Thursday, 6 August 2020

Anne Malin - Brock Mattsson

Anne Malin has just shared 'Empty is the Day' ahead of the October release date for the album 'Waiting Song'. It's looks like we will be able to share two more tracks ahead of the release, in the meantime just enjoy this beautiful song from an album that is equally special and wonderful. === Brock Mattsson has released 'Are You Thinking Of Me' and it's a honest, personal and natural track to immerse ourselves in.
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Anne Malin - Empty is the Day.

The first single from Anne Malin's new album due in October is Empty is the Day. The album Waiting Song explores what it means to be forced into stillness. At times meditative, at times defiant, Anne Malin’s latest album turns inward, moving through themes of impatience, ambition, confinement and memory. Ghosts haunt the landscapes of these songs—ancestors, friends who left the earth too soon, aging and sick loved ones, violators—as if to remind the band of its own impermanence. Marked by the ephemeral, these songs use repetition to declare their intention, Anne Malin’s determination: “I’ll stand by the window / O, I’ll stand by the window / Yes, I’ll stand by the window / And think a waiting song.”

Written by singer and poet Anne Malin Ringwalt and brought to life with long-time partner William Johnson, Waiting Song punctuates the already still and already violenced landscape of 2020, inviting its listener to inhabit its dreamscape while bringing their own pains and jubilations along. Ringwalt and Johnson moved to Nashville in 2019, yet this southern homecoming—Ringwalt from North Carolina and Johnson from Kentucky—has been stunted by natural disaster, bouts of unemployment and sickness. The band realizes they aren’t alone in this stuck-ness, this mundanity—so they sing, instead, towards a garden they wish to inhabit.

Drawing from and ultimately subverting the sounds of 20th century hymns and country/pop music, these songs are an eclectic and realized hybrid of New Weird America, post-punk, jazz and Americana. A combo organ’s sputtering Leslie coheres these songs, with Ringwalt’s agile voice soaring and sinking into each sonic scene. Johnson exhibits his musical confidence in Waiting Song with full force, contributing the entirety of the album’s instrumentation. Co-produced, this album demonstrates Ringwalt and Johnson’s capacious and playful musical ethos at its finest.

Anne Malin’s 2018 release of Fog Area, called “haunted” by The Wire and “gorgeously atmospheric” by The Line of Best Fit, exhibited an unsettled movement through genre. Drawing from this fluidity, but rooted in place, Waiting Song explores what happens when the band digs deeply into one set of musical tools. These melody-driven songs, written and produced around the vocal part, allow for a playful relationship between voice and arrangement. Recurring melodies in songs like “Child,” “Sleep,” “What Brings My Eyes Open” and “Hourglass” are passed confidently between Ringwalt and Johnson, creating a sonic texture that plays with its listener’s expectations while still creating a sense of familiarity. Ringwalt explores the full range of her voice, through melody and affect, leaning into a more sinister tone for “Mountain Song.” Equally inspired by Willie Nelson’s Phases and Stages and Sonic Youth’s Bad Moon Rising, Waiting Song marks the duo’s southern homecoming in the Anthropocene.
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Brock Mattsson - Are You Thinking Of Me.

The song I am writing to you to share is, "Are You Thinking Of Me," this song emerged on one lonely night after having parted ways with the first individual I began dating after moving to Alberta. We used to drive around listening to music and would go hiking down in the North Saskatchewan River. They were a heavy smoker and I had never dated anyone who smoked before. But I liked them, so I put that aside.

Months passed and we parted ways as they got back with a previous partner. At the time I was living alone and didn’t have many friends, so I found myself writing a lot when this song formed and took shape. The recording experience was the most joyful part of the process for such a sad song about heartbreak. I reached out to my peer Cohen Wylie from The Crowleys, who was working at Threshold Recording Studio in Hamilton, Ontario.

When I got to the studio, Cohen had me lay down the base tracks and he, as well as Justyn, Stuart and Kaulin from The Crowleys created over the song from what they felt from it. I turned a psych-rock band into a country band for the weekend, it was great!

