh. After playing it night after night on the road last year, we really wanted to hone those sensations of vulnerability and earnestness.
We’re back home now, busy writing for our next project and gearing up to headline some shows (dates below!) around Canada and the States. As we sink our teeth into some new songs, our excitement to build on what’s next grows.
Synth-rock band Magnetic Skies’ debut EP, “Dreams And Memories”, is released on 22 March 2019 via ReprinT Records.
Magnetic Skies formed in early 2018 when singer-songwriter Simon Kent and vocalist/programmer Jo Womar were commissioned to collaborate for a one-off arts/charity live show. During rehearsals the pair discovered that they had a common love for electronic music and mapped out dates to experiment with writing songs for a potential band project. Simon’s latest solo album had received airplay on national radio, and live shows included touring with established artists like Echo & The Bunnymen, Emma Stevens and The Christians - but things went so well that he decided to take a hiatus to concentrate on the new project.
Simon says, “the Magnetic Skies songs took on a life and direction of their own, everything just flowed. Although I had a great band and backing at radio, sometimes you just have to follow your instinct and your heart. And this is where my heart wants me to go.”
Songwriting over the summer resulted in a selection of songs ranging from melody-driven electronic pop to atmospheric ambient songs which form the basis of 3 EPs the band will release in 2019, with a full-length album to follow. Jo says, “writing the songs has been a really exciting adventure! I have a really cool collection of analogue and digital synthesizers, which are the foundation for the tracks. Simon can play a bit of everything, so he was able to contribute keys, guitars and bass to finish everything off.”.
The new single from Liverpool quintet The Indica Gallery ‘Wait For Your Love’, came out Monday via Someone Great Records/PIAS.
Formed in early 2018, The Indica Gallery have a blossoming sound that blends 60s and 70s pop with modern psychedelic overtones and poetic Northern grit.
‘Wait For Your Love’ is a love letter personified in a 50’s-esque torch song.
Having spoken highly of her music on a number of occasions, along with sharing a good few of her songs, it's a pleasure to feature Rosie Carney once again, this time with the brand new album 'Bare'. Coco Bans mixture of synths, rhythmic guitar and gorgeous vocals works beautifully as this addictive song demonstrates. Twain's inviting voice and carefully matched musical backdrop ensures everything stands out with refined clarity, the piano adding even more. Our last inclusion today are Freedom Fry who have a three song E.P with plenty of variety and a whole load of hooks to enjoy.
Rosie Carney - Bare (Album).
Building on over 30 million Spotify streams and 1.8 million monthly Spotify listeners, breakout singer-songwriter Rosie Carney’s long-awaited, deeply personal debut album Bare is out now via Akira Records.
Bare is already receiving early rave reviews from the likes of Mojo Magazine who calls Carney’s music “haunting” and “the sound of a troubled soul finding her voice” while Earmilk describes it as “astonishingly beautiful,” “delicate but unwavering.” The Irish Times praises the record as “a gorgeous cycle that runs the whole gamut of life, love and loss.”
In support of the release, Carney will embark on a 26-date tour of the U.K and Europe with Benjamin Francis Leftwich.
Of the highly anticipated record Carney says, “I hope these songs encourage people to go into themselves. I hope they somehow find parts of themselves when listening to them. I definitely found parts of myself when writing them. I hope they experience that—that intimacy with themselves.”
From Iowa to France, the voice of Coco Bans weaves around the globe with pop anthems and intimate hybrid folk songs – the effects of which stay with you long after listening. The American singer-songwriter, having already collaborated with some of the biggest and most promising artists (Lil Wayne, Julian Perretta, Fakear, Kiddy Smile, Jabberwocky), stormed onto the scene in October 2018 with debut single “Make It Up” and a packed MaMA Festival show in Paris.
Coco Bans’ debut EP ‘Fantasy & Parables’ will be released on February 28th, 2019. A collection of songs that explores the internal worlds we cultivate and the stories we tell ourselves to survive. A narrative of 6-parts, ‘Fantasy & Parables’ documents struggle, determination and triumph over a magical folk-gospel landscape. With support from Rolling Stone and Pop & Shotamong others, Coco Bans is set to be one of the key breakout artists of 2019.
