Parliamo - Midnight Vesta - Alice SK - Sylvie

Parliamo - Life On The TV.

Perth, Scotland based 6-piece Parliamo (pronounced Par-Lee-Ammo) have just released a new single "Life On The TV", the second track to be lifted from upcoming EP 'The Parliamo Manifesto', due for release later this year via Modern Sky (The Coral, The Lathums, Abbie Ozard).

Intertwining playful references to Dennis The Menace and The Simpsons' Ralph Wiggum, "Life On The TV" details the youthful anxieties that arise after a heavy night out. Utilising an inspired blend of soaring vocal harmonies, obscure electronic samples and rousing indie-rock instrumentation, Parliamo's new single makes for a truly unique and compelling experience.

Speaking on the release of "Life On The TV", the band said: "It's a song about the crippling fear, something which most people can relate to, that feeling of hopelessness and embarrassment after a night out, as you sit in front of the TV and wither away - with overthinking, Lucozade and Kevin McLoud your only companions."

With a heady live-reputation preceding them, Parliamo have already been hailed as one of Scotland’s most exciting young prospects. Drawing from a plethora of influences from Groove Armada, The Avalanches and Massive Attack to Super Furry Animals, The Beta Band and Primal Scream – their witty social commentary–styled lyricism partnered with a distinctive songwriting approach suggest a band working beyond their years.

Backed by radio in the UK (BBC 6Music, Radio Scotland, Radio X) and in the US (via KEXP), their self-proclaimed brand of ‘underground pop’ is already turning a lot of heads. Citing influence from the likes of John Cooper-Clarke and Mike Skinner through to The Beautiful South and Fatboy Slim,  Parliamo are a true breath of fresh air, and without doubt ones to watch in 2021.

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Midnight Vesta - Long Way Around.

Midnight Vesta presents a sonic buffet of homegrown tunes, smothered in harmony. 

Their blend of Canadiana and Folk Rock offers a soundbite for every generation of the family to enjoy.

Sometimes in life, you may feel like things are taking longer than expected. The Toronto band's new single, “Long Way Around" assures us that it’s okay to take the scenic route - it’s all part of the journey.

MIDNIGHT VESTA · 08 Long Way Around

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Alice SK - Another Girl's Man.

Alice SK's debut single, “Another Girl's Man”, is a track that blends Folk with Indie to tell an age-old tale of love turning sour. Her haunting, soulful voice sounds classic yet modern through the influence of cultural icons, such as Ella Fitzgerald & Joni Mitchell, and present-day acts, like The Strokes, to create something fresh.

The song, produced by Muca (Los Bitchos, L.A. Salami) is taken from Alice SK’s forthcoming EP, “Electric”, which will be out in late 2021. On the collaboration, Alice SK said:

“I’ve been writing for years and it never really crossed my mind to get involved with others on the writing side of things; but when I heard a few of Muca’s other projects and his ideas for the demos that I showed him, I thought it could be a great combination of our two sounds and I’m hoping that that comes across in the tracks too.”

“Another Girl’s Man” is the stream of thoughts of a woman who has been scorned. Meant to reflect how one can turn ‘crazy in love’ and that love then quickly turns to an infatuation, as the song goes on and the woman subject gets more wound up and obsessive in her thoughts to the point where she becomes self-destructive. The track is essentially about romance that can go from sweet to sour in a flash.

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Sylvie - Sylvie.

Sylvie are sharing news of their self-titled debut EP, along with the title track. The latest project from Ben Schwab (Golden Daze, Drugdealer), the EP is inspired by Schwab's father's old cassette tapes, lost jewels from a recent past, and the tracing of a musical lineage. it is out via Terrible Records on October 1st. 

Schwab explains, “This is the cover song from the EP and one of the main sources of inspiration for the project. When I heard “Sylvie” (originally written by Iain Matthews), I was so taken back by the emotionality and softness; there was also something mystical and ethereal about it. It had the perfect open sound to me- the type of song I would hear and get just enough information from while still being able to project my own emotions and interpretation onto it. I think the fact that it was also so unknown made it that much more appealing."

