Wasuremono - Hafdis Huld - Julia Rakel - Junaco

Wasuremono continue to ramp up interest in their June album release with 'Are You OK?' where synth textures and layered vocals combine with melodic hooks. Hafdis Huld's fifth studio album is a collection of thirteen incredible cover versions, where she reinterprets some classic songs in a really imaginative manner. Julia Rakel's new E.P. is shared in full, it's a creative affair as she digs into relationships, doing so in a very individual and colourful way. 'Willow' from Junaco is a desirable indie song where the vocals are beautiful as they drift above a clever musical backdrop.

Wasuremono - Are You OK?

Wasuremono have announced their new album 'Are You OK?' will be released on June 14th, they have also shared the title track from the album after teasing the news with previous single 'Lonely Type'.

In 2018, Wasuremono made quite the impression; with the release of their self-titled debut album, Steve Lamacq’s invite to record a live session for BBC 6 Music at the legendary Maida Vale Studios, Lauren Laverne describing them as a “favourite”, supporting both the The Flaming Lips and Phosphorescent on tour, and playing at iconic venues such as Shepherd’s Bush Empire.

New album, ‘Are You OK?’ was written and recorded by multi-instrumentalist William Southward in his shed. On the newly released title track, Southward has said that the song, "seemed to turn into a pep talk to myself, with themes and sounds of the seaside and clearing the mind asking yourself or someone else ‘Are you ok?’. It’s got a really 80’s vibe to this song with the help from the Linn Drum Computer pounding through the song backed up with synth sounds played on an old Yamaha Dx7."

With the enlistment of friends Madelaine Ryan, Isaac Phillips, and Phoebe Phillips, Southward’s songs come to life. Wasuremono will be performing across the UK this summer in support of 'Are You OK?', with stops at festivals including Live at Leeds, The Great Escape, Bluedot, and Dot To Dot, as well as a headline show at the Sebright Arms in London on June 19th.

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Hafdis Huld - You're the First, The Last, My Everything.

Hafdis Huld’s fifth studio album 'Variations', is a collection of her own versions of songs by other artists. Consistently different, she and producer Alisdair Wright devised simple arrangements that focus attention on the lyrics, often revealing stories with surprisingly dark and twisted undercurrents beneath the smooth surfaces.

In another twist, tracks will be digitally released, two at a time between 1st February and 26th April, building into a full album. With typical consideration for her fan-base, members of Hafdis’ mailing list were able to buy pre-release copies of the physical album two months before the digital releases began.

Fearless covers of power ballad giants Dolly Parton, Tina Turner, Queen and Whitney Houston sit remarkably comfortably alongside more eclectic choices.  Unexpected songs from The Divine Comedy and Loudon Wainwright III, songwriters’ songwriter Boo Hewerdine and the Walrus of Love himself, Barry White, serve to underscore the fact that Hafdis loves to shake things up.

She explains: “Stories are what interest me and each one of these has a great story to tell. When you’re not distracted by musical fireworks, a surprisingly different message can emerge from the lyrics.”


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Julia Rakel - indie fEELz EP.

Umeå-via-Malmö Swedish musician and producer Julia Rakel is the latest addition to Stockholm indie label Rama Lama Records' (Melby, Steve Buscemi's Dreamy Eyes, Chez Ali etc.) roster. Singles PDFILWM and People was released early 2019 and have since grabbed the attention from influential Swedish media as well as international blogs, calling them "lo-fi gems". Debut EP 'indie fEElz', the first collection of and look into Julia's peculiar bedroom pop, is out now on all platforms and limited vinyl.

The EP is the result of hours of music making in the lonesome bedroom. Julia works at the well-known Malmö studio Tambourine and her credits include sound design for the award-winning short film Plankton. With her expertise as a producer she's refined her stripped-down sketches to a daydreaming beautiful soundscape that develops with every listen. This, put together with Julia's individual vocals and often ironic lyrics, create an intimate and memorable sound.

Julia Rakel says that "indie fEElz” is an EP where I try to describe the very different kinds of relationships we have with each other - and ourselves. This with a lot of irony, drum machines and way too many choirs parts. People is about forced acquaintances, A love letter is of course about love, You’re not getting it a desperate attempt to be understood, PDFILWM a sad celebration of friendships, Evel Knievel how we feel about our ego, and Moviestars - a flirt with how ridiculously we’ve all tried to be somebody we’re not."