I feel the song brings thoughts of human companionship and it is big. Having someone to touch, hold and feel loved by is huge. I hope the slow and calming music of the single can help take you away through storytelling when you're in a lonely state of mind.
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Tuesday, 4 August 2020

Josefin Berger - Kaylee Patterson

Josefin Berger shares 'Go Kiss An Orc - Chapter 1' accompanied by a dramatic and amusing story telling video, however the song stands well on it's own with bags of originality, incredible vocals and plenty of musical twists. === From Kaylee Patterson we have 'Other Side' and immediately her gorgeous melodic and distinctive vocals are simply captivating on this beautiful song.
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Josefin Berger
- Go Kiss An Orc - Chapter 1.

Fun Fantasy Pop inspired by The Lord of The Rings. "Fantasy is real. When Josefin Berger brings to the masses, her brand of fantastical arrangements, chivelry rises again with gallantry and utmost beauty in musical ambitions.

Josefin’s rendition, brings the other dimension to another precedence. Honesty and pure fun, lives in Josefin’s falsetto and the colors it brings," writes the music blog Comeherefloyd about it.

"I wrote the song inspired by working with fantasy events, The Lord of the Rings and the high soprano melodies of Kate Bush" says Josefin.

She continues: "In elf language it’s offensive to say the phrase go kiss an orc and it means 'be gone, go kiss an orc'. Go Kiss an Orc will be released in different versions (there is another version released already, Go Kiss an Orc – Prologue) – Chapter 1 I see as the main one".

Josefin lives in Gothenburg (Gårda) in Sweden and grew up at the countryside in Fjärås in Kungsbacka. She has alsways had a fondndess for fairy tales – hence she writes fantasy inspired lyrics for her music.

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Kaylee Patterson
- Other Side.

Kaylee Patterson has always prided herself on her uniqueness- it is no surprise that her musical style follows in this same vein. She started writing songs and using music as a coping mechanism during a 6-year long toxic relationship.

Well-versed in heartbreak, Montreal-based artist Kaylee Patterson brings a new sound to the industry, one that blends contemporary pop with a plethora of other influences, such as elements from the works of Lana Del Rey, Leonard Cohen and Alexandra Savior. Her music is at once a cry for help and an indication that love doesn’t have to end in pain.

Other Side is Kaylee Patterson's debut single, released on July 17th. Kaylee’s distinctive vocals only contribute to the experimental nature of Other Side. It was the first song (of many) that the Canadian artist ever wrote about running away and not hurting anymore. It took her a few years to finally gain the courage to run away, even though she had already done so in her music.


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Sunday, 2 August 2020

Samantha Tieger - Bag Of Cans - Komanda - Be No Rain

Samantha Tieger shares 'Close My Eyes' and it's a smooth flowing and melodic song delivered in a personal soulful manner. === Bag Of Cans are a five piece band from Norwich, England who recently released the rather fabulous 'Chris Alice' where indie rock rubs shoulders with surreal lyrics in an exuberant manner. === Komanda share 'Begin Again' where the musical arrangement is refined and the catchy nature of the piece leaves us with a warm, feel good vibe. === London-based artist Be No Rain has shared 'Media Luna' ahead of his debut album due next month, the track itself is a "study of dread" and despite that it glows with beauty.
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Samantha Tieger - Close My Eyes.

Nashville-based singer/songwriter Samantha Tieger (pronounced “Teeger”) is set to follow up her seductively resonant single “Eyes Wide Open” with a new soulfully sweet entry, “Close My Eyes.”  In a time when friends and family are experiencing isolation and loneliness, “Close My Eyes” holds hope that distances can be closed via a powerful emotional connection. It delivers a very soothing and reassuring pop vibe thanks to Tieger’s effortless and comforting vocals.

Her sweet, soulful delivery and alluring harmonies bring listeners together in a way that is deeply personal and almost magical. “Close My Eyes” was co-produced by multiple Emmy Award-winning producer Ed O’Donnell (Friends, Beverly Hills 90210) and Bobby Campbell, with Tieger and O’Donnell collaborating as co-writers. “Close My Eyes” will be released as a single today, July 31 and will be included on Tieger’s forthcoming six-song debut EP in late summer.