"Me and Mike Collins (Drugdealer) started to call these types of songs that slipped through the cracks from that era "Sylvieʼs”, and that sort of started this whole idea for me. There is a musical lineage that I wanted to tap into and carry on so I named the project “Sylvie” after this song. I played most of the instrumentation on this one, with the help of a few friends and it was sung by my really good friend/collaborator Sam Burton, who is one of the singers in Sylvie.”

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Eve Goodman - Louise Aubrie - Georgia Lines - Wyndow

Eve Goodman - Wave Upon Wave.

'Wave Upon Wave', the latest single by North Wales singer / songwriter Eve Goodman is an exploration of the healing power of the sea. Its lilting, rolling melody is one part ‘Bryter Layter’ Nick Drake, early 70s golden period Sandy Denny and the other Eve’s captivating and unflinching musical honesty. 'Wave Upon Wave'’s emotive heart balances the songs questioning yearning with the need for comfort …… the comfort of being carried along the waves towards an awaiting shore.

Eve explains the origin of the song: "I wrote the vocal parts in one sitting, and never changed them. In fact, the entire vocal recording is the original demo that I created when trying out ideas late one night. I started off with the simple lilting melody of 'wave upon wave upon wave', and loved the way the structure of this sentence means it could go on infinitely. This idea of infinity sparked the next line, 'day upon day upon day'. The sea is vast, infinite, timeless.The song grew from there really, like a wave rolling towards the shore, building strength and power and beauty.” The single was recorded and mixed by Luke Evans at Somewhere Studio and mastered by Katie Tavini.

About the Song: "I wrote the vocal parts in one sitting, and never changed them. In fact, the entire vocal recording is the original demo that I created when trying out ideas late one night. I started off with the simple lilting melody of 'wave upon wave upon wave', and loved the way the structure of this sentence means it could go on infinitely. This idea of infinity sparked the next line, 'day upon day upon day'. The sea is vast, infinite, timeless. The song grew from there really, like a wave rolling towards the shore, building strength and power and beauty.I particularly love the autoharp.

The sounds of the strings as they are played sound like the gentle pull and creaks of the mast, and it feels like you're on a boat. Luke did a beautiful job of building a soundscape for the vocals to float on."

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Louise Aubrie - Ours.

Indie Rock/Pop songstress Louise Aubrie has announced the release of her 5th studio album 'Antonio', due October 15, 2021 on all platforms. 'Antonio' is a truly transatlantic affair; written in New York, recorded in London, and mixed and mastered in Los Angeles.

Louise Aubrie elaborates on the new album's unique inspiration: The title is inspired by a line from the Jacques Brel song 'La Chanson De Jacky': "Même si on m'appelle Antonio" - "My name would be Antonio". It's a brilliant fantastical song about fame being fleeting, and imagining how life might be in the future: being washed up, reflecting on the glory days!! Marc Almond did a brilliant cover of it - one of my favourite songs - and I created a vision of who Antonio might be: an aging European lothario going round the clubs.  A lot of the songs were inspired by that image - I don't know anyone called Antonio in the real world!

Musically, 'Antonio' finds Louise Aubrie in her sleekest form, pumping out hooky, melodic tracks, and cutting straight to the point. No doubt, her kinetic sound is born of a deep connection to the city; Louise splits her time equally between her hometown of London and her adopted town of New York City. The striking cover artwork is an homage to The Pet Shop Boys 'Actually' album cover.

Louise Aubrie recruited several world class collaborators for this album including her mentor Boz Boorer (Morrissey's MD/co-writer). Recorded at Studio 55 and RFL Studios in London, 'Antonio' features Frank Horovitch on guitars, Boz Boorer on guitars, keys and percussion, Andy Woodard on drums and bass, and Roger Joseph Manning Jr on guest keys. It is produced by Andy Woodard, mixed by Ken Sluiter and mastered by Dave Collins in Los Angeles, CA.

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Georgia Lines - Call Me By My Name.

