SUEP - Plastic Barricades - Emiliana Torrini & The Colorist Orchestra - Laure Briard

Photo - Josh Cohen and Max Warren

SUEP - In Good Health.

London indie supergroup SUEP announce long-awaited debut album Shop and drop new single ‘In Good Health’ with a poignant and trippily kaleidoscopic-pop video. SUEP is led by Georgie Stott (Porridge Radio, Garden Centre) and Josh Harvey alongside George Nicholls (The GN Band, Joanna Gruesome, The Tubs), Will William Deacon (PC World, Garden Centre), and Ollie Chapman. Together they make oddball car-boot-sale pop songs with a sprinkling of theatrical storytelling inspired by a mutual love for Paul McCartney, Jona Lewie, the B-52s, Devo and other performative freaks enjoying themselves.

New single ‘In Good Health,’ fronted by Georgie Stott, is a darkly euphoric and pleasantly strange meeting of Siouxsie Sioux and Jona Lewie, with a playfully discombobulating mix of 80s jangly guitar, chirpy keyboard, and moody post-punk. The song was written by Georgie following a stay in hospital due to a mental health crisis, and tackles mental health, drug addiction, and the power of friendship. As Georgie expands:

 “I wanted to write a song that encapsulated how important my relationships with my friends and boyfriend were at that time” she explains “…and one that also felt dark like I did at the time. I couldn’t go outside due to anxiety surrounding my health, so I stayed inside for weeks. People would visit and watch films with me or let me tattoo them or make music with me. My community helped me recover.”

The ‘In Good Health’ video taps into the song’s serious subject matter but also the song’s playfulness. It shows Georgie stuck in what its creator Jess Power describes as “An internalised world, imagining a new day and a fresh start. The overly luxurious bedding, super saturated colours and surreal imagery reflect the idea of seeking clarity amongst inner voices that try to deceive you and bring you down.”

Shop also includes the previous singles, the deliriously catchy kitsch of debut ‘Domesticated Dream’, described by Mark Riley (6 Music) as “perfect pop music”, and the pure cosmic swing-pop wizardry of ‘Misery’, both released in 2021.

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Photo - Elina Pasok

Plastic Barricades - Lucid in the fall / Tallest Trees.

These are two fabulous songs and splendid videos so enjoy the creativity as we let Plastic Barricades explain themselves!! 

“What happens after we buy everything we’ve ever wanted?” We are lucid about our habits, but we keep falling into the same traps over and over again. “Lucid in the fall”, the new single from London indie rock band Plastic Barricades, is out on the 18th of November. Written during those never-ending lockdowns, this track will be the first introduction to the band’s new studio album “We Stayed Indoors”.

When humankind got locked indoors, so many people went on a two-year shopping spree. This constant race to own “the latest” and “the best in class” led us all into a corner, where addiction roams free and credit card debt obscures daylight. In a world of instant gratification and absolute convenience, breaking those consumerism chains is no easy task. But we have to keep trying, right? There’s no denying: we are all responsible for what’s happening to our planet.

Melancholic and brooding yet hopeful b-side “Tallest Trees” is a juxtaposition to “Lucid in the fall”, where centuries-old and infinitely wise trees observe humanity with curious concern, ready to forgive our sins yet puzzled by our self-destructive tendencies. Both tracks come accompanied by weird and trippy music videos, made with the assistance of cutting-edge artificial intelligence technologies and image-to-text algorithms.

“We Stayed Indoors” will be Plastic Barricades’ third full-length album, taking on the tricky subjects of hope, mental health, doubts, living in the moment, courage, perception change, regrets about the past and worries about the future.

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Emiliana Torrini & The Colorist Orchestra - Mikos.

Following their recent standalone single "Right Here",  Emiliana Torrini & The Colorist Orchestra announce the release of their new album Racing The Storm, out March 17th via Bella Union. To accompany the announcement Emiliana Torrini & The Colorist Orchestra have shared a beautifully-shot black and white video for “Mikos”, the album’s atmospheric opening track.

Commenting on the song Emiliana says: “When I am triggered by nice music, I see a movie happening in my mind. When writing that song I saw a girl in a school uniform standing at the edge of a harbor looking into a turquoise sea at the body of a girl. She hears the girl's mother behind her looking for her at the market. She turns to look and then walks away not saying a word about it.”

Picture this: a big storm is brewing overhead. You’re careening through the backroads of rural Iceland, trying desperately to catch your flight out of Reykjavik as the skies darken behind you. You’ve just had one of the best songwriting sessions of your life, in a farmhouse deep in the Icelandic countryside, but none of that matters now. You’ve found yourself in a race against time to get all your work to the next studio and continue working on your album—one that just might turn out to be one of the most important of your entire career.