‘Fighting Feathers’ opens with airy vocals and synths which create a dreamy sonic landscape, accompanied only by snappy lead guitar which gives the track percussive momentum from the outset. The verse instrumental stays restrained, making room for a lead vocal that commands the listener’s attention. Coco Bans lures you into a magical trance before a distorted bass kicks into add punch to a musically inventive outro that builds to a soaring height and fades out slowly, practically demanding you to press repeat.
Twain's highly anticipated double EP is out now on Keeled Scales. Titled 2 E.P.s, the 13-track collection represents two distinct moments in the artist's recording history. Side A is New Miami Sound, unreleased material from the Rare Feeling album sessions.
Side B is Alternator, an intimate recording of Davidson performing a selection of his songs in a van; it is the first fully solo Twain music to be released on vinyl. Since its announcement, 2 E.P.s has garnered fervent attention from tastemakers including NPR, Brooklyn Vegan, Hype Machine and more.
Twain will tour this spring, first with critically acclaimed label-mate Buck Meek then with art pop legends Rubblebucket.
Freedom Fry have just released their first of the year - The Seasons EP. The title track might be their most “radio-friendly” song to date, whilst “A Beautiful Day” is another original to set the year off and “Hey Moon” is a beautiful cover of Molly Nilsson’s original.
"The Seasons" is about how people's moods are more up in the Summer and down in the Winter. It's also about time passing and watching the seasons of your life go by.
We wanted to write something upbeat with a strong bass-line. The verses are dark like Winter and the choruses are feel-good and bright like Summer.
Hobby Club serve up a bright indie pop song with some fabulous vocals and a crisp musical backdrop. Rue Snider has impressed us in recent years, his ideas and musical creations are always met with keen anticipation. London alt rockers Heavy Heart mix melodic vocals with some natural rock vibes. From Italy Amycanbe have a distinctive sound, with plenty of detail in the musical arrangement and soft enticing vocals gliding above. Last today we have our second track share from Lily & Madeline ahead of next months album release and it's another beautifully crafted and hook laden song.
Hobby Club - For Maurice.
London based indie-pop duo Hobby Club release their debut single ‘For Maurice’ from their first EP ‘Video Days’ released 8th March on Manchester tastemaker label Heist or Hit (Her’s, Pizzagirl).
Beth Truscott and Joe Rose’s sound is as unique as their vision of the world – sharing an unusual eye condition they only discovered after meeting each other. Inspired by Arthur Russell, The Beach Boys and Kate Bush, the duo craft a lyrical domesticity that evokes harbours and mills towns, polyester and chip wrappers, bus tickets and slate grey skies.
‘For Maurice’ is Hobby Club’s anthem for leaving home, named after a local celebrity in Joe’s hometown Barrow, the “brash and absurd, yet sensitive and creative” Maurice G. Flitcroft, who “at all times was striving for something more than his humble origins would allow by studying art and literature and becoming the self-professed best at anything he put his mind to.”
The track becomes the duo’s rebellion of limited small-town life: “Like my own Dad,” Joe describes, “Maurice begrudgingly worked in the shipyard but never let the narrow opinions of others corrode his delusions of grandeur.” Subverting this tradition, Joe now uses an abandoned canteen in the shipyard to record the jangle-pop of Hobby Club, proving “that no matter how absurd your goal is, you can just tell yourself you’re the best and that everybody else is wrong”.
Rue Snider - Tripping On a Raft With Girls/Go Back To Carolina.
Go Back To Carolina is a brand new track by Brooklyn, NY based singer songwriter Rue Snider that has an indelible hook punctuated by biting electric guitars and organ reminiscent of the louder side of early alt country favorites like Uncle Tupelo, Whiskeytown, and Vigilantes of Love. The lyrics address the concept of psychological triggering, which in this story comes in the form of an Avett Brothers song.
“'Go Back To Carolina' is an attempt to illustrate the idea of psychological triggers in a funny, sort of profane way that most people will be able to understand even if they haven't been introduced to the concept before. Once I started to grasp the role that my past plays in my current life and began to have compassion for myself for some of my triggered responses, and once I started to really identify what those triggers were, I was able to begin the process of rooting them out."
