Giulia - André Ethier - New Candys - T. Hardy Morris - Ida Mae

Giulia - Lucky Ones.

Versatile, intuitive, and multi-dimensional. Those are just a few words to define the genre-bending musician Giulia., who infuses jazz-influenced arrangements, unusual rhythmic phrasings, and understated spoken word into her dreamy indie-folk melodies.

Born and raised in Toronto, one of the most multicultural cities in the world, Giulia. was surrounded by a world of art from a young age. The moniker Giulia. (with a g and a period) comes from the Italian spelling of Julia she’d always wanted. Her parents “Americanized” their names in their youth when having a foreign-sounding name was frowned upon. 

Years later, they gave both her siblings names with the traditional Italian spelling. Giulia. says, “I remember growing up, I was very dramatic about the fact that I was the only one who didn’t have an Italian name and always envied the uniqueness of their names.” Set to release her first song at 19, she needed an artist name immediately. 

She says, “The little 9-year-old girl inside of me begged me to make her proud. I had been waiting for an alter-ego my whole life so I could name her Giulia., and now I was finally going to have one.” She added the period to make her feel extra special – like the name didn’t need anything else, just Giulia. Period.

GIULIA. · Lucky Ones

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André Ethier - Nature Compels Me.

André Ethier is set to release his new album, Further Up Island on May 28, 2021, via the beloved Toronto label, Telephone Explosion (Polaris long/shortlisted acts inc. Badge Époque Ensemble, Bernice, Pantayo). We’re now releasing the new single “Nature Compels Me.”

We announced the new record, Further Up Island last month earning support at GoldFlakePaint, Brooklyn Vegan, Exclaim and more – this comes as the final piece in a trilogy of Sandro Perri-produced solo records from Ethier with this specific track featuring the sax of Joseph Shabason (prev. tips from Pitchfork, NPR and Aquarium Drunkard). The first album (Under Grape Leaves) was very much about building a home, the second one (Croak in the Weeds) was about living in it and this new one, Further Up Island is about leaving it and exploring, packed with plenty of Ethier's tongue-in-cheek humour akin to Randy Newman, Bonnie “Prince” Billy and that ilk of songwriter.

André initially grew as a musician as part of the 90's/00's Toronto band, the Deadly Snakes at one point earning Ethier singing duties at the Dodger's stadium singing the Canadian national anthem (he shared a name with a Dodger's legend). Since those days, Ethier shifted his attention to this intricate, dreamy folk music as well as developing a notable career as a painter with his artwork here adorning the cover of the new album and also placements in galleries across Canada (Toronto & Montréal), the US (Derek Eller in NY & Honor Fraser in LA) and Italy (Torino).

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New Candys - Begin Again.

New Candys have recently announced the release of their new album 'Vyvyd', out on 4th June via Little Cloud Records/Dischi Sotterranei/Fuzz Club.

Following the release of album opener 'Twin Mime' last month, the band have shared new track 'Begin Again'. "It’s the closest thing to a love song that’s on this record", they explain, "It’s about how we sometimes think about an ended relationship, and the only thing that’s left is just the memory of it. The bass line came first, then the chords and vocal melody. It is the first time that we used a drum machine instead of the traditional drum kit".

The single is accompanied by a video, directed by Ivana Smudja. She says: “Begin Again is the story of Lea and Mel Stevens, two twin sisters who exchange personalities from time to time. Whenever they secretly encounter, one of the two is set free, free from ordinary life, until they meet again. The video was filmed in Groesbeek (The Netherlands), during one of the coldest months of the year and during lockdown. We were not allowed to gather with more than two people outside and the woods were the safest place where to hide and film (keeping distance and wearing our masks, of course)”.

Known for their relentless touring schedule and DIY work ethic, New Candys are one of the most solid independent bands of recent years. ‘Vyvyd’ follows up on the widely acclaimed third album ‘Bleeding Magenta’, which saw them tour non-stop across Europe, UK, North America and Australia.

Recorded at Fox Studio in Venice, Italy by Andrea Volpato and mixed and mastered by Grammy Award producers Tommaso Colliva (The Jesus And Mary Chain) and Giovanni Versari respectively, 'Vyvyd' is the first record made by the new line-up of Fernando Nuti, Andrea Volpato, Alessandro Boschiero and Dario Lucchesi. It will be available through Little Cloud Records and Dischi Sotterranei, plus an exclusive vinyl edition via Fuzz Club.

“I’ve started to sketch some songs for the record during a very tumultuous period for the band, with many line-up changes between the end of 2017 until mid-2018, but as soon as the new line-up formed, the excitement to create new music together was overwhelming and helped the creative process immensely,” says frontman Fernando Nuti.

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T. Hardy Morris - The Digital Age of Rome.

