Veronica Bianqui - Rosie Carney - Koda - ONR - Chances

Veronica Bianqui - Victim.

Background - Garage-pop artist, Veronica Bianqui is releasing a new music video for her single, "Victim". “I wrote this song when I started discovering how being emotionally co-dependent has negatively affected my life by creating a pattern of self-victimization. Now, to me, it represents the hope for addicts to escape from their cycle of addiction. I hope it serves as inspiration for addicts and their loved ones around the world that you can put your foot down and change—that you don’t have to be a victim, like my sister—and so many millions of others—unfortunately have been.”

Veronica Bianqui integrates the raw energy of garage rock with the passion of classic soul and R&B, and the pop sensibilities of 60s girl groups while maintaining an intense yet playful edge. Perhaps it’s her background in musical theatre, jazz, classical, and even Indian classical music, or her mother’s propensity for blasting The Beatles and Joe Cocker around the house, but Bianqui’s tastes and influences cross a wide spectrum of sounds. In her live show, Bianqui and her band consisting of up to 10 members—reminiscent sometimes of a revue– combine classic showmanship with a heartfelt directness that keeps the music intimate.

Before breaking out with her solo material, Bianqui made a name for herself in the LA circuit, performing in bands that toured across the U.S. and Europe. As a current member of 1960’s inspired folk/surf/psych rock outfit The Blank Tapes, she balances the two bands, often collaborating with bandmate and co-producer Matt Adams, including on her debut album that is yet to be released.

Her debut album–recorded with Mark Rains (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Shooter Jennings, Alice Bag, Death Valley Girls)– is nearing completion, and awaits release in 2018. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Sixties tinged garage pop with just a little rock & roll swagger 'Victim' is a gorgeous song, with a positive message, and a whole load of hooks. It's looking good for the debut album.


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Rosie Carney - Winter.

Background - Anyone coming to ‘Winter’ not acquainted with Rosie Carney’s mature-beyond-her-years songwriting would be forgiven for thinking she was some long lost contemporary of Joni Mitchell with decades worth of experiences to relate about life, love and adversity, and not a brilliant newcomer who’s barely left her teens behind.

Produced with her frequent collaborator Orri McBrearty in her hometown of Donegal, ’Winter’ follows on from her highly acclaimed singles ‘Your Moon’ and ‘Awake Me’, singles which, between them, have racked up over six million streams online and received acclaim from NPR, The Line of Best Fit, The Independent, Crack in the Road and Perez Hilton.

With her dulcet tones, organic textures and subtle, nuanced, and dreamlike ambient production ‘Winter’ is Carney at her very best. In her own words she says:

"Winter is a confessional song written about knowing when something is over. It's inspired by the brutally honest truth experienced when realising something is coming to an end regardless of whether or not that's what you want. It captures the true cold essence of winter which can be felt when letting go. It was, of course, written in the winter. The instrumentation and production were very much inspired by the cold and bare landscapes around me. Everything is raw and minimal.”

The song is just another part of her exciting year so far, having played shows supporting Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Saint Sister and Haux, co-headlining dates with Henry Jamison in the UK and Ireland, alongside festival slots at Latitude, Seven Layers, and the Bon Iver, National, and Cillian Murphy curated Sounds From A Safe Harbour. FACEBOOK.

This is the fourth time we have featured Rosie Carney and her music continues to impress me in a big way. 'Winter' is gentle, intimate and just so natural. Conjuring up images of cold, short days in my imagination, her song writing and musical compositions are pristine.

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Koda - Curse.

Background - Koda shares his latest video for new single "Curse". The track is from his forthcoming album 'I Hope This Makes Us Better', which is due out spring 2018.

The grandson of a famous Haitian singer, alternative artist/producer Jordan Sudak (aka Koda) spent the first half of his life as an army brat, being yanked from city to city across the globe. Living in three countries by the age of 15, Jordan watched as his free-spirited parents turned to a radical form of born-again Protestantism, banning contemporary art and burning his Harry Potter books in the process.

After finally settling in Columbia, South Carolina, Jordan's family values took a bizarre turn as his father's close call with a heart attack triggered an 180 degree flip on religion for the entire household. His parents eventually opened for an experimental rock band called The Radar Cinema. His mom claimed Jordan to be a family cousin, and he then became the band's frontman.