Says Tieger: “The idea for this song was inspired by the friends that I’m physically distanced from and the fact that we’re still always there for each other.

It’s been heartwarming to see how those in my life have interpreted the song in a way that’s personal to them. They’ve told me the song has helped them feel closer to long distance family members and friends, as well as to people in their lives that they’ve lost. Having received such a positive emotional response to the lyrics has been really special, and I’m so excited to share this song with the world.”

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Bag Of Cans - Chris Alice.

Bag of Cans are a five piece indie rock band birthed from the effervescent swamp which is Norwich’s music scene, they have weaved through the musical ranks on a sound described as “a gloriously surreal mix of old school indie, Weimar Berlin cabaret and Kinks circa Village Green Preservation Society”.

Since their formation in late 2017, they have garnered a reputation as one of the must-see bands in East Anglia with invariably hectic live shows. Sinewy guitar lines glide between a relentless rhythm section and a penchant for indie-pop vocal-harmonies.

Recent Activity: 2020 began with a strong start for the cans with gigs peppered around the East of England, including an illustrious support slot for Joe Talbot (Idles) on his DJ set tour. The band even made their way to the semi-final stage of the Isle of Wight Festival New Blood competition, before Covid-19 put a
dramatic stop to their hopes for this year.

Throughout quarantine, the band have been scheming, plotting world domination, and writing madly– though nothing is really filling the hole of live gigs. Most recently they have been featured on a charity live album, raising money for the Music Venue Trust, to try and help the music industry survive these perilous times in any way that they can. Chris Alice is a small token from a band who love what they do but are being forced to bide their time before a large scale assault after lockdown.


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Komanda - Begin Again.

Komanda is the English transliteration of the Russian word for “team”. It is the spirit child of U.S.S.R born & Brooklyn, NY raised songwriter/producer duo
Ed Zisk and Phillip Alexeev.

Komanda tell us - The last few months have been pretty weird for all of us. I just want to thank you for giving people good music to brighten their days and get through this weird time.

We've been locked in the studio working on our own form of sunshine. It's the only coping mechanism we have to deal with some of the crazy sht going on in the world, and we hope we can provide music fans with some small beacon of human connection through our tunes.

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Be No Rain - Media Luna.

London-based artist Be No Rain has announced the release of his debut album, Strawberry Backstory, out September 18th via One Two Many Records. Along with the announcement, Be No Rain is also sharing new single “Media Luna”, a contemplative, stirring study of dread, in all of its various forms.

The third track to be lifted from Be No Rain's debut album Strawberry Backstory, "Media Luna" is a stark, sparsely arranged cut, showcasing a darker side to his synth-pop songwriting. Borrowing its name from the fictional rancho in Juan Rulfo’s book Pedro Paramo, the track is released today alongside a Jacek Zmarz-directed video. Zmarz bought 50 old VCR tapes from strangers online and stitched together clips of the disparate lives; acknowledging the tragedy of a world trapped in stasis and reminding us of the pain this pandemic has caused.

Speaking a little more on the track, Be No Rain said: “As the song developed it became more of a generalised study of dread, that kind of non-contingent fear that lives in the realm of dreams. Or even the dread that arises at 6am, stumbling, cold onto an unfamiliar street, blinking in the dawn as a chemical shroud lifts and every passing thought feels altogether too tragic and terrible to comprehend. Nonetheless, what’s left resounding at the end of the song is a sense of hope. Dread is transient and so are we; with or without our misdeeds the world will keep spinning.”

To understand Be No Rain’s lovelorn take on pop music, you must first know where it is made. A south London studio decked out with disco balls, fairy lights, and fake ivy - in many ways, looks exactly how his music sounds. Kitsch and camp in places, but unashamedly itself. It was in this utopia that Sam Frankl, who records as Be No Rain, got to work tirelessly distilling ideas he’d had over the course of a decade into a shape that represented his eclectic mind.

Taking his stage name name from a Gil Scott Heron lyric from the song “I Think I’ll Call It Morning”, Be No Rain was a name that provided a sense of ambiguity and uncertainty, the latter being a theme that Sam was subconsciously examining in his songwriting.