T. Hardy Morris is set to return with The Digital Age of Rome on June 25th via the New West Records imprint Normaltown Records. The 10-song set was produced by Adam Landry (Deer Tick, Rayland Baxter) and mixed by engineer Nate Nelson. It follows the Diamond Rugs and Dead Confederate member’s 2018 acclaimed Dude, The Obscure, which Pitchfork said "may be Morris' best record; it's certainly his most complex and compelling statement" and "it's sharp focus is refreshing," while AllMusic said, “Morris takes his ambitions skyward, infusing a joyous psychedelia into the mix…”

After touring Dude, The Obscure, Morris had 13 new songs demoed for a new album. He was excited to get his band together to rehearse the songs before hunkering down in the studio to record...then the pandemic hit. Sequestered at his Athens, GA home with his family, Morris, like most everyone else in the past year, mulled over what was truly important to him and in response, crafted an entirely new set of songs. Enlisting a group of musicians including Drive-By Truckers drummer Brad Morgan, singer-songwriter Faye Webster and many others, Morris pulled no punches with his mesmerizing lyrics and hazy brand of southern glam rock.

Looking directly inward and captivated by the sobering realities of the pandemic, Morris has composed one of his most personal works yet. He tackles the well-worn anxieties of the past year as pandemic and political divisions ravaged America. The Digital Age of Rome is more direct than Morris has ever been and is one of his boldest records yet. Unapologetic and brutally honest, it is a necessary diary for an uncomfortable time that continues to unfold.

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Ida Mae - Road To Avalon.

Today, the Nashville-via-London duo Ida Mae shared their new song “Road to Avalon”, the opening track from their upcoming sophomore album Click Click Domino. “We wanted this song and production to be a cinematic, slow pan across a vignette of the towns and cities we’ve travelled through that felt lost and forgotten,” writes Ida Mae. 

“Clashing a 1900s American gut string ukulele banjo with modern synthesizers, casio keyboards, thumb piano and Beatles-esque Mellotron organ was intentional to try and create a kind of sparse transatlantic dreamstate. We chose Avalon because it's rich in Celtic mythology, an earthly paradise in the western skies, a pretty grandiose metaphor for searching or escaping to a place or situation that's better than where you are.” Click Click Domino will be released on July 16th, through Thirty Tigers.

The song follows the release of lead single “Click Click Domino” which was featured in Rolling Stone who writes, “With guitar assistance from shred wizard Marcus King, the tune is a heaving mass of scuzzy blues-rock riffs and thunderous drums that indicts social media for its isolating, alienating effects… Somewhere, Jack White is busy looking for new amp settings.

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Shay Martin Lovette - Mashup & Cozy Condition - Jason Pilling - Yoo Doo Right

Shay Martin Lovette - Upstate.

Wayfaring songwriter Shay Martin Lovette’s story is shaped by an enduring creative pursuit, an inseparable connection with the natural world, and a deep appreciation for the nonpareil musical voices of the past. After releasing his debut in 2018, receiving a plethora of regional accolades, and spending over 100 days playing shows to eager audiences,  he’s back with his sophomore effort.

The new 12-song collection, Scatter and Gather, was produced by Joseph Terrell of North Carolina’s cherished indie roots outfit Mipso (Rounder Records), and features members of the band throughout.

Lovette’s songs deliver evocative imagery that invites the listener along on one’s life journey, full of incidents, escapades, and moments of clarity. From a canyon to a “cold casino rooftop,” and various locales around the Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina, where Lovette is based, The backdrops are ever-changing but a common thread can always be found in the feelings of his colorful characters.

There’s a “coastal queen” in “Fierce and Delicate Things” (which bears a refrain referencing, a bit mysteriously, “the ones that wear the white jeans”). Then there are the ladies honored by song titles reflecting their names–muses Nandina (“Oh Nandina”) and Rose Marie (“For Rose Marie”), a woman living in a coastal town whose “knees fear the winter” and whose mind “runs an ancient race.” There’s also Ricky, a tip of the hat to Lovette’s father, who is noted for his ability to make a harmony shine in “Parkway Bound.” And those are just the folks mentioned over the course of the first third or so of Scatter.

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Mashup & Cozy Condition - Fly Wizard Fly.

Hailing from Richmond Virginia, Mashup & Cozy Condition is an electrifying eight-piece ensemble that melds vintage funk, with with modern production techniques. With a totally unquie sound that occupies the space between modern funk of Vulfpeck and off the wall experimentation of the Beastie Boys. Acclaimed band features frontman / lead songwriter Michael Hedrick’s edgy vocals over an effortlessly deep pocket and energetic melodies from the three-piece Cozy Condition Horns.

Mashup & Cozy Condition make the kind of dirty, brass-scorched funk / soul / rock which leads you into temptation. The dark side of the boys from RVA features, Jason Newcomb master of all six strings and production knobs, the world class “Cozy Condition” horn section is lead by saxophonist extraordinaire Rick Rieger. So successful are they, so good it feels, so natural, that voodoo filth will be pouring through you before you know what’s going on.

MCC’s have had solid success in 2020 with 1M total streams and an addition to the sought after “Nu-Funk” Spotify playlist. Three singles from MCC’s upcoming full length release will drop in 2021, the band plans to return to the road and release a live video / EP.

Mashup & Cozy Condition · Fly Wizard Fly

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Jason Pilling - Bridges.

I don’t do love songs. I do real life.

My niche as an artist is that I’ve also lived the path of a “normal” life. I paid off a mortgage, and then I quit my job to do this. 

I’m quirky/interesting…but there is no myth of Jason the artist to sell. I’m well educated and well read to have perspective from outside the artist bubble. 