This exact scenario is what befell Belgian duo The Colorist Orchestra and Icelandic-Italian singer-songwriter Emiliana Torrini during one of the many recording sessions for their new collaborative album—and the experience was so emblematic of the entire awe-inspiring, chaotic, life-affirming process, that they ended up naming the record Racing the Storm.

The Colorist Orchestra knows a thing or two about controlled chaos. Since their inception in 2013, close friends and multi-instrumentalists Aarich Jespers and Kobe Proesmans have taken on the task of reinterpreting other artists’ discographies with their unique blend of pop, electronic and world music. In 2015, they entered into a collaboration with Emiliana, who at that time was already well into her own illustrious career, having released six studio albums, as well as the international hit “Jungle Drum”.

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Photo - Diane Sagnier

Laure Briard - Ciel mer azur.

Following My Love Is Right and Ne pas trop rester bleue, Laure Briard shares a third single from her new album to be released in January, leaving behind the blues of melancholy to embrace the azure blue of the sky and the sea in a radiant tropical ballad. But what is this "other planet" to which she addresses the words: "You have conquered my heart / With your wildness / Your joy / Your music"?

We start to get a sense of who she might be talking to right from the beginning of Ciel mer azur which reveals an undulating flute, nonchalant bongos, a smooth walking bass line, a woozy organ and playful guitar riffs. For those familiar with Briard’s discography, the doubt quickly fades. This is the musician who recorded Eu Voo in 2021, an EP of songs written in Portuguese inspired by bossa nova, samba and tropicalismo, and she is singing about the home of Astrud Gilberto, Vinícius de Moraes and Tom Zé.

"It's a love letter to Brazil," confirms Briard, “written during our last tour there in 2019. I really wrote it on the road, between Rio de Janeiro and a village called Vitória, in the tour bus. At one point in the song I mention a gas station, that's how spontaneous it was. It reflects my emotions during this trip. Seeing all the people, the landscapes, both inland and on the seaside, had quite the impact on me. The Brazilian nature is wild and the social life is difficult in many ways, and at the same time, it is such a warm country in terms of the climate, the music, and the people, who are always so joyful, optimistic, and attentive, even if they don't know your music, or don’t speak the same language as you..."

The warmth, the kindness, and the light that Brazil and Brazilians emanate—this is what Briard and her faithful collaborator Vincent Guyot, composer and arranger of this soft and radiant ode to the country of Joyce and João Gilberto, wanted to express. The accompanying music video, directed by Jade de Brito, portrays the sky, the sun, and the sea in vintage film grain split-screens straight out of a '70s film by Brian de Palma or Norman Jewison, with an added flavor of sugary pop. Somewhere between The Thomas Crown Affair, OSS 117 : Rio ne répond plus and a luscious Deee-Lite music video lies Briard’s calm expression, illuminated by swirling lights and a sunny halo, set on a background of moving palm trees and waves,   invoking a rhythm of joyful memories. Fly with Laure Briard to Brazil: to the sky, the sea, and the azure that will never grow dull.

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Elizabeth P.W. - Y Dail

Elizabeth P.W. - The Company You Keep.

The Company You Keep was written during the midst of the pandemic. As someone who suffers from Crohn’s disease - a chronic gastrointestinal disease, Elizabeth P.W. had to live in extreme isolation for 2 years. “I had to find new ways of maintaining my relationship with friends and family. I noticed that in isolation and with all the chaos that was going on in the world, relationships changed quickly and sometimes severely. And in my isolation, ruminations ran wild. This was a blessing and a curse. To have the time to figure out your relationship to yourself and others is a gift we may never feel so strongly again, but it was not without pain, heartbreak and discord.”

Elizabeth has a Sara Barielles quality in her voice with an Ingrid Michaelson meets Glenn Campbell style of songwriting. The 11 songs explore the human condition and relationships. Elizabeth P.W. is a composer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer with a passion for storytelling through music. Elizabeth weaves together her love of folk music with modern cinematic elements to create evocative and intimate scores for film and tv, and songs that tell compelling stories through unique soundscapes.

Her music has premiered in films at the Tribeca Film Festival, Hollyshorts, DOC NYC, Urbanworld Film Festival and Raindance. She’s written the music for everything from non-profit campaigns to congressional campaigns. Her recent scoring work includes Stacey Maltin's debut feature film, Triple Threat, which was released in theaters and on streaming services June 2022. She scored Gabriella Canal and Michael Fearon's short documentary, Seasons, which was published by The New Yorker and was honored as a 2022 Student Academy Award Winner. Elizabeth produced and scored the 2021 NAACP Image Award nominated short film, Gets Good Light. She is also a recipient of the 2020 - 2021 Alan Menken Scholarship.