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Saturday, 1 August 2020

Katey Morley - Hannah Frances - SYBS - Päter - Brother Sun Sister Moon

Katey Morley just released 'The Guy Who Breaks Things', it's been three years since we last featured her (time fly's eh?) however this beautifully crafted singer songwriter piece makes for a very pleasing return  === Towards the end of June we featured 'Wolf' by Hannah Frances and now she is back with 'That Night', a sensitive, personal song with gorgeous vocals. === SYBS power up with 'Anwybodaeth' a raw and energised Welsh language rocker with bags of determination. === Päter has just shared 'Sleep' which is a splendid alt rock song with plenty of natural passion. === From Japan we have Brother Sun Sister Moon and the notable psych pop/rock track 'Numb' where melodic hooks and a really fine musical arrangement vye for our attention.
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Katey Morley - The Guy Who Breaks Things.

Emerging from a long, gloomy spring, Katey Morley is about to make your summer better, with the release of her eagerly anticipated EP Hearts & Heads & Thoughts & Deeds. The first single, “The Guy Who Breaks Things,” is a dark and twangy account of a well-intentioned mess who accidentally topples everything in his wake. Ever hard to pin to one genre, you will recognize her sound: the seriousness of folk, combined with a heavy dose of country earnestness, wrapped in delightfully singable pop melodies and heavy grooves.

As usual, the Toronto-based singer-songwriter took her time with this release– it’s been three years since her last record. With Hearts, her 4th solo EP, she has crafted a fine batch of slow-cooked, sonically delicious tunes. Katey’s previous album Now & Then, a double EP that took nearly 13 years to complete, was featured on CUIT, ERIN Radio and CBC Radio regularly. Her third single “Good Little Girls” was chosen by Gill Deacon as CBC’s song of the week in March 2018. It also won an honourable mention in the Women’s Freedom Song Contest in 2019.

Unequivocally Canadian, she is sorry she is so slow at releasing music. “It is next to impossible to survive in music without a day job,” she explains, “and next to impossible to record an album while you’re working full time.” Squeezing in studio sessions after work and on weekends, she proves once again, that the proverbial tortoise wins the race. A self-taught composer and multi-instrumentalist, Katey plays dulcimer, autoharp, keys and percussion, but it is her voice that captivates listeners and that has earned her loyal following. Soft and vulnerable for a moment, and then suddenly unleashed, it is a powerfully dynamic instrument, drawing comparisons to the likes of Linda Ronstadt, Brandi Carlyle, and Sinead O’Connor.

Katey began singing, playing and composing at a very young age. As a teen, she studied for 3 years with acclaimed vocal teacher Elaine Overholt (Shawn Mendes, Francisco Yates, Queen Latifah and many more). Soon after, she left Jazz studies at York University to front the band Gypsy Soul (Resort/Universal Records), toured North America with Minneapolis folk-rockers Bobby Llama, and returned home to record her first solo album, Phor.

Over the last decade and a half, she has been producing and recording original songs, while supporting herself as a world-touring club DJ, session singer and designer. With Duncan Coutts (Our Lady Peace) and producer Scott Currie (Emily Haines), she recorded the award winning “Noah” (Great American Song Contest), capturing the attention of the legendary Garth Hudson of The Band, who travelled to Toronto to perform organ and accordion on four of Katey’s original songs.


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Hannah Frances - That Night.

Hot on the heels of her acclaimed debut single, “Wolf”, comes the second impressive single from Aussie newcomer, Hannah Frances. “That Night” is primarily a break up song that references a specific night where Hannah let go of a long-term relationship.

“This song expresses the doubts that may consume you after ending a long-term relationship”, she says. “That Night tells the story of the night I let go of a relationship and how I thought with my head instead of my heart - as my heart was too hurt to react at the time”.

While “That Night” focuses on the specific night in question – in reality Hannah clarifies that the complicated story eventually ended with a happy ending!