My music is like a conversation with your thoughtful friend. Sometimes we talk about ourselves or other people, sometimes we talk about politics, and sometimes we just shoot the crap.

Jason Pilling · Bridges

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Yoo Doo Right - Presto Presto, Bella's Dream.

Montreal-based post-rock trio, Yoo Doo Right have their debut album, Don't Think You Can Escape Your Purpose out via Mothland on May 21, 2021 and are today sharing their new single, “Presto, Presto, Bella’s Dream.”

We announced the debut album last month with the album-titled single, earning some tips at FLOOD, NPR and Under The Radar Magazine with the band selling out all of their limited edition vinyl in under 24 hours. This debut record follows previous releases which have found the trio collaborating with members of Braids, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Acid Mothers Temple who they put out a split 7" with last year titled "The Moral Compass of a Self-Driving Car" (they have quite a way with song titles).

This forthcoming eight-track album release was put together with names behind Thee Silver Mt. Zion, Panopticon Eyelids and Wolf Parade, recorded at the legendary Hotel2Tango which further cements YDR's place within that exciting Quebec scene alongside Godspeed You!, Jerusalem In My Heart, Ought, etc. Previously YDR – who find their name from a track on Can's debut album – have performed at Austin's Levitation Festival, M For Montreal and Sled Island, as well as opening for the likes of A Place to Bury Strangers, DIIV, Kikagaku Moyo, FRIGS, and more.

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Melby - Course - James Parm - Van Plating - Lisa Gerrard & Jules Maxwell

Melby - Magic.

Stockholm four-piece Melby have constantly been growing since their debut with catchy single 'Human' in 2016. In 2019, the band released their acclaimed debut record 'None of this makes me worry' which was followed by tour dates all over Europe. During the pandemic in 2020, the band have worked on new material in a new way. From these sessions, we've previously heard the prog/psych inspired 'Common Sense', the dreamy but melancholic 'Old Life' and most recently 'Somewhere New', a dynamic track inspired by classical counterpoint composition. Today, the psych-tinged indie pop gem 'Magic' is released.

Are from the band tells us about Magic: "I feel like Swedish culture has a very low tolerance for expressing imagination. Stockholm in particular is a place that demands extreme realism, concrete explanations. This can be really frustrating, and Magic is kind of a free association on that theme, wrapped in a polite, straightforward pop-tune."

On 'Magic', Melby continues to cement their role as one of the most interesting Scandinavian acts around, a band so home and accomplished within their sound that they're now ready to continue to experiment with it without losing their characteristic. The new material was mainly written and straight-away recorded in the studio in close collaboration with producer Alexander Eldefors, this is a completely new way for a band that previously in many cases have toured material for years before recording them.

The band often gets compared to fellow Swedes Dungen and Amason but Melby’s dynamic sound, with influences from folk, psych, indie and pop, stand out. The quartet's 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.

Rama Lama Records · Melby - Magic

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Course - Sixteen.

Chicago based synth/indie/pop group Course released today their nostalgic new single "Sixteen" off their forthcoming debut album A Late Hour (out May 21st). The song debuted on Consequence of Sound along with the accompanying flash fiction short story written by singer/guitarist Jess Robbins.

"While the song is about the mixed emotions that come with the newfound freedoms of adolescence, there's a comparison to be made about the struggles and successes of the last year," stated Consequence. "'This life, this love/Call it crazy, call it dull - but don't call it luck,' sings Robbins over optimistic synths that dance with anticipation."

"Sixteen" follows the release of the band's lead single "Give it All Away." It was featured on Under The Radar who called it "a lush dream pop tapestry."

Comprised of veteran musicians Robbins, Chris Dye (drums), Dan Ingenthron (synth/keys), Mikey Russell (guitar), and Brian Weekly (bass), Course blends diverse aspects of dream-pop, 90's new-wave, alternative, electronic, and indie rock. Drawing on Robbins' indie-folk roots, Course incorporates polished, modern production and lush electronic instrumentation to create songs with a characteristic ethereal-industrial sheen.

Course recorded the bulk of A Late Hour in the desert town of Dripping Springs, TX with producer Dan Duszynski (of Subpop group Loma), who's studio is set up among a series of airstream trailers. Bright but with depth, the album offers a collection of elegantly upbeat reflections on life and love - though not without somber moments. It's an album filled with intricate and sweeping stories - literally. At one point while writing lyrics, Robbins found herself stuck, so she devised another way into the songs: She wrote narrative fictional short stories to accompany and elaborate each track. The stories will be released in a Chapbook along with the record.

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James Parm - Doing Time.

Background for the video and superb new album from James - "My brand new album titled The Art of Waiting explores our relationship to the pain of the past, the anxiety of future, regrets and aspirations, and the indescribable beauty of life that often eludes me. An expose on the feelings of tiredness, weariness, and being stuck under the oppressive force of time."

The pensive and melancholic track, "Doing Time," is a lament on the routine and stagnant repetition of modern life, and struggles with self-control. Our obsession with time creates a stale and tedious prison.

Time is an illusion we have created to ensnare ourselves, forfeiting life for security and predictability, believing that the modern world is a machine which uses us for its will and not the other way around.

Waiting is the experience of death in slow motion. Since we have converted the action of living to the passive state of waiting, life is less the Art of Living, and more the Art of Waiting.