Elizabeth P.W. · The Company You Keep

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Y Dail - Whizz Kids.

Y Dail is the musical project of 19-year-old Huw Griffiths from Pontypridd, South Wales. Since late 2020, the band have released a string of singles that have sparkled with Huw’s cinematic and playful imagination.

Whizz Kids, Y Dail’s new single and first since signing to Libertino is an inspired addition to their growing catalog, a catalog full of timeless, razor sharp songwriting.

Whizz Kids is influenced by Huw’s love of Brian Wilson and doo-wop: “I read an old interview with Paddy McAloon (Prefab Sprout) where he said he wanted to sound like Picasso with a JX3P synth……Whizz Kids is me trying to be Brian Wilson on an old Casio.”

Libertino · Y Dail - Whizz Kids

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Holly Henderson - Micah P. Hinson

Holly Henderson - The Planes.

With the release of new single “The Planes”, Holly Henderson has announced that her second album, “The Walls”, is finished, mastered, and on its way to the pressing plant for release in early 2023.
The long-awaited sophomore release from the UK alternative singer-songwriter brings a very different side to Holly’s musicality and depth. While her debut album, “Monday Green” featured Holly’s impressive rock guitar work and alternative pop anthem prowess, her new work shows a more introspective, and slightly more delicate side to her songcraft.

“The Planes”, is a beautiful retro gem that instantly pleases the ear with its silky-smooth layers of haunting psychedelic harmonies and fuzzy guitar leads. There’s a crisp organic sound encasing the track as stunning streams of consciousness collide in shimmering audio gold.

Recorded in a farmhouse in the English countryside, “The Walls” brings Holly full circle from her previous Los Angeles recorded album. Finely crafted arrangements, sonic musings, and playful themes take us on a journey with Holly as she deconstructs her Brit Pop and classic influences and reassembles them into progressive-folk wonderment.

On “The Walls”, Holly said, “This album sits within a sense of place. As a songwriter, I can only speak of my own thoughts of home and belonging. I suppose this record is a wandering eye over the fleeting moments from the last few years, of when I felt at home, and when I didn’t. When I felt like the walls were tumbling, when they kept me safe, and when they became my prison. I learned the only way of breaking these patterns, was to let people step over the threshold.

Due to the intimacy of the songs, I wanted to preserve the organic nature of the words and the arrangements. The heart of every song was recorded live, from the front room of a farmhouse in Sevenoaks - everyone facing each other, hearing each other, and working together. The sounds you hear are preserved in the moment that they happened. Tentative and selective moments were never changed in post. The other-worldly elements, synths, sounds, etc, were still captured live. 3 to 4 of us, tinkering with analogue synths, percussion, voices, iPads, etc, while the songs played. Rowan’s sensitivity as an engineer and producer, preserved every magical moment in his safe hands, while every person in the band shines throughout, regardless of trying to make this happen during the times of Covid, nothing was missing.”

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Micah P. Hinson - What Does It Matter Now.

Micah P. Hinson shares the ruminative new single “What Does It Matter Now?” from his forthcoming album I Lie To You (December 2 via Ponderosa Records). A longing folk song brimming with loneliness, “What Does It Matter Now?” begs the question of which is more painful, losing or finding love?

“When I was half the man I am today, I left my hometown of Abilene, Texas for the first time and moved to Denton, TX to try this whole music thing on a different level,” explains Hinson. “Of course, upon arrival I realized that it wasn’t what I imagined - instead of playing shows and pushing a dream, I found myself working day-wage jobs, drinking probably too much, and was quite unfocused and confused by what surrounded me. During this time was when I turned this song out, recording it in my small apartment with my tailless cat, Pixie. To this day, I can’t quite recall if I had already written it in my hometown, or if it was a creation from those lonely Denton days of my youth. I do know that it captured a very lonely, sad, and painful time for me, struggling with the concept of whether losing love or gaining love is more painful.”

He continues, “Whether the beginnings or ends are more heartbreaking, I am sure I will never know. I am not sure if we as humans will ever know. Yet, within these simple lines I sing, knowing doesn’t really matter. There is pain in our lives, and where it comes from maybe doesn’t matter as much as the fact that it exists. It doesn’t define us: our pain. It doesn’t control us: our pain. It is a teacher with lessons we must learn, and there is beauty in that.”

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The Money War - Rogue Jones - Nadine Khouri

The Money War - Somebody Loves You.