Tripping On a Raft With Girls celebrates the need for community that feels built into human DNA. It details a psychedelic experience that the narrator undertakes with a group of friends. The lyrics are his inner monologue. It features Jon Estes on guzheng.
Both songs have lyrics that make a stab at humor and are a bit absurd but dig into serious topics. They fit together sonically as they're both loud rock songs and lyrically as they both take place inside of someone's brain.
London alt-rockers Heavy Heart share deeply emotional new cut Bed Bug, the first of three tracks mixed and co-produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Gabe Wax (The War On Drugs, Fleet Foxes, Soccer Mommy).
Starting out as a bedroom project in a tiny South London flat, the quartet have since capitalised on their early promise with widespread praise throughout the online community (NME, The Line Of Best Fit) and across the airwaves (BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music, Radio X), with their introspective and intimate soundscapes earning plenty of fanfare.
Touching on profoundly relatable themes of love, loss and finding happiness, Bed Bug showcases elements of Alvvays and Wild Nothing nestled deep within their sound, coupling luscious melodies and cascading guitars with a vivacious blend of dreamy, atmospheric noise.
Detailing their upcoming single, the band stated: “Bed Bug is a nocturnal love song exploring obsession and lethargy, sex, blood and dirty sheets. It’s about staying in bed all day and staying awake all night, feeling your skin crawl and your nerves itch. It’s also about the beauty and agony of loving someone to the point of self-destruction; picking the wounds open again just to feel the way it felt the first time”.
Born and based in Cervia, Italy, Amycanbe was formed by Mattia and Marco until 2005 when they decided to add Francesca and Paolo to the lineup, and this the quartet Amycanbe was born. Amycanbe has had some slight lineup changes throughout the years, but they currently consist of Francesca Amati (vocals), Mattia Mercuriali (bass, guitars, keys), Marco Trinchillo (drums, keys) and Mattia "Matta" Dallara (keys). With 3 albums and several EP’s behind their name, their 2011 album ‘Mountain Whales’ garnered significant success with their hit ‘Buffalos’ gaining a lot of traction from fans and critics alike.
Inspired by legendary acts across the genre spectrum such as Nina Simone, Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Portishead, Aphex Twin, and David Bowie, it is clear that Amycanbe prefers to surround themselves with only the best influences. With dream pop being rooted in elements of alternative and psychedelic rock ‘n roll with a blend of pop, it’s evident that any fans of The xx, The Naked and Famous, or The Cocteau Twins will enjoy Amycanbe’s music as part of their collection.
‘White Slide’ reimagines the ethereal song with hard hitting bass while the wobble in the bassline ensures a groove between each bar. Francesca’s tender voice is only complemented by the intricate, yet subtle production elements that can be heard throughout. ‘White Slide’ demands multiple listens as the undiscovered concaves of this track are revealed to the listener upon every repeated listen. A stellar track that aims (and succeeds) in transporting the listener to a cosmic realm where Amycanbe controls every facet of this musical plane. True performers by nature, this live version is a testament to their electrifying performances.
US sister duo Lily & Madeleine are pleased to share their new single "Analog Love", which is taken from their forthcoming album Canterbury Girls - out on 22 Feb via New West. The album was recorded in Nashville and produced by Daniel Tashian and Ian Fitchuk, the team behind Kacey Musgraves' Golden Hour. Although the bulk of the album's songs are burdened by personal angst and the weight of expectations, "Analog Love" is a sweet romantic plea.
As Lily and Madeleine explain: "We wrote "Analog Love" with our dear friend, songwriter Lucie Silvas. The song is an attempt to capture the feeling of an uncomplicated and reassuring romantic relationship. Being on tour a lot of the time, nearly all relationships we have become long distance at some point. Communicating over the internet is a great way to continue to share your love, but after a while, its monotony makes you wish you could just be face to face with the person, communicating without any distractions. In the studio we wanted the song to feel whimsical and nostalgic with lap steel, acoustic guitar, and soft, tender vocals. We don't write many love songs, but "Analog Love" was written so easily with Lucie, and captures a special feeling of uncomplicated love."
Lily and Madeleine Jurkiewicz explore the conventions of 21st century womanhood on the ten-track Canterbury Girls, named after Canterbury Park, located in the duo’s hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana. The songs were all written or co-written by the sisters, which, despite the album's poppy veneer, boasts some of Lily & Madeline's densest and most intense lyrics to date.