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Van Plating - The Way Down.

Van Plating wasn’t sure how her self-titled album would be received in 2019 after a nine-year hiatus from music.

After attending Florida Southern College and majoring in violin and voice, Plating spent her 20s immersed in the indie rock scene, playing violin and singing with her band Pemberly (named after the country estate in Pride & Prejudice). The band was poised for success, receiving warm receptions while on tour with the likes of Copeland, The Postmarks, Matt Pond PA, and Margot & the Nuclear So and So’s. Things were going great — until they weren’t. The band broke up and she decided to take some time off. A year turned into three, which turned into six, and before she knew it nearly a decade had passed.

Plating woke up one day and wasn’t sure where she fit in musically anymore. The music business isn’t known for being kind to women after they reach a certain age — and she no longer had a band to blend in with. She knew if she took another shot at it, she would be front and center, and would rise or fall alone. Either way, she knew she wanted to try again, and cast any fears aside.

Plating recently confessed about 2019’s Van Plating, “A year and a half ago, I thought I was going to write a little acoustic record to give to my friends, but that’s not what it turned out to be at all.” Instead, the album took on a life of its own, blossoming into a collection of songs indebted to the confessional folk tradition whilst embracing forward-thinking pop song structures, harkening to celebrated offerings from Lilith Fair icons like Paula Cole, Aimee Mann, Natalie Merchant, and Shawn Colvin. Plating also dipped her toes into the Americana world with songs like “Standing Still” and “Mountain” — both of which received praise from Americana-focused media outlets.

“I was literally in the studio experimenting and trying things,” she recalls. “Where I landed, which has been really cool, is in that Americana world, which I love a lot. And that just sort of happened organically after the record was released. I had a lot of momentum coming into the spring with a festival booked, and a lot of shows were coming in before they all got canceled, and they were good opportunities.”

It was the reception to her new sound that gave her the confidence to lean into a more singer-songwriter vibe on the songs she’s recorded during quarantine.

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Lisa Gerrard & Jules Maxwell - Deshta (Forever).

Dead Can Dance members Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell have teamed up under a new guise with James Chapman (MAPS) to create a studio album, titled ‘Burn’. The record began its journey more than seven years ago, when Lisa met Irish theatre composer Jules Maxwell before working together for the first time. ‘Burn’ is set for release on 7th May 2021 via Atlantic Curve.

Speaking about the origins of the album, Lisa Gerrard explains, “It is with great pleasure that I share this collaboration with Jules Maxwell. Jules and I began our creative journey with Dead Can Dance. We realised that we could connect through improvisation and that musical exploration continues to evolve with this present work.”

Although this record is a new release, its beginnings go all the way back to 2012 during that year’s Dead Can Dance world tour. Originally brought in as a live keyboard player, Jules Maxwell helped create a new song with Lisa Gerrard called ‘Rising Of The Moon’, which was performed as the final encore of each show. By the time the tour finished in Chile in 2013, a strong affinity had begun to develop between the two of them and further opportunities to collaborate with each other resulted over subsequent years.

In 2015, when Maxwell was asked to submit songs for the Bulgarian choir The Mystery of the Bulgarian Voices (Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares), he approached Gerrard to co-write material and travelled to Australia to work with her in her home studio. The pair came away with four new songs for that release, as well as the building blocks for this new venture together.

Jules describes the introduction to James Chapman. "About a year later, over dinner in Sofia after a concert by the Bulgarian women, my publisher suggested to me that I work with James Chapman on completing the BURN songs. James had established a sound with his band MAPS, which also had big horizons at its core, and it seemed like an intriguing proposition to me."

With Chapman joining the duo as producer, ideas began to be generated freely and over time a distinct sound for their work began to emerge. Their focus was to create a sound that was both euphoric and compelling, more inventive than what they had worked on separately in the past. From gentle beginnings, each track builds and intensifies, creating a hypnotic experience to listen to from start to finish. With Lisa remaining in Australia, Jules adding his keys and percussion from France, and James bringing new light to the sound from England, the three were literally worlds apart, but those worlds fused in the music.

Recently, Jules Maxwell also released his debut solo album ‘Songs From The Cultural Backwater’, Lisa Gerrard received a Grammy nomination and returned to Dead Can Dance to release the group’s critically praised ninth studio full-length ‘Dionysus’, and James Chapman released MAPS 4th full-length album ‘Colours. Reflect. Time. Loss’.

Stylistically, the new album ‘Burn’ is a diverse mix of electronica, alternative, cinematic soundscape and world music with hints of early Vangelis. Accumulatively, this is a stunning departure for all three of them. Lisa Gerrard and Jules Maxwell’s new album ‘Burn’ will be available as of 7th May 2021 via Atlantic Curve.

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ME REX - Kandle - Stolen Stars - Summer Sleeves - Scout

ME REX - Heart of Garbage.

South London’s ME REX have shared a brand-new animated video for their infectious single Heart of Garbage, taken from their most recent EP ‘Stegosaurus’, which saw them receive acclaim from the likes of Stereogum and DIY. Talking about the track, lead singer Myles McCabe said "The central metaphor is of a plant trying to grow in a poisonous environment. The song is about digging out space, providing light and clean water, trying to create the circumstances under which growth can happen."