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Junaco - Willow.

Junaco is the foundation of Shahana Jaffer and Joey LaRosa. Born in the unincorporated mountain town on the outskirts coastal Northern California, the duo found an escape from musical conventions. Fleeing the rituals of rushing through songs, away from the nonsense of worrying, a budding partnership was found based equally on half-parts progression and melody. Mellow bursts of epiphany and pleas of gentle seduction give way to driving grooves in Junaco’s music, leaving the immediate fan with a delicate, instantly familiar and completely unassailable batch of songs.

Jaffer, a natural talent whose limbs were too long to dance, met a counterpart in LaRosa, a guitarist and percussionist’s dream who from a young age had been told that “musician” wasn’t an achievable career. Though conventionally unlikely on the global scale that a Pakistani songstress would find her way into the creative adventures of a drummer from Indianapolis, they found in their partnership a desire to make music for music’s sake; to write honest songs that meant something true enough for themselves, that someone else might be able to take it and make it true for them, as well.

The forthcoming EP helmed by Omar Yakar (War on Drugs, Perfume Genius) from Boulevard Recording, whose engineering and production prowess brought this young and refreshing outfit’s mountainous incubations to life. The duo initially set out with the intention of nothing but creation and expression and resulted in a stunning collection of tracks detailing the emotions of freedom. Jaffer reveals, “The underlying theme is about coming to terms with experiences and hardships we have faced and finally putting them out there. It’s very healing”. 

Leading single ‘Willow’ features warm dark tones, ominous instrumentation and soulful vocals which glide gently atop the jangly guitars. The single emits an accurate and organic feeling through its use of storytelling lyricism and atmospheric soundscapes. Thematically ‘Willow’ is inspired by emotions. “Emotions are often intensified by our surroundings. We rarely separate the two - when we are inspired by a feeling it is all encompassed by the environment we are in. The message of this music is to except those feelings rather than trying to mask them”, confides Jaffer.

Junaco hope to create music that will leave listeners feeling a sense of connection and closeness to. With the aim to remind others of our innate human emotions, Junaco’s debut EP highlights just how similar we are at our cores. 

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Mags On Earth - FEVA - Julie Kember

Around six weeks back we featured 'Tulip Stone' by Mags On Earth and the video for 'Old Ford Road' is a welcome follow up, as once again we are treated to another inventive and alluring song. It's our third feature for FEVA in a couple of years, this time with 'Undone' a potent and mesmerising alt rocker. Julie Kember is a fabulously soulful singer and yet adds so much more in her music, whether it's folk, rock, or blues, as 'Lived A Million Lives' helps demonstrate.

Mags On Earth – Old Ford Road.

Following the January release of her debut single ‘Tulip Stone’, Mags On Earth today releases her second single ‘Old Ford Road’.  It’s another example of her delightfully crafted, dreamily melancholic, electronic-touched pop music, drawing inspiration from the sultry pop sounds of artists like Lana Del Rey and Lorde.  And just like her debut single, ‘Old Ford Road’ comes with another self-produced video, which Mags shot in London.

Recorded with producer Jose Manuel Cubides in London, Mags explains the inspiration behind the single “My whole EP is very self-judgemental as it deals with pressure of youth, and pressure of the concept that you are the designer of your own life. To think we can all be anything is a beautiful thought, but it has a very dark side too. It places so much emphasis on self-fulfillment and comes hand in hand with feeling like a failure if you can't live up to your own expectations”

“All songs on the EP address these feelings, but in Old Ford Road there is self-compassion, self-forgiveness and a sense of enjoying life in the imperfect present. Being in London definitely plays a role in those hopeful emotions for me. Big cities do something to me, they free me. I like the rush and anonymity. I love just walking around for hours in different areas of the city, stopping for a coffee somewhere, watching people passing by, maybe checking out some second-hand-shops and just keeping walking. It’s one of those things that make me feel very grounded in myself, like it’s just me and the city. That’s the sentiment that ‘Old Ford Road’ is dealing with”.


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FEVA - Undone.

Hauling themselves right back under the indie spotlight, Newcastle’s Feva share scorching new anthem Undone, a relentless rocker that only further cements their status as one of the region’s most exciting emerging acts.