It's something that we can easily lose sight of, but WA indie-pop songwriting duo The Money War are here to remind us all of an important truth with their beautifully special new song, 'Somebody Loves You', released yesterday.

The Money War is the musical and romantic partnership of Carmen Pepper and Dylan Ollivierre. Making music together since 2016, the BMG/Mirror Publishing-signed pair have toured with none other than Meg Mac, Dope Lemon, Holy Holy and were handpicked by Neil Finn to open for his shows. In addition to playing local festival FOTSUN, they've also crossed the seas for the eponymous SXSW, BIGSOUND and Southbound Festival. They've received a stack of nominations along the way, most notably having debut album 'Home' up for the Australian Music Prize.

With two albums, and three EP's under their belts after the release of 'Blood' EP in 2021, Pepper and Ollivierre continue to add their ever-growing catalogue of music. They now share the important message found on 'Somebody Loves You'.

The track's uplifting melody melts with sincerity from the very first taste. Generously encompassing the undeniable force of love, 'Somebody Loves You' is yet another gem that affirms their knack for songwriting, with the Midas touch afforded by the chemistry of their pairing. It's an instant classic that will leave listeners floating into the ether, or perhaps into the arms of somebody that loves them.

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Rogue Jones - Triongl Dyfed.

'Triongl Dyfed' (The Dyfed Triangle), was the name for the area of west Wales in which there were multiple UFO sightings in the 1970s and 1980s. The central concept of the song is an imagined conspiracy theory that the Meibion Glyndwr holiday cottage arson attacks were carried out by aliens.

Mostly sung from the point of view of the extra-terrestrials – the song borrows from ‘Mae Gen i Het Tri Chornel’ an old welsh nursery rhyme, quotes 70s rockers Edward H Dafis’ hit ‘Mae’n Braf Cael Byw Mewn Tŷ Haf’ (‘It’s nice to live in a holiday home’) and name-checks the legendary singer and actor Bryn Fôn, who was falsely arrested on suspicion of being a member of Meibion Glyndwr, as well as Owain Glyndŵr himself. Both Edward H and Bryn Fôn were extremely accommodating in allowing the band to reference them – Owain Glyndŵr’s silence on the matter is deafening.

As with the whole album, it was recorded in Tŷ Drwg Studios, Grangetown with Frank Naughton and features appearances from Llŷr Parri on drums and Harri Rees on clarinet with everything else performed by Bethan and Ynyr.

"We believe that the second home crisis in Wales is completely out of hand we believe that government should intervene to prevent house prices from rising so dramatically and to allow young people who grew up in the area to buy an affordable home where they live" said the band. 

In case the lyrics get misconstrued; Rogue Jones are categorically not suggesting that burning second homes is the right thing to do - this is a song about aliens coming down from outer space to burn holiday homes.

Libertino · Rogue Jones - Triongl Dyfed

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Nadine Khouri - Keep On Pushing These Walls.

The Beirut-born now London-based singer-songwriter, Nadine Khouri is today sharing her new single, "Keep On Pushing The Walls" – the track emerges as the second to be lifted from Khouri's new album, Another Life which has found support so far from BBC 6 Music and Uncut. The new album, out November 18 via French label, Tailtres was recorded in London and Bristol with longtime collaborator, John Parish (PJ Harvey, Dry Cleaning) and follows her critically-acclaimed debut, The Salted Air which found praise from MOJO, Uncut, Clash, Drowned in Sound, Brooklyn Vegan and many more upon release.

On Another Life, Khouri and Parish take a minimalistic approach to both vocals and music alike: there is a serene, dreamlike quality to the songs, suffused with otherworldly, beatific textures. The soul-inflected “Keep On Pushing These Walls”, set to a stripped-down drum machine and Mellotron saxophones, is a joyous tribute to the late Canadian singer-songwriter Lhasa, who passed away in 2010 aged just 37.

“I wrote Keep On Pushing These Walls in tribute to the late, great Lhasa de Sela,” explains Nadine. “I'd seen Leslie Feist, Melissa Laveaux and others pay tribute to her life and work at the Barbican in London and came home and wrote this song. More generally, it's about songs written by another that open us up to ourselves, to each other and to the world.

“Lhasa was a one-of-a-kind artist, whose music has accompanied me all throughout my life,” she continues. “People often talk about her as an extraordinary singer or performer, but she was equally a brilliant songwriter and storyteller. I often wonder what Lhasa would make of the world today. Her humility, openness and quest for authenticity always inspire me. Her music was expansive, beyond language and genre - she sang from and for the soul.”

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