The hypnotic piano driven ballad showcases Lines’ exquisite vocals and emphasizes why she is one of the most mesmerizing voices in the country right now. Written at the end of lockdown in 2020, Tauranga-based Lines teamed up with acclaimed writer and producer Djeisan Suskov (LEISURE, Benee, Paige) to create the understated, yet powerful "Call Me By My Name."

The single is accompanied by a music video that is best described as a visual piece of art and features the directorial debut of Georgia Lines herself. “I loved being a part of the directing process in this video. My inner bossy 12-year-old self came to the surface in the director’s chair.

The song explores human relationships and the challenges we all feel as humans. “It’s about the tension that is felt in every relationship whereas individuals we want to be seen, understood and valued for who we are,” says Lines. “... But knowing that compromise, sacrifice and a willingness to learn and grow is necessary to love another human. “I am so incredibly proud of this one,” Lines continues. “Djeisan [Suskov] is such an incredible writer and producer, and it has been such a privilege working together on ‘Call Me By My Name’.

‘Call Me By My Name’ continues a stellar 2021 for Georgia Lines. The recently released ‘No One Knows’ achieved top 100 radio airplay and saw performances across a range of media outlets in Aotearoa. Lines also embarked on a co-headline tour with LAIIKA and was one of the performers at TUAWAHINE alongside Anika Moa, Annie Crummer, Paige and Tami Neilson. Georgia Lines is a star on the rise with an exquisite voice that promises even more to come. Watch this space!

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Wyndow - Pulling On a String.

Following the success of their first two singles ‘Take My Picture’ and ‘Two Strong Legs’ Wyndow (Laura J Martin and Lavinia Blackwall) return with their eponymous debut album.  The project was ignited by a love of Robert Wyatt and an off-hand idea of collaborating on a version of his song ‘Free Will and Testament’. In a time of weird interludes, the self-examination of the song’s lyrics opened the pathway to themes examined throughout the record, that of being and wanting and the battle between knowledge and knowing. Who am I and do I see myself the way others see me?

What follows is an exploration of the uncertain and the impermanent.  According to Martin, they are “tunes for whacked out worriers lifting weights in the worry gym,” where “feeling uneasy never felt so easy." Reflections flit between two pendulums as each wrote and recorded remotely and exchanged these dog-eared musical postcards to see each others’ responses.  Eschewing the “band in a room” aesthetic out of geographical necessity they focussed on maximising the sonic palette of each song, doing exactly what each piece demanded without thinking about who had to play each instrument.

The songs on Wyndow exist in the space between waking and sleeping, hazy tales that unfurl and engulf the listener in a slightly uncanny sense of familiarity. New single ‘Pulling On A String’ is based on the feeling of walking familiar routes and wishing they took you elsewhere, the duality of holding on to the familiar yet pulling yourself nearer to the beyond and the unknown.

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Vera Ellen - Big Little Lions - Skidders - Girlpuppy

Vera Ellen - I Want 2 B Boy.

Vera Ellen shares a second sensational single, ‘I Want 2 B Boy’, from the upcoming album ‘It’s Your Birthday’ out October 8th via Flying Nun Records.

‘I Want 2 B Boy’ explores the depths of identity — and the incertitude that can arise from opening a can of this particular brand of worms. Sonically, the track makes immaculate use of synthesizers, and scratches our itch for a spirited sing-a-long. Equal parts triumphant and ambivalent, the sonic delivery oscillates between the two, showcasing Vera’s incredible song-writing prowess.

Vera has said on the track, “Ahh.. the multiple layers of feelings you get when you step into yourself. Joy! Pain! More confusion! You spend your life trying to find your footing and often when you do, you just step into another layer of questioning."

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Big Little Lions - Hold On.

Written and produced by Big Little Lions (Helen Austin/Paul Otten) “Hold On is a dramatically, intense song written from the perspective of someone helping to guide and comfort a friend who is experiencing depression.” We have the pleasure of including the lyrics to the song below as Big Little Lions continue to share another gorgeous monthly release this year!