Between rehearsals, Jordan would get together with the band's keyboardist to listen to doom metal and sludge records while "circuit-bending," the art of making new instruments through soldering circuit boards from toys like Furbies and Speak 'N' Spells. From there, Jordan made the deep dive into ambient and experimental music, teaching himself QBASE, a popular production software for electronic artists. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

'Curse' has an multi-layered musical sound where synths and rhythms seem to explore and interchange elements with each other. Add in the smooth vocals and this is an intriguing and pleasing song.


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ONR - 5 Years Time.

Background - Scottish artist ONR. started making waves after leaking demos through indie label Leftwing, before swiftly signing to Capitol Records in the US.

His debut single 'Jericho' was released this summer, and has received early support from Spotify, and US stations KCRW, KCSN and Live 105. 

Early reviews have lauded the ‘supreme confidence’ of ONR.’s sound, drawing comparisons to Echo & The Bunnymen, 1975, Depeche Mode, Arcade Fire and David Bowie.

ONR. is currently recording with producers Mark Crew (Bastille, Rag & Bone Man), Doc McKinney (The Weeknd) and legendary mixer Spike Stent. A run of UK dates this December (including three sold-out Scottish shows) leads in to US dates confirmed for next year - including SXSW. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

We featured ONR & the song 'Jericho' less than a month ago and it is a real pleasure to be able to share the brand new song '5 Years Time'. Once again the vocals are distinct and melodic. The music starts out with some delicate synthy sounds before building into a powerful and very catchy piece.

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Chances - Rishikesh.

Background - It was in late 2016, that Montreal-based musicians Chloé Lacasse and Geneviève Toupin, both singer songwriters and pianists, along with drummer Vincent Carré, decided to come together to sketch out a few songs, just to see where uninhibited brainstorming might lead. With two well received singles already released in 2017, 'Rishikesh' is their most experimental and vibrant effort yet.

A world music/electronic music mashup that becomes otherworldly in its atmospheric builds. Catapulting rhythms, syncopated vocals, and bubbling synths envelope around a loop of singers recorded on the banks of the Ganges. Exquisite in the execution, lyrically 'Rishikesh' is all about choice and intention, and musically it's about exploration.

Here are the band's thoughts on the new track: We love this song and feel it has a certain power to it. It's about choice and intention...the intention to trust your instinct, and to align action with thought. The song's driving rhythm continually pushes forward, the vocals play off each other in a sort of call and response, the synths spark up a colourful chaos. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

The song is tagged experimental pop and 'Rishikesh' is all of that. Vocals swirl and intertwine above a vibrant electronic soundtrack. Imaginative and impressive it's also one of those songs that quickly demands another listen.

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Dub Proof - The Spook School - Lucille Furs

Dub Proof - Not Enough.

Background - Dub Proof is a groove oriented band based in Asbury Park, NJ., comprised of Nick "Turtle" Paolise (bass), Rory "Roke" Fream (guitar & lead vocals), Pat Clarke (drums), Dave "Dr. Dave" Hollander (sax & k/b), and Joe Harvard (guitar, lap steel, k/b, Kaoss /samples, b/u voc). Formed in 2007, the band has become known for it's hardworking professionalism, intriguingly original live sound and freewheeling shows.

Dub Proof's music incorporates the social conscience of Bob Marley, the irresistible danceability of George Clinton funk, and the deep grooves, sweeping delays and fresh originality of 70's dub reggae, topping this basic recipe with a frosting of classic lead guitar gunslinging and a tasteful sprinkling of jazz and psychedelic electronica. Nick and Joe put the skills that earned multiple Asbury Music Awards [including Top Bass & Top Multi-Instrumentalist] to good use, while Dave, Roke and drummer Pat Clarke deliver performances that should guarantee their own AMA's soon.

The band continues to write songs that pare songs down to their essence, building arrangements that eschew long individual solos in favour of team interplay and rhythmic. The group is now in pre-production for their first self-recorded LP, while their constantly evolving sound continues to impress audiences at shows up and down the East Coast. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

I am always partial to some fine dub, you can blame the late great Horace Swaby (aka Augustus Pablo) for that!  'Not Enough' is a lighter dub affair with plenty of traditional reggae vibes alongside. Add in the upbeat rhythm and musical arrangement and melodic vocals & we have a very catchy groove going on here.