Fresh from supporting fellow Geordie risers The Pale White on a sold-out UK tour, the quartet are firing on all cylinders and demonstrate their trademark anthemic qualities in this latest effort, providing more evidence of their unbridled potential.

“Undone is another step towards us finding our sound”, the four-piece stated. “From the beginning we’ve wanted to write huge, heavy tunes that remain upbeat and have a hook, not dissimilar to soul and pop songs, and we feel as though we’ve done that here and hopefully have a chorus that’ll be stuck in people’s heads for days”.

With festival dates alongside Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds and The Vaccines already lined up this summer, the band’s widespread tastemaker approval and radio support (BBC Radio 1) is sure to increase in the coming months with further new material in the pipeline.

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Julie Kember - Lived A Million Lives.

With critical acclaim, chart success, international TV syncing and awards a-plenty, it is hard not to see Australian songstress Julie Kember as a bona fide overachiever. The beating heart of all her wild success is wonderful music that touches the soul. Built around the gorgeous timbre of her voice, Kember's songs are majestically poetic, cinematic and relatable – providing her with a passport to tour the world. From Tamworth and Boyup Brook, to Nannup and Nashville, Julie Kember's music is at home anywhere it touches the ground.

Capturing her story in all its globetrotting glory, Julie Kember is proud to announce her album, Million Lives. As the title implies, Kember has woven her experiences throughout the album, documenting her trials and triumphs over the years through honeyed melodies and honest yet inviting lyrics. The album's somewhat title track Lived A Million Lives is wonderfully autobiographical – a musical retrospective diary. Driving the song is the same power that fuels all of Kember's work: love.

Commercial success has flowed effortlessly for Kember, whose list of musical accomplishments spans the live arena, recording, film and TV. A true storyteller, her songs paint a vivid picture that has won the hearts of people far and wide. Her talent has been recognised all over as Julie has continued to tour the planet – from the global hubs of country and folk, to the Middle East, Solomon Islands and Australian outback. From her hometown of Eneabba to the stages of the world, Julie Kember has joyfully committed herself to the life of a troubadour.

With a WAM Award for Outstanding Regional Artist, and several coveted WA Country Music Awards in her trophy cabinet (including 2019 WA Songwriter of the Year at Boyup Brook Country MF), it would be easy for people to assume Julie Kember is a genre specialist. Alas, the multi-talented songwriter is better known for a more sophisticated, nuanced sound. Incorporating the best aspects of blues, soul, folk and pop, her music is versatile and creative – expanding beyond one style into a wondrous new thing all its own. Sewn throughout all of Julie Kember's deeply personal songs, this beautiful uniqueness is what makes Million Lives an exceptional work of art.

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Melby - Skand

We featured Melby a couple of times last year and now ahead of their debut album due in April we have 'VCR'. It's an expansive indie rocker from the band and gives a glimpse of the album which packs some real variety driven by their distinctive sound. Skand have shared a new video today for 'Down To My River' a refreshing and uplifting modern folk song from this refined duo.

Melby - VCR.

Since debuting with catchy single Human early 2016 things have moved steady for Stockholm psych pop act Melby. The 2017 debut EP received praise from both Swedish and international sources such as Amazing Radio, Ja Ja Ja and Line of Best Fit, making Melby one of the most exciting names on the Swedish indie scene. The band returned with Reject and Overthinking last year, a year which then saw tour dates in London and Berlin, as well as all over Sweden. Debut album None of this makes me worry is yet another piece to the exciting puzzle that is Melby's music and another step in what is forming to be one very promising career.

The album is out April 12th on all digital platforms and limited vinyl via Stockholm label Rama Lama Records and Sinnbus.

The band often gets comparison to fellow swedes Dungen and Amason but Melby’s dynamic sound, with influences from folk, psych, indie and pop, stand out. The quartets light, semi-psychedelic folk pop is led by Matilda Wiezell’s enchanting voice which fits perfectly with Melby’s unique musical landscape - a sound that's been called "otherworldly, and wholly brilliant" by The Line of Best Fit. The band consists of Wiezell, Are Engen Steinsholm (back-up vocals, guitar), David Jehrlander (bass) and Teo Jernkvist (drums) and formed while living together in a Stockholm shared housing.

None of this makes me worry catches all of Melbys many qualities in a way that truly represents the bands musical expressions. Beautifully intertwined song and guitar melodies are often in focus and ranges between catchy pop to emotional melancholy. From childish, playful opener VCR to the closing dynamic live favourite Stalker there is a common theme, even if the inspiration comes from a wide variety of directions.