In the dark corner is where I’ll find you
There’s a spark fighting to light the shadows in your soul
Heavy heart crawling towards desire
You’ve been starved
Hungry to find a taste to make you whole
feed the void that you control
oh
Hold on
Hang on tight so you can
Hold on
You’ll have to fight to keep your body off the floor
Only then you’ll find the door
I’ll cover you
While you battle with all your demons
Help you through
The maze of your mind you feel will never end
But I know that you got this
oh

BigLittleLions · Hold On

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Skidders - I Wonder (feat. Andrew James).

Skidders (aka Steve Skidmore) is back with a brand new single taken from the forthcoming studio album Friends & Family Vol.2.

I wrote the song for my wife to appear on volume 2, but rather than wait until it's release, I wanted to publish it earlier, hence the single! But as a love song, and with my vocals, I really could not to it justice - hence the addition of Andrew James' incredible vocals. Together with the bass, mixing and mastering of the amazing Paul Hogg, although a simple song, it is one I am most proud of. I thank Andrew & Paul from the bottom of my heart and I really hope you will like it as much as I do.

Andrew James: Andrew is well know in the Cotswold area of England, and kept everyone sane during the COVID pandemic with his "Stay Sane Sessions" performed live on Facebook and YouTube throughout shutdowns. I was honoured to record guitar for some songs of his songs and Andrew reciprocated with some fab keyboards on Bukechi videos. Check out our cover of Bonnie Raitt's beautiful song I can't make you love me that Andrew lit up with his piano.

Paul Hogg: Paul is an amazing musician, producer, sound engineer and most of all, a lovely friend. Not only these virtues, but he also composes and publishes several genres of music under his name and also that of 'The Ox', the latter being amazing electronica and downtempo music.

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Girlpuppy - Miniature Furniture

Girlpuppy aka Becca Harvey is sharing her new single "Miniature Furniture" through Royal Mountain Records. Written in collaboration with Lunar Vacation and produced by Phoebe Bridgers' co-conspirator Marshall Vore, it's the second track from her debut EP, Swan.

With an opening tour with The Districts already scheduled for October and her first live performance at Chicago’s Riot Fest, girlpuppy's return with "Miniature Furniture" showcases her effortless confessional indie folk, earnestly examining her own emotions and writing beautifully forlorn pop songs that pierce straight through the heart.

Harvey explains, “This song is a culmination of experiences from a summer where I was traveling back and forth to Chicago and Pasadena all whilst coping with a difficult break up. I was having a really tough time dealing with the breakup, but instead of addressing the feelings I was experiencing, I distracted myself with travel and spent time with friends. I often find myself trying to hide from confronting my emotions head on by doing things to keep myself from thinking about how sad I am, so this upbeat song really embodies the fleeting feelings of happiness while also being so depressed.

I associate great memories with this song because I wrote it with two of my friends Grace Repasky and Maggie Geeslin (of Lunar Vacation) and it was such a fun experience. The "miniature furniture" title is a reference to an exhibit at The Art Institute of Chicago that I visited during that summer."

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Glass Heart String Choir - Lleuwen - Julia Bardo - Alicia Walter

Glass Heart String Choir - California.

Wrapped in the warmth of cinematic strings, airy siren choirs, and yearning lead vocals, California invites us to pause as we begin reaching out again for the things we love and missed during our collective isolation, and consider how much they, and we, have changed.

Friends-in-arms reveling at the intersection of classical virtuosity, existential poetics, and art-film surrealism, Seattle art-pop duo Glass Heart String Choir weaves golden lyrical threads of haute-art into their achingly beautiful orchestral tapestry.

Always ambitious in their quest to create unique compositions that stand out from other string-heavy chamber-pop, their latest release California is a beautiful art-song reminiscent of Damien Rice or Joanna Newsom.