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The Spook School - Less Than Perfect.

Background - The Spook School shares the second single and video from its eagerly anticipated third album Could It Be Different?, due Jan. 26, 2018 on Slumberland Records and Alcopop! in the UK. If a debut LP is an artist’s introduction to the world and their sophomore release is their now-or-never moment, their third is their most cathartic: they’ve made it out, they’re here. Glasgow, Scotland’s indiepop optimists The Spook School, despite personal and political obstacle, made it out, and their latest full-length Could It Be Different? is here. It’s been a journey of self- discovery and feel-good realism; modern, dance-friendly indiepop fueling the fun. They made a name for themselves for their exultant and empowering pop, and now, they’ve shown real growth in nuance.

The Spook School are Nye Todd (guitar/vocals), Anna Cory (bass/vocals), Adam Todd (guitar/vocals) and Niall McCamley (drums). Could It Be Different? Is, well, different—it’s a collaborative album of personal storytelling that works through life’s hardships with positivity—even at their most beaten down, The Spook School manage to find hope free of naivety. That’s clear the second the album opens with “Still Alive,” and its ascending chorus (and soon-to- be crowd favorite) of “F You, I’m Still Alive,” written by Nye after surviving an emotionally abusive relationship. The song avoids villainizing the past, instead, it celebrates the present and welcomes the unknown future.

Could It Be Different? is a human release—a record full of the insecurities and anxiety that arrive after self-awareness, in learning something new and potentially frightening about yourself. But at it’s heart is joy—there’s no desolation on the LP, because The Spook School manage to find light in moments of darkness. All things glum must pass—even if hope comes only in the form of acceptance.

“We try to take sad songs and not shy away from them, but come out thinking ‘things will change.’ Otherwise everything would be dreadful and I feel bad enough as it is,” Niall laughs. “We need a bit of light in our lives.” Adam agrees, “We started this for fun. We want our shows to be fun. We want the people who come to our shows to feel welcomed, and to have fun. There’s a bit of party in our songs, no matter what the subject matter is.” Why cry when you can dance? FACEBOOK.

'Less Than Perfect' is a feisty indie rocker, with gorgeous vocals and harmonies backed by some crisp and determined music. With more to follow early next year this is a tasty appetiser.


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Lucille Furs - Pink Noise / The Fawn of Teal Deer.

Background - Chicago’s Lucille Furs play psychedelic rock and baroque pop in a tradition that dates back to the 60s and is championed by contemporary bands like Temples, The Horrors and Tame Impala.

The band came together in 2015 and comprise of Patrick Tsotsos, Nick Dehmlow, Brendan Peleo- Lazar, Trevor Newton Pritchett, Constantine Hastalis. 

The original band name was Shah Jahan, however they rebranded themselves with a name that Trevor Newton Pritchett threw out in a brainstorming session. Patrick Tsotsos stated in an interview earlier this year that the change to Lucille Furs stemmed from some listeners taking offense to the initial name (something they had no intention of doing).

The band’s self-titled debut album is available on limited edition vinyl (with windy city label TMB Limited offering it up on cassette). WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

From Lucille Furs self titled and totally inoffensive (see above) album I have chosen a couple of songs  'Pink Noise' and 'The Fawn of Teal Deer'. They are both pretty different, something that is a hallmark of this fabulous album, and collectively provide a clearer indication of what to expect. Baroque pop & psychedelic rock are equally presented within this collection of songs, with a modern twist and some timeless feeling.


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Hockey Dad - The Fireflys - Gasoline Lollipops

Hockey Dad - Homely Feeling.

Background - Australian surf-rock duo Hockey Dad unveil the suitably raucous visuals to latest single Homely Feeling, the first taste of their sophomore album Blend Inn set for release on 9th February via Manchester Indie label LAB Records.

An ode to the search for that sense of homely comfort whilst being miles away from your roots, this for Hockey Dad being the small, laid-back coastal town of Windang, Australia, Homely Feeling is a fuzzy blast of youthful energy. Now the tune is accompanied by a video that’ll make you pine for the glory days of MTV; a drained pool, inebriated-skating-grandpa antics and a whole heap of mates capture the charm and energy of youth with which Hockey Dad won hearts originally. 