Sometimes taking a break is the only way to reignite a passion. Having immersed himself in music from a young age, ME REX, originally a solo project by Myles, saw early success with previous bands, but quickly became disillusioned with the music industry alongside an addiction to alcohol and battling mental health issues. However, the artist came into his own when he first began experimenting with electronic bedroom pop in 2018 in the solitude of his own home, leading to supports with the likes of Jeffrey Lewis and the Voltage, Chris Farren, and Onsind and tours in the UK and Europe with his constantly evolving new project.

With his band (Phoebe Cross (Happy Accidents/Cheerbleederz), Rich Mandell (Happy Accidents) and Kathryn Woods (Fresh/Cheerbleederz)) the artist has seen ME REX morph into an exciting collaborative project. Taking inspiration from the instantly definable electronics of WHY? and lyrical prowess of Los Campesinos, ME REX makes music that channels conflicting emotions, painted with unique and delicate flourishes yet at its core bearing a depth of emotion that’s so potent, it feels as though it may only just be scratching the surface of what’s to come from the promising songwriter.

“I reached kind of a critical point with my mental health around the time I got sober and in the following months. I wasn’t really able to write or make music. I became quite disillusioned with the idea of being in a band and making music within the music industry and in 2012 the band gradually fell apart.” Says McCabe. “After a couple of years, I decided I wanted to work as a solo act, there were a lot of advantages to this, logistically and interpersonally things were a lot easier. I found it much easier to tour alone and enjoyed the autonomy, I began touring around the UK and Europe. In 2017 I joined Fresh and began to see that it actually was possible to organise practice, writing and touring in a way that wasn’t soul destroying.”

Graduating from home produced music, the band’s recently released EPs ‘Triceratops’ and ‘Stegosaurus’ were recorded at Resident Studios in North London with band member Rich Mandell at the helm; allowing ME REX the opportunity to explore concepts as a musical unit, shaping material that touches on themes of friendship, forgiveness, joy, dinosaurs and mental health wrapped in sombre melodies.

“I like to include jokes and wordplay because I enjoy writing these things in, but also to undercut the idea that this kind of thing can only be discussed in strictly sombre terms. The process of developing my own health and recovery is for me a joyful one and I think that should be reflected when talking about it. I like to make my verses quite dense with ideas and images, so that a listener might not be able to take it all in at once. This leaves them to draw connections between the ideas that do stick out, this can give more space for interpretations that will change over repeat listens.”

ME REX may only just be beginning their journey, but they are already one of the most forward thinking and exciting new bands around, coming together to create something that resonates on several levels; sparking joy, hope and reflection with a collection of songs that are achingly poignant.

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Kandle - Misty Morning.

Kandle is moving forward. The golden era-sounding chanteuse from British Columbia is taking the reins of her career and her creative, ambitious visions are now a reality. This journey began with last year’s Stick Around and Find Out EP but now comes fully formed with her fourth studio record—and first independent—Set The Fire, to be released in spring 2021.

Kandle has long been known for her ability to transmute difficult feelings and situations into beautiful and tragic melodic stories. As a therapeutic outlet, music was always it for her. Yet here, Kandle exhibits a different kind of therapy and healing—a new, stronger way of wearing her heart on her sleeve. “This is the most empowered state I’ve ever been in. So much of my music has been very victimized—I’ve been through a lot. I was really dark and angry, and my writing reflected that,” she says. With Set The Fire, Kandle emerges from a new place of independence and power. “I’m trying to set the fire myself rather than be burned by it.”

This new record familiarly follows a cabaret and rock n’ roll path Kandle has already forged sonically. It’s no lazy qualifier to liken her to Shirley Bassey and Nancy Sinatra—her vocals are deep, feeling like they hold the wisdom and sadness of a thousand women before her.
She studiously pays attention to these legends from a golden era in pop and rock history. While Kandle rarely listens to records after the late 60s, turning mostly to poets and modern giants like Nick Cave and Leonard Cohen, merges the past with the present and burns a bright new future with Set The Fire.

This is Kandle’s first independent record. Now, she is free from others’ expectations and the voices that eclipsed hers time and again. The irony of writing and recording an album on her terms just as lockdowns became a worldwide reality last March is not lost on her. “This album was made independently for the first time ever with total freedom, but also at the time where we as a society lost all of our freedom.” The process she says was “nothing but love and support as the outside world was completely falling apart.”

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Stolen Stars - Thought Broadcasting (E.P).

Stolen Stars is a rising pop/rock band from Orem, Utah. Weston Paul and Tanner Pierce have emerged from the hot Utah music scene that produced such bands as Imagine Dragons, Neon Trees and The Used.

In June of 2018, they released their first single, “The Cupid Caper.” After only a short time they dropped their first EP, “A Program About Love,” which takes listeners on a journey through the phases of love, while showcasing their unique pop and rock sounds. Just this year they released their second EP, “Thought Broadcasting”, an emotional look into the mind of music.

Stolen Stars music has been played on local radio where it was met with approval from fans and positive reactions from the industry. Their success in winning a Top 5 spot in the South Jordan Battle of the Bands, kicked off a series of performances all across Utah. Stolen Stars music is distinctive in capturing a snapshot of sounds from bright guitars, rock grooves, and electronic backings to create a passionate musical collage.