The song begins in warm orchestral depths, with Williams delivering the song’s hook, “Do you remember?” in delicate yet sanguine tones, setting us up for the tug-of-war between fond recollection, consolation, and sorrow that permeates the compact 2:30 song, floating upon multi-instrumentalist and producer Katie Mosehauer’s elegant violin melodies and choral soundscapes suggestive of contemporary soundtrack composers Yann Tiersen and Jocelyn Pook.

The 100+ string-sections and near-operatic highs of previous releases are replaced with an airy, Enya-esque choir that haunts the piano-driven bridge, and boldly carries the song forward in its latter half, bringing a soft new dimension to the traditional repertoire.

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Lleuwen - Rhosod.

“My roses are fragile, and come with thorns. . . ” Here is a line from 'RHOSOD' (Roses) written, composed, recorded and performed by Lleuwen Steffan in her home in Brittany. Lockdown has been a time of home recordings. She usually composes her songs with guitar, and used most of her lockdown time to learn something she always wanted – the piano. All her gigs were cancelled mid-tour in 2020 so she had the time.

Nothing beats real connection, so when she was given the opportunity to work with producer Erin Costelo, Lleuwen seized the opportunity. What started as a few polite zoom meetings snowballed into long discussions about production, mixing, mastering and talks about the lack of female music producers, or more so, the lack of recognition.

This song is just the beginning of their partnership. Written on piano and using her zipper lighter as percussion, Lleuwen finds joy in the lo-fi. “This is a song you planted in my garden. From my garden to your radio, to your ear and back into essence”, says the song that ends with poet Sion Llewelyn’s translation of the Serenity Prayer. RHOSOD is the first of two songs composed by Lleuwen in partnership with the National Eisteddfod of Wales and National Arts Centre Canada, with Erin as producer.

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Julia Bardo - No Feeling.

Following the release of her recent single Do This To Me, Manchester-via-Italy singer, songwriter and guitarist Julia Bardo has shared new single and video No Feeling, taken from her eagerly awaited debut album Bauhaus, L’Appartamento released on 10th September via Wichita Recordings.

No Feeling is a dreamy alt pop song, which builds with a teasing guitar riff to a soaring melodic chorus of earnest and relatable lyrics about the everyday need to do things you don’t want to do and having ‘no feeling’ for them. The video, directed by Georgie Brown, features Julia role-playing different life tasks interspersed with a neon-tinged glam live performance.

Julia says; “‘No Feeling’ is about doing things just because you exist, not because you want to actually do them. Because we are trapped in a cycle of rules in society; you must have a job, go out, drink, talk to people, be sociable, believe in something, and do what other people do in order to survive in the world. Sometimes even the most mundane tasks seem too much to handle.”

“For the video, I wanted to portray this idea and set the scene in a white, sterile space, showing how these actions can make us feel stuck in an endless loop of time - going through the same motions every day without feelings or emotions, and how that can build and eventually become out of control."

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Alicia Walter - Suit Yourself.

Following on from the release of her highly-praised debut solo single ‘Prelude’ earlier this year, singer and songwriter Alicia Walter, formally known as the lead singer behind the Chicago-based art-rock outfit Oshwa, is now continuing the support for her first solo studio album ‘I Am Alicia’ with the vibrant new offering ‘Suit Yourself’.

Much like what we heard on ‘Prelude’, ‘Suit Yourself’ sees her branch out from behind the confines of her previous outfit to explore a bolder and more multifaceted direction. Accompanied by the stunning Falyn Huang-directed video, we see Alicia show off her fresh and exuberant spirit as she sings and dances around a beautiful, old house in upstate New York.

Speaking about the new release, she said, “Suit Yourself” is a motivational anthem empowering myself to follow my dreams and do what I want to do in life, “cause babe, this ain’t that long of a ride.” I'm asking myself to stop worrying about what everybody else thinks or about what’s “right,” and to show up for myself and chase my wildest dreams —because the universe might just deliver!

“In the video, we see me at home, getting up out of bed and becoming who I want to be. We watch as “pretend” —playing dress-up with different personas and careers, dreaming up what I could be —becomes reality, me stepping into my fullest potential (and, *suitably,* a glam power jumpsuit!).”

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