With a gorgeous musical arrangement and beautiful vocals Stephanie Rose's 'Luxury' is a timeless country song. South London's Roman Harris has a distinctive and engaging voice that is accompanied by a refined musical backdrop on his latest track. Fling exude psychedelic charm, the vocals add some grit, whilst the band add layers of psych goodness. Once again ElectroBluesSociety and Boo Boo Davis serve up some classic blues rock with their natural take on Little Red Rooster. Odetta Hartman exquisite vocals glide above a stripped back guitar driven soundtrack whilst the hooks dig deep. Melodic and gentle, Small Forward take us on a dreamy indie journey where the vocals and harmonies are notable and the music precise and atmospheric. Finally we have our second helping of Business Of Dreams this month, with a vibrant & catchy indie rocker to conclude today's new music picks.
Stephanie Rose - Luxury.
A storyteller beyond her years, Stephanie Rose is an old soul with a new sound. Her new single Luxury is a perfect example of using real life experiences as fodder to blaze a lyrical trail. Rose embraces the true reality of love amidst the hardships of life.
Nominated for two categories at the 2018 Saskatchewan Country Music Awards, small town Stephanie Rose has had a big year. Releasing her single “Crushed” on February 5th, 2018, she cracked the Top 100 on both the BDS and Trax national radio charts, which was the launching pad to a great season.
Playing multiple shows throughout the spring of 2018, which included a packed-house performance at the Professional Bull Riding circuit in Nipawin, SK. Stephanie shared the stage with her fellow Saskatchewan artists at the Songwriters Café at the 2018 SCMA awards weekend. With the release of her sophomore album EP “Sprout” (Sept. 28th, 2018), produced by RyLee Madison (ECMA Country Recording of the Year) and Clay Krasner (touring bass player for Terri Clark) of 7-17 Music, Stephanie Rose will be bringing her new songs on the road again in 2019 and to both Commercial Country Radio and the international media.
Roman Harris is a singer and songwriter from Brixton, South London. With his guitar in hand, a voice of raw emotion and heart on his sleeve he crafts songs of simplicity enriched with depth and feeling.
In 2016 Roman achieved song writing credits on the Snakehips ‘Money On Me’ EP with the track ‘Falling’ followed up in 2017 with his first feature as an artist on the track ‘Moving Again’ produced by Cr3on & Marcus and released through Dutch record label PM Recordings.
Influenced by Indie, Folk and R&B, Roman now releases his debut single ‘The Smell of Heather’ a truly heartfelt ballad influenced by a poem of the same title from the book ‘Heather’s Book’ written by the poet Vivian Anglin.
Roman is now looking forward to a year in which he intends to let the world hear his sound and warm the ears and hearts of many. That starts with ‘The Smell of Heather’. ‘The Smell of Heather’ will be released on all platforms on 25th January, 2019 with a house concert at a secret location taking place that night in celebration of the release.
Psych-rockers Fling are set to release debut album ‘Fling Or Die’ via Dance to the Radio on 22nd February. Ahead of this they tease with one final SoundCloud only single, Revolution, an upbeat fuzz-bass driven psych stomper, with a colourfully cathartic chorus. The quintet’s kitchen-sync approach to instrumentation comes to the fore, a glittery wall of noise ramping up the decibels throughout.
The debut LP release comes off the back of a year of sold-out hometown shows, appearances at Live at Leeds, Swn Festival, Neighbourhood Festival and singles supported by Steve Lamacq (6 Music), Huw Stephens (Radio 1), Gideon Coe (6 Music), Tom Robinson (6 Music) Radio X, Beats 1 across radio, and Wonderland, The Line of Best Fit and Clash at online press.
Describing themselves as ‘Wonky Pop’, the 5-piece from Bradford comprise of Charles McSorley (Vocals), Jack Winn (Guitar), Billy Fielding (Drums), Jake Lees (Bass) and Sam Malynowsky (Keyboards).