As the second single released from her forthcoming EP, “That Night”, was written by Hannah and impeccably produced and arranged by Lee Bradshaw. Joining Hannah on acoustic guitar is renowned Australian musician, Brett Garsed (John Farnham/Nelson). Brett is also the mastermind behind the electric guitar solo. Rounding out the studio ensemble are Gerry Pantazis (Anthony Callea/Bachelor Girl) on drums and Rich Panaia (Christine Anu/Lucy Durack) on bass.

The Melbourne singer-songwriter has a haunting and hypnotising sound and cites artists including Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac and Lana Del Rey as major influences. Hannah’s music has been described as ‘a sweet and dark musical terrain that traverses folk, pop and the sounds of the singer-songwriter generation of artists who trail blazed out of Greenwich Village in the 60’s’.

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SYBS - Anwybodaeth.

'Anwybodaeth’ is the new single by SYBS, bursting out of the seams with joyous glee.... Ever imagined what you would get if Sonic Youth, Talking Heads and the Pixies ever got together to soundtrack the coming apocalypse? This would be it and it sounds incredible!!

Osian, the band’s Singer/ Songwriter explains the background to the song:

“This song was definitely a turning point in the band’s sound, as I (somewhat naively) realised you didn’t have to make a serious, punky song for it to have political/social commentary lyrics (I know, crazy right?) and sometimes creating something joyous and danceable in the face of everything that’s going on in the world can be a much bigger statement than the latter".


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Päter - Sleep.

Travelling across the subgenres of indie is Päter, a bold, irreverent new force in music. Boasting no B.S. songwriting and a powerful voice, Päter navigates through themes of self-discovery and mental health with light-hearted touch. It’s no wonder that after just a month of posting original music online, Päter has connected with listeners internationally.

In May 2020, Päter released their first single “Dam, Damn,” an unexpectedly jovial folk-rock tune about fending off inner demons. Victoria Anderson of Off the Record Blog praises “Päter’s incredibly strong voice and vivid lyrics were more than enough to captivate and describe an aspect of life perfectly.” In just two months, “Dam, Damn” has collected over 150,000 streams on Spotify alone.

At the core of Päter’s project is acceptance. Accepting the good, bad and ugly in yourself, and accepting those around you. Every Päter show is a safe space to dance, cry and laugh at the absurdities of life. Päter has performed in venues across Canada, lifting the spirits of audiences and making everyone feel a little bit lighter. With a debut self-produced EP, SOLE, set for release in July 2020, this is just the beginning for Päter.


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Brother Sun Sister Moon - Numb.

‘Numb’ is a psych-pop song. The whole part is made of the same 4 chords, but its drum beats are constantly changing like a wave. The song is about the feeling of numbness, which might be the answer for all the questions you may have for people. Let yourself flow with numbness."

“Numb” off the debut EP ‘Some Same Soul’ from the Japanese band Brother Sun Sister Moon has a strong tendency towards psychedelic/electro, in comparison to their previous releases, and brings out the heat with its very shoe-gazey development in the second half.

After the releases of “Paranoid” and “All I Want”, the latter being selected on many official playlists all over Asia, the band has released their long anticipated debut EP on 29th July. All tracks off the EP have been added to several Spotify editorial playlists in various countries, including New Music Wednesday Japan. Shohei Megumi (Gt&Vo), Yusuke Okada (Dr) and Ayu Megumi (Ba&Vo) founded the indie pop band Brother Sun Sister Moon in 2017 in Osaka (Japan).

Two voices of very different colors, singing in English, blend into a very open sound, adding their own peculiar and crooked angle to the universality of pop. Clearly inspired by Western indie, their music is much more than that, easily tickling the ears of listeners from various backgrounds.

The lyrics, co-written by the brother and sister Megumi, depict with a rich expressiveness the complexity of the heart, and how it underlies the inherent loneliness of people, the beauty of looking for someone to heal this solitude, the feeling of love. The three members of Brother Sun Sister Moon jump across music categories with their evolving art form, an anonymous projection of people’s inner self into music.


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Splitsville - Amanda DeBoer Bartlett - Tooth Gore - Heavenly - At Baron Lane

Splitsville - Beth Steel. “They're burning down the empire, but the trains still run on time”: that's the brash opening couplet on ...