Stolen Stars · Thought Broadcasting

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Summer Sleeves - You'll Never Change.

Jeremy Charbonneau grew up in the car culture of the midwest, going to auto shows with his father on the weekends. And the oldies were always on the radio on these trips. “That music still has such a huge influence on me, to this day,” he says. Many of those early influences would give way to indie rock, punk, art rock and eventually, folk over the years, but the simplicity of ‘60s Top 40 pop is what’s behind the music of Summer Sleeves. Jangly, folk-brushed acoustic guitar, a raucous hook and a smattering of vocal harmonies.

Jeremy first formed Summer Sleeves as a way of getting social and making friends. He’d spent the previous 15 years playing drums for Seattle artist Carrie Biel (Moon Palace) and as a founding member of Smile Brigade. After several years recording and touring with these groups, he walked away from music to go to design school and get a “real job” to help support his young family. But once the dust settled on that life transition, music worked its way back into his forethought.

He got together with a couple friends for something to do socially, and together they played a few songs he’d written. A small handful of songs quickly built up to enough material to play out as a live band. That incarnation of Summer Sleeves dissolved as groups do, but Jeremy wanted to keep the music going and decided to record the songs he’d put together.

Summer Sleeves’ debut album In the Throes of Woes is eleven songs performed by Jeremy and friends Alon Bassok and Mike Oprinski. Bassok and Oprinski took on bass and lead guitar, respectively, for the majority of the home-recorded songs, while Jeremy took on the rest. The result is a lo-fi foray into indie pop, folk, and at times, noisey psychedelia. The album was recorded over the fall/winter of 2019–2020 at Jeremy’s West Seattle home with a few mics, a laptop and a DIY sound-treated room—all the makings of true lo-fi record. The album was mixed by Jeremy and Ethan Jones (Math and Physics Club/Model Shop).

Summer Sleeves · 1 You'll Never Change

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Scout - Never Fade.

Enfield, London based multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and producer Scout has launched their debut single, "Never Fade". With sonic touchstones ranging from MUNA and 070Shake to Christine & The Queens, "Never Fade" is the first track to be heard from Scout's debut EP, due for release later this year.

Co-produced by Gethin Pearson (Charli XCX, Orla Gartland) with additional production from Joe Cross (Lana Del Rey, Hurts), "Never Fade" blends gentle harmonies and rich vocals against a pulsing synth-pop backdrop, wherein lies a powerful message of tragic nostalgia.

Scout says, “Its a kind of snapshot of the stage of heartbreak when everything feels like a reminder/brings up memories of your ex. I guess I like to roll around in the darkness and romanticise for a bit too long because ultimately that’s all thats left of the relationship at that stage and it’s hard to let go, but it’s also the process and the birth place for a lot of relatable music, at least for me."

Scout went on to say: "Being a visual person a lot of this stuff plays out in my mind a bit like a film and I wanted the production to echo the emotional/cinematic aspect of sentimentality. The starting point was a beautiful synth loop which quickly set the tone and the song wrote itself really quickly after that. It’s perhaps a bit more cinematic than the rest of my stuff, but it (and the EP) fills an important spot chronologically for me.”

Having played in bands throughout much of their teenage years, Scout readily admits they always felt more drawn to writing and pop music. Now, they're ready to step out on their own, with "Never Fade" standing as the perfect introduction. Scout's classically trained musical prowess, paired with their intimate story telling and lush dream-pop soundscapes combine to form a fresh, yet nostalgic take on modern pop - firming planting a flag as an exciting new talent to watch this year.

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Robyn Sherwell - Quiet Marauder - MaryLiz - Matilda Gracia - Carbon Memory - Oracle Sisters - Juanita Stein

Robyn Sherwell - A Kiss.

Singer and songwriter Robyn Sherwell shares ‘A Kiss’, the second single taken from her upcoming new album ‘Unfold’, due for release on June 18th. Talking about the meaning behind the song, Robyn says; “A kiss is a simple act, but can also mean crossing the line between friendship and something more than friendship. The song speaks to the risk of doing something that can’t be undone, something that could change everything, and the floating exhilaration, fear, excitement and anticipation of that moment.”

Robyn’s alluring vocals are set over gently rocking Wurlitzer keys, with lush electric guitar delays building up into beguiling cascading layers, giving the sense of free-falling as the line is crossed. Robyn’s vocal delivery is like the whispered sharing of a secret, as we hear every tiny breath and are carried on the journey into this moment, one that so many people can relate to.

The song is accompanied by a dance performance video, featuring LA based dancer Carly Blaney. The idea behind the video was born when Carly and Robyn connected via Instagram after Carly posted a video of herself dancing to Robyn’s cover of ‘Landslide’. “We wanted the video to be simple and allow the choreography and Carly’s talent to shine,” explains Robyn. “Carly’s interpretation of the song as a solo dancer perfectly connects to the lyrics. I just adore how expressive and intimate it feels. I’ve always loved how beautifully dance can convey a song’s energy and meaning., I’m so happy to have been able to collaborate with Carly to create these visuals.”