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Skand - Down To My River.

The duo band Skand from Marseille, France is releasing its first music video, Down To My River, from their album Dive an "Intimist Rock" album with a touch of blues.

Probably the most introspective and Folk track of the album, Down To My River asks us to dig deep within, to turn our gaze towards our own sensations, emotions, memories and projections.

It is about (re)-connecting to the present moment, and, in the midst of our inner chaos, to experience a feeling of peace.

For this track, Skand chose to use natural and organic sounds (leather, clay, wood...) and tribal voices evoking links with nature and roots. Gospel influences also elude to a sense of spirituality.



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Drahla - Dylan LeBlanc - Tempesst

A semi-surreal music video accompanies 'Stimulus For Living' from Drahla but it's the bands creative mixture of punk and art rock that makes it's mark in a big way. Dylan LeBlanc's vocals are fabulous and 'Renegade' is one hook filled rocker, ahead of his next album due out in June. Tempesst make a much welcome return to Beehive Candy, their stylish alt rock has a fresher indie feel on 'Is this all that there is?' a catchy and very likable tune.

Drahla - Stimulus For Living.

Leeds-formed three-piece Drahla have announced their highly-anticipated debut album 'Useless Coordinates' will be released via Captured Tracks on May 3rd 2019. The band have shared the arresting first single 'Stimulus for Living' as a taster of the album along with a video.

‘Stimulus For Living’ is the second track taken from ‘Useless Coordinates’ following the release of ‘Twelves Divisions Of The Day’ last summer. The album was recorded in Yorkshire in the second half of 2018, and sees the band’s sound continue to evolve with the addition of saxophonist Chris Duffin across the record. Since finishing ‘Useless Coordinates’ the band have spent their time touring the US and Europe, including stops at Eurosonic and La Route Du Rock this winter.

Blending wiry, dark post-punk with unpredictable art-rock, Drahla have established themselves as a formidable and distinctive band across their three sold out 7” singles and 2017's Third Article EP. Formed in late 2015, Drahla quickly found their identity in Yorkshire’s fertile music scene with their minimal yet robust bass-heavy sound. Their reputation as a fervent live act is ever-growing, with the band being asked to share stages with the likes of Parquet Courts, METZ, Ought, Buzzcocks, The Cribs and multiple festival appearances - including Meltdown at the request of The Cure’s Robert Smith. (Photo - Sam Joyce).


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Dylan LeBlanc - Renegade.

'Renegade', the new album from acclaimed musician Dylan LeBlanc, will be released on 7th June through ATO Records. Produced by Grammy Award-winning Dave Cobb, the album features ten new songs including the first single and title track, which is out now.

Recorded at Cobb’s RCA Studio A in Nashville, the 10-song album features LeBlanc and his longtime band, The Pollies. Of the album, LeBlanc shares, “I wanted to write the same type of songs that matched the atmosphere the band and I were bringing live. So, I started with ‘Renegade,’ which was fitting since I felt myself going in a new, more intense direction with this record. In the studio, I let go almost absolutely and let Dave Cobb do his work. It was a different experience for me—how focused Cobb was and how quickly we would get live takes down. Mostly in one or two takes. Never more than three. It left me spinning at how quickly it all came together. With beautiful gear and a keen ear, it was fun to work with my best friends alongside Cobb. Over the course of ten days 'Renegade' was complete and ready for mastering. And I couldn’t be more excited to share it with you.”

Born in Shreveport, LA with time spent in Muscle Shoals, AL, LeBlanc has released three full-length albums including his most recent, 2016’s Cautionary Tale, which featured Brittany Howard (Alabama Shakes) and was produced by John Paul White (The Civil Wars) and Ben Tanner (Alabama Shakes). Of the music, NPR Music praised, “The third album from the Muscle Shoals singer-songwriter unfolds with the wariness of a social and spiritual outsider who broods his way to graceful defiance,” while No Depression declared, “There’s not a single song that deserves to be skipped on Tale—it’s a near flawless record, cohesive and self-assured.” Since his debut in 2010, LeBlanc has toured extensively worldwide including shows with Bruce Springsteen, First Aid Kit, Drive-By Truckers, Lucinda Williams, Alabama Shakes, Anderson East, The Wood Brothers and many more.