Billy Fleming (drums) and Zach Stephenson (guitar, vox) have come a long way since sneaking underage into their local dive venue to catch their favourite bands. Once able to get their own regular slots they quickly built an ever-growing following, before releasing a debut EP Dreamin’ in 2014, then 2016’s acclaimed debut album Boronia. The 18 months since Boronia’s release has seen the duo tour extensively through Australia, before heading out to North America to take in SXSW, jump on a Canadian tour with Dune Rats, play shows in the UK and Europe before finally taking in some of their home country’s biggest venues with the iconic Wavves.

This stretch of playing live, and the reaction to their debut record has allowed Hockey Dad to ally the youthful electricity they possess in abundance with renewed sense of perspective, and an expanded mind-set. “We’re still kids,” reflects Fleming “But we’re just a little bit more... tinged”

Landing in Seattle, the recording of Blend Inn began with renowned audio engineer and producer John Goodmanson (Bikini Kill, Sleater-Kinney, Cloud Nothings) at Robert Lang Studios. The studios, supposedly haunted, echo with their iconic past - housing many of rock’s legends over its time, The Foo Fighters, Soundgarden, Death Cab For Cutie, Alice In Chains, for example, but most notably Nirvana, who recorded their last single inside - the mic used by Kurt Cobain still hanging in tribute. Here, Hockey Dad found a home away from home - immortalising their time in the album artwork, which depicts the house in a film photo captured by Fleming.

The single Homely Feeling is out now on all streaming platforms, and LP Blend Inn will be out on 9th February via LAB Records. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

It's around eighteen months since we were first introduced to Hockey Dad and back then I stated "the duo's brand of indie pop is just so bright and smile inducing." Fast forward to 'Homely Feeling' their latest single and the sound has matured into some vibrant energised surf rock. It's looking good for the next album.

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The Fireflys - Grace.

Background - The Fireflys are an Alt Americana band from Runcorn, north west England, who release their first single 'Grace' in November 2017. The track comes from their fifth studio album, which is slated for release early next year.

The songwriting of vocalist/guitarist Lee Wylding underpins The Fireflys' creative output, augmented by bassist Sam Bramhall, pianist Chris Tann, drummer Andie Packer, acoustic guitarist Joe Paul Forber and guitarist Phil Conway. Marking the beginning of a new generation of UK Americana/alternative guitar based bands, The Fireflys are indebted sonically to the likes of Neil Young and Tom Petty, as well as the links of R.E.M. and City & Colour.

The band are regularly played at Old Trafford stadium on match days and have been featured on MUTV, BBC Manchester and That's Manchester TV, affording them the cult status across the Northwest of England.

Fireworks Magazine has labelled them "The UK's answer to Counting Crows", whilst Mike Peters of The Alarm descrived them as "a good mix of REM and The Gin Blossoms" during a recent live television interview. FACEBOOK.

'Grace' is clearly influenced by all that is good with Americana music and the host of genres and identities that seem to come under that umbrella term. Fast, refined and raw enough to ensure the passion and heart shines through, The Fireflys have something quite special going on here.


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Gasoline Lollipops - Mustangs.

Background - Colorado-based band Gasoline Lollipops shares new track "Mustangs". "Robert Louis Cole, who traveled the South on a one-car tour with Gasoline Lollipops frontman Clay Rose a few years ago, wrote 'Mustangs' as a sparse acoustic blues," the band explains of the track, "we're honored to give it a rollicking full-band treatment on Soul Mine." Gasoline Lollipops will be playing an album-release show at Fox Theatre in Boulder on 12/16, along with a number of other shows listed below:

11.15 - 12.3 - Belgium and the Netherlands
12.16 - Fox Theatre - Boulder, CO
1.19-21 - Ambergris Caye, Belize
12.31 - Hodi's Half Note - Fort Collins, CO
1.5 - Alamo Drafthouse - Denver, CO
1.26 - Vail Ale House - Vail, CO
1.27 - The Historic Lariat

Gasoline Lollipops is a Colorado band that combines the sincerity of dirt-floor folk with the energy and rebelliousness of punk. It's an all-new incarnation of alt-country that’s both high-energy and heartfelt, like the American highway's soundtrack. This year marked the release of the GasPops' debut full-length album, Resurrection, and the band’s first-ever vinyl release, Soul Mine, will be celebrated at the Fox Theatre in Boulder on Saturday, December 16.