Robyn Sherwell is a name that has been on the lips of tastemakers since her debut single ‘Love Somebody’ became a firm favourite of Lauren Laverne’s on BBC Radio 6 and signalled the arrival of a new heart-on-sleeve female singer-songwriter. Follow up single ‘Islander’, a dedication to her childhood home of Guernsey, quickly secured support from Huw Stephens and BBC Introducing, catapulting Sherwell onto the latter’s stage at Glastonbury in June 2015. That same summer, her cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Landslide’ was chosen as the soundtrack to the trailer for the film ‘Suffragette’. This led to Lauren Laverne making the track her 6Music Recommends Track Of The Week, and Jo Whiley playing it twice in one show on her BBC Radio 2 show. In 2021, the emotive power of her rendition is still turning heads: having caught the attention of Airbnb, the song was placed within the film for their latest major global advertising campaign. While her original songs ‘Low’ and ‘Love Somebody’ have been featured on the soundtrack of popular TV shows including Good Trouble and Oprah Winfrey’s Queen Sugar.

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Quiet Marauder - Epic Plot Twist: Extinguished.

Following swiftly on from last year’s Tiny Men Parts EP, Quiet Marauder re-enter the sonic fray with their latest Bubblewrap Collective long-player, The Gift, on 9th April 2021.

Taking a strong divergence from the bombastic pop-punk of its predecessor, The Gift sees backing vocalist Kadesha Drija step to the foreground for the majority of the album, standing afront a richly crafted, multi-instrumental acoustic-folk backdrop.

Recorded pre-pandemic, January 2020, in The Burning Hell’s (Canada) pop-up Snowbird Studios, aka an art deco villa in Riofreddo, near Rome (Italy), this release marks another chapter in the ongoing international collaboration between the bands. For this album, Quiet Marauder’s (Wales) contributions of acoustic guitar, bass, trumpet and layered lead and backing vocals are granted further textural depth from their Canadian counterparts. These include minimalist harmonic splashes of flute, piano, organ (Jake Nicoll), electric guitar, bouzouki (Darren Browne) and bass clarinet (Ariel Sharratt).

Returning to the conceptual songwriting approach of previous releases MEN and The Crack And What It Meant, The Gift charts the narrative of a troubled teenage girl (Willow) haunted by visions of a mysterious house fire. Willow’s path is traced through well-meaning foster parents, teenage love interests, time-bending superpowers, distrust of domestic appliances and, ultimately, her own memories; covering themes of self-identity and the fallibility of human recall. Though the album marks a more overtly serious tone for the band, the sensitive subject matter is delicately handled through their trademark low-key, observational and, sometimes, darkly humorous lyrics.

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MaryLiz - Winter in California.

MaryLiz draws her inspiration from ordinary scenes of her life and transforms them into powerful messages that can reach everybody. A rare gem that will grasp your attention through powerful and engaging live performances. A singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist that is not afraid to deliver her songs with infectious grace and a singular vulnerability. She recalls being influenced by various musical genres and performers, including the blues, Sade, Fleetwood Mac, and Drake to name a few.

Her style is still young and developing, although the consistency of her writing is very mature. She chooses subjects that relate to the role of the modern woman and moves easily between ballads and more uptempo beats, varying her delivery to occasionally allow her band to stretch the music and incorporate elements from world music and Jazz.

Originally from Coopersburg, Pennsylvania, she obtained a music degree from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and while doing so, developed many contacts within the local music scene where her artistry is quickly earning her a pristine reputation and her fan base continues to expand. MaryLiz actively participates in numerous festivals and venues, including Blast Furnace Blues Festival at Steel Stacks, International Blues Festival in Memphis, Tennessee, Tall Trees Festival, the Kimmel Center, Silvana’s, Barnes Foundation, The Grape Room, and many others. Additional performance credits include Brian Williams and The Get Back, and Blues Junior at the ”Best of Philly” Soiree. Her song “Can I Be” is featured in the film “Drown The Clown”.

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Matilda Gracia - Rising Sun.

I wrote Rising Sun exactly one year ago, the day I was told my beloved Grandmother passed away from Covid.  I was in shock and the only thing that got me through that moment was writing this song. In fact, I feel as if I didn’t write it at all, it just poured out of me almost as if it was her helping me through that moment.

During this past year I have spent many months working on this song, day and night, in my home studio. Rising Sun will be available on all platforms on the 9th of April.

Matilda Gracia is a half Irish, half Spanish singer songwriter, musician and producer who describes her music as Self-help pop, “I like mixing catchy melodies with topics that matter, with the goal to connect and help people through music”. She is influenced by various genres including pop, soul, blues & singer-songwriter.

Since moving to London there have been a few highlights for Matilda including supporting Spanish Indie rock band on a UK tour, performing in iconic venues such as Notting hill Arts club and Electric Ballroom, making a guest appearance on Andertons live sessions and working with record label Dreamscope media group, to name but a few.

Since moving back to her hometown in Spain, Matilda has made creating music her top priority. She has been dedicated to working in her home studio to find the know how to express her music.  “I want more freedom and ability to express my thoughts through music, so that’s why I’m learning how to do it myself, plus I’m having so much fun in the process”. You can find Matilda on all the social media platforms as she embraces this new world by releasing her music.