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Tempesst - Is this all that there is?

London-based indie-psych quintet Tempesst have released a new single entitled 'Is this all that there is ?' Recorded in Melbourne, the new single was written whilst frontman Toma was back in Australia in January. "I was at Little Cove, a beach in Noosa," he recalls. "It’s a little stretch of beach near a national park, it was totally filled with people. I just sat there in this ideal setting and realised how strange people are, especially when they’re at the beach. I wrote about what I saw and how it made me feel."

Continuing to expand on their '60s and '70s influenced psychedelic rock roots on 'Is this all that there is?' - their expansive instrumentals, sumptuous pop melodies, and progressive songwriting offer a welcoming breath of fresh air to the genre.

"What a bore to be obsessed with dying, like I'm the only one to put up a fight" they pose in the chorus, before questioning "Do I give up? Is this all that there is?". This single follows their widely acclaimed previous EP 'Doomsday' - which covered themes revolving around the band's daily anxieties, as well as the overstimulation and constant temptation that exists when living in a metropolitan city like London.

Originating in Queensland, Australia on the Sunshine Coast, the now London-based outfit – made up of twin brothers Toma (vocals, guitars) and Andy Banjanin (vocals, drums), and rounded out by Eric Weber (guitars), Kane Reynolds (keys), and Blake Misipeka (bass) – have been going from strength to strength over the past 12 months.

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The Empty Threats - Ted Kennedy

Australia's The Empty Threats have a new E.P. 'Ablutions'. Described as exploratory rock, it's a description that actually makes sense having listened to all four songs, what's more the individuality of each track doesn't dilute the quality or the overall vibe, this is one very fine E.P. Ted Kennedy's new song 'Forty' showcases his distinctive and very engaging vocals, the electronic musical backdrop is equally striking and the melodic hooks do the rest.

The Empty Threats - Ablutions (E.P).

Exploratory rock comes in many shapes and forms, though leave it up to The Empty Threats to fully embrace a cataclysmic sonic earthquake. The Adelaide four-piece declare a pretence of maligned, experimental rock and visceral psych embellishments.

The Empty Threats are proud to release their new EP into the world. After turning plenty of heads with a string of singles including 'Heavy', 'Loss Of Breath' and 'Magnolia', The Empty Threats' new EP, 'Ablutions', is out now via GD FRNDS.

Recorded, mixed and mastered by two-time ARIA Award-nominated producer, Matt Hills, at Hillside Studio, 'Ablutions' is a four-track masterpiece about cleaning oneself from negative and upsetting memories in the hope to move into a positive, more fulfilling future.

'Ablutions' sees the outfit put together a concoction of prog and psych rock, expertly blended to form four huge tracks that all compliment each other ever so smoothly. The body of work is filled with drenched guitar tones, booming, yet intimate, vocals, rolling electric clarinet solos and tight drum and bass lines to help bring the contemporary madness all together.

The EP is an internal look at a band who's changed and developed considerably. Further, it's a comment on remaining positive in the crushing reality of being a musician. Guitarist, Matt Schultz, explains.

"It's a reflection from the band about the change that we have been through over the past year or so. Commenting on our personal mental states, the state of society and trying to have a positive headspace moving forward."

Over the last year, The Empty Threats have really honed in on what makes an audience click. Their extremely energetic live performance has been put to hard work since embarking on their first national tour in early 2018. They've since been performing regularly to ever-growing crowds, including a main support slot for The Babe Rainbow.

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Ted Kennedy - Forty.

It’s a brutal truth that you can’t help someone who doesn’t realize they have a problem. All your energy, support and love isn’t enough. Their addiction is out of your control. No matter how much it hurts, sometimes you have to let go.

My new song, “Forty,” came to me when a close friend relapsed after many years of struggling with opioid addiction. I remember thinking how the cycle of addiction and denial wears people down.

There were just so few people left around my friend that it dawned on me –the ones who remained, the ones who loved him most, were just the last ones to say goodbye.

I have an album’s worth of material that I’ll be releasing throughout 2019. I’m looking forward to performing these tracks  live. I plan on growing Frequencies (a monthly concert series that I curate) this year, expanding to more cities and putting on larger events in Toronto. There is just so much going on in electronic music right now, and I feel lucky to be apart of it - Ted Kennedy.

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