The quintet explain the feelings they’re chasing: “This album for us, is a coming together of our collective imaginations, through themes of longing, wonder and hedonism. It feels like an audible representation of a brief moment in our lives and how we evoke the best emotions in each other. There’s an overall positive undertone to the record that definitely reflects on us as people, and it feels good to be able to share it with everyone.”
Following the release of her critically acclaimed album 'Old Rockhounds Never Die', Odetta Hartmam has shared a new video for track 'You You', to mark her return to the UK and Europe at the end of January. Inspired by the fuzzy double vision of first love, 'You You' dances through a pastoral adventure while celebrating a young woman in bloom. In this wild, wonderful and warm landscape, Odetta Hartman explores the superpowers of romance on a sultry summer night.
'Old Rockhounds Never Die' is a bonanza of beautiful contradictions: intimate yet fiercely internationalist, spiritual and yet tangible, sweet and also sexy. It convenes with the ghosts of the past while marching relentlessly forwards.
Drawn from experiences as far-flung as riding a train from San Francisco to Chicago with an old-style, rootin'-tootin' cowboy for company ('Cowboy Song'), to experiencing the intense natural beauty of Icelandic waterfalls ('Dettifoss'), it’s a record that taps into the musical traditions of the past while being a collection of songs about living in the moment.
Raised by pioneering parents on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, NYC, Odetta’s milieu was a “colourful culture of artistry,” that included early exposure to community activism, renegade film screenings, poetry readings and trips to CBGB's. Inchoate punk and hip hop were aural wallpaper, as were the 45s spinning in the household jukebox featuring her dad’s extensive collection of soul and afrobeat records, as well as her Appalachian mother’s classic country selections. A classically trained violinist with a penchant for back-porch banjo, Odetta combines these variegated sounds of her childhood with her personal passion for folk music and the musicological legacy of Alan Lomax. Lomax is writ large on 'Old Rockhounds...' at least in spirit anyway. Odetta plays all the instruments on this and her debut '222'.
While attending college in Los Angeles, songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Michael Stevenson and Rounak Maiti converged on a desire to collaborate and meld their love of Americana and pop music. Informal bedroom jam sessions resulted in hours of demos, constructed from the duo’s rudimentary yet textured take on songwriting. After condensing their work down to four downtempo, home-recorded songs, they self-released an eponymous debut EP in 2014. From hazy, forlorn atmospheres to more heart-on-sleeve folk, Stevenson and Maiti worked with Campbell Scott (bass) and Nick Waldram (drums) to craft rich, full band arrangements.
From 2015-16, Small Forward began developing their live act, playing with a full band across the Los Angeles area. During this time, they began recording The Moon You Stand On, the band’s debut full-length album. Here, Maiti and Stevenson’s lush, folk-inspired ideas were rounded out by a prominent rhythm section, where Scott’s dulcet bass tones dot Nick Waldram’s jazzy, intrepid approach to percussion and drums. Together, the four wrote, recorded and produced the album entirely in their shared home, over the better part of a year. Self-released in October 2016, Deli Mag described the album’s sound as “timeless, teeming with multi-layered guitars and chugging beats that lend a uniformity to their quietly resplendent melodies.”
The band began recording another project, Affections, in early 2017. They channeled 70s psych-rock and AM pop with the first single, “The Reservoir”. The release was met with praise from Gold Flake Paint and Buzzbands LA, the latter describing it as a “soundtrack to (their) reverie.” The resulting collection of 6 songs, released on Forged Artifacts in October 2017, saw left-turns and plenty of new texture, decorated with their customary take on sweet wistfulness. With live performances across the greater Los Angeles area and a southwest tour under their belt, plus two new singles on the way, Small Forward is alive, kicking and ready for 2019.
Following on from the lovely "Keep The Blues Away," Slumberland Records and Business of Dreams are psyched to share another song from their forthcoming album Ripe For Anarchy. "N.R.E.A.M." is a tune about the fashionable negativity that seems rule the mood and discourse of the day.
Says the song's writer Corey: "This song was my attempt to write something fun for the album. Of course it had to be the one song focusing on negativity but I think a dose of cynicism is quite healthy these days. Humanity isn’t exactly passing its classes lately so I decided to poke a little fun at the more coarse side of our nature. It’s my version of “Ring-a-round The Rosies.” Ashes, ashes we all fall down! Wee!"