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Carbon Memory - Distance.

Carbon Memory is a dynamic alternative rock band that develops sonic snapshots that are both transporting and cinematic. The Toronto band cues magnetic guitars and contemplative lyrics to a reel of ambient textures that oscillate between a sense of nostalgia and optimism.

It is in this spirit that the band came upon the sound and title of their upcoming EP, Tourist. Following the arduous process of self-producing/recording their 2018 debut EP, Panoramas, the band decided to enlist the help of Toronto producer Graham Walsh (Holy Fu*k, Alvvays, METZ) to best capture and instigate sonic experimentation on the group’s latest material.

Tourist was recorded over a period of two weeks, late summer 2020, at Toronto’s Palace Sound and Candle Recording studios. The EP features the band’s most compact and direct work yet. From the hazy, ethereal shoegaze textures and krautrock inspired “Distance” to the smug and insidious piano driven crooner “Rumours” that burns slow but heavy; Tourist gives the listener an idea of where the band has been and hints of where they want to go next. “The Only One” borrows plenty from the British Alternative rock aesthetic with a wall of guitars, a pulsing piano and soaring catchy choruses. “Closure” is the band’s organic midnight summer synth funk jam, while the brooding track “Tonight” plays out a recurring dream suspended by angular rhythms, wiry guitars and haunting melodies.

August 2018, saw the band release its debut EP, Panoramas; setting across Southern Ontario for a string of shows including dates at Toronto’s iconic Opera House and Lee’s Palace. The band was also featured on Southern Souls, the fantastic online video archive of the latest Canadian independent talent, showcasing two live-off-the-floor performances of the band’s jazzy and psychedelic laced track “Medusa” and their embracing folk-inspired song “Ocean of Gold”.

Carbon Memory · Distance

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Oracle Sisters - Paris II (E.P).

Parisian trio Oracle Sisters share their new EP ‘Paris II’, via NYC/LA independent label 22TWENTY (Madge, Fat Trout Trailer Park). Over the past twelve months, Oracle Sisters have built up a loyal and global following, blurring the lines between music and visual arts. Support for their music has come from NME, CLASH,The Line Of Best Fit, DIY, So Young, W Magazine, Vanity Fair, Beats1, COLORS, BBC 6 Music, BBC Radio 1, KEXP, NPR and many more. This culminated in the critically acclaimed release of Paris I, mid-way through 2020.

Now, Oracle Sisters release its sequel, ‘Paris II’ . Building upon their first EPs thematic premise of music lifted from a utopian vision of the French capital (where the band are based) the upcoming body of work shows the duel side “of that world...coming back down to earth to explore the darker sides of the psyche while probing some allies of hope” add the band.

Moreover, the EP has allowed the trio to mature and develop into sophisticated songwriters, weaving together their own sonic universe built on a tapestry of enigmatic lyrics lightyears ahead of their contemporaries and melodies that are  fitting to be sung round a campfire, or in a far-off tavern filled with revellers transporting the listener “to a portal to the past and the future, the stars and the moon.”

Oracle Sisters’ members hail from across Europe and the UK , the band are uninhibited in their influences, finding inspiration within the art, cinema, philosophy, and music of the world over; resulting in a sound that is both sonically sophisticated and warmly familiar. Lyrically, they explore timeless narratives of love, mysticism and spirituality, scattered with intriguing insights into their own personal lives and experiences resulting in songs that are cryptic yet inviting.

Now, having started recording in Greece,  the band are finishing off their debut album in Paris, due for announcement soon. Along the road, they’ve also played impromptu shows on the island of Hydra with friends from Fontaines D.C & The Murder Capital – capturing the troubadour spirit of the band.

With well over three million streams across their modest catalogue, and an impressive schedule of live dates to be announced across the UK, Europe and US and a debut album on the way - Oracle Sisters are quickly becoming recognised as one of the most exciting and prolific outfits to emerge from the French music scene, and now set their sights further afield.

Oracle Sisters · Paris II

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Juanita Stein - Snapshot (Locked Down - Live from Brighton Electric).

Juanita Stein will release a new live EP, Locked Down - Live From Brighton Electric via Nude Records on 28th May. The Howling Bells frontwoman turned solo artist performed songs from her acclaimed album, Snapshot, with a band that included her Howling Bells bandmates and the album’s producer, Ben Hillier, for the EP, which also features a pair of bonus tracks recorded during the original LP studio sessions.  Additionally, Juanita has announced some changes to her upcoming UK tour dates made necessary by ongoing COVID restrictions.

The release of the live EP will coincide with Stein’s previously announced UK headline dates. However, she has unfortunately been forced to cancel several dates due to ongoing COVID restrictions.  She explains:

"For those of you in Leicester, Newcastle, and Edinburgh I’m so sorry but with things being what they are right now, that is, still under part lockdown, I just can’t make these shows work at 50% capacity. I was holding out for a bit to see if we could, but financially it’s a kill. I want nothing more than to play Snapshot live for you and want to honour that with a full band. As SOON as I’m able to, I will get to you again. Birmingham, Bristol, London and Brighton will go ahead as scheduled, proximity to getting myself and the band home [each night] makes these shows entirely possible for me right now. I hope you understand and see you soon! X Juanita”

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