Colorado Daily readers voted Gasoline Lollipops "Best Local Musician/Group" for 2017, and in 2016, Denver Westword named Gasoline Lollipops Colorado's Best Country Artist. 2014 and 2015 brought multiple awards and accolades to the Gasoline Lollipops, including being selected to play six showcases in Austin during SXSW 2014; getting voted "Best Local Musician/Group" in the Colorado Daily's 2014 and 2015 polls; being selected as one of only six bands across Colorado for the highly coveted SpokesBUZZ Emerging Artists Incubator program; and winning the Oskar Blues Battle of the Bands in 2015. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Our second feature for Gasoline Lollipops in a couple of months and following on from 'Soul Mine' this time we have 'Mustangs'. Gritty, edgy and most certainly dirt-floor, this is a fabulous rootsy song that is both mean & addictive!


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I Hate You Just Kidding - Christopher Pellnat - Janileigh Cohen - Line & Circle - Vern Matz

I Hate You Just Kidding - Smokestacks.

Background - Jeremy and Jessi Brock are the husband & wife songwriting duo known as I Hate You Just Kidding. They started making music together shortly after meeting and formally formed the project in 2009.

Their music has been featured in film/television and commercials, and they have gone on several national tours, leaving two EPs and one full-length album in their wake.

Upon releasing their debut "Days Grow Longer" in 2011, I Hate You Just Kidding began writing a follow up. However, the touring life sometimes takes a few detours. After a 5 year hiatus, the sophomore album “Constellations” will be released on Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2018. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Live: Nov 15th 2017 - The Satellite, Los Angeles, CA.

'Smokestacks' is a tuneful catchy indie song. It's starts out as uncomplicated pop that occasionally builds into a more of a rock track, either way it addictive & gorgeous.

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Christopher Pellnat - Honey Venom Wings.

Background - Christopher Pellnat is a singer-songwriter from Hudson, NY, USA. Chris also collaborates with other musicians - for example, Mercy Weiss. He also play electric guitar in the Poughkeepsie, NY-based band, The Warp/The Weft.

His brand new album is called “Honey Venom Wings”, and is available now through Bandcamp. Talking about the new collection of material Christopher states "this album is not your typical singer-songwriter fare - it veers off into many directions that I hope you will find interesting".

You can find and hear some of Christopher Pellnat's collaborations with Mercy Weiss on her Bandcamp page (here). The Warp/The Weft's website is (here). More from Chris Pellnat on FACEBOOK, BANDCAMP.

We have featured Christopher Pellnat with Mercy Weiss and also The Warp/The Weft in fact this is our fourth feature for Chris including those combinations. I have chose to feature the title track from 'Honey Venom Wings' simply because it sits somewhere in the middle of the differing directions the album takes. Some tracks are more personal or intimate sounding and overall it is definitely up there with his other collaborations.

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Janileigh Cohen - Same Old Road.

Background - Bolton folk singer-songwriter Janileigh Cohen has released her new single Same Old Road this week through Funnel Music, which follows recent single Sister.

Same Old Road is captivatingly unique, yet almost sounds like a song you’ve heard before, with a warming vocal that pulls you in tightly like an old friend that you don’t want to leave. Backed simply by piano and violin, Janiliegh’s raw and intimate voice does all of the talking in this delicate and emotive track. Janileigh says;

"During the time I composed this song, I was not putting my music online or playing live so it was a song for myself to let out how I was feeling. I had a musical dream and this song helped cement the fact I wanted a career in music. I’d never really composed a song on piano until Same Old Road and it felt like it really came from the heart.”

Same Old Road follows recent single release Sister, previously self-released EP As a Child and cover of Blues Run The Game, which featured on the US TV drama This Is Us and has over 150,00 plays on Spotify.

Vocally and lyrically miles ahead of her young years, Janileigh writes on both piano and guitar, with a sound influenced by the likes of Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen. Her lyrics tell a personal story; exposing the joy, disillusionment, confusion and romance of life. Janileigh has honed her craft busking in her Northern hometown and around Europe, along with performing at open-mic nights, and is a must-see live. FACEBOOK.

We featured the song 'Sister' a few weeks back and the new single 'Same Old Road' is another absolutely beautiful release, last time I stated " I try to avoid writing this to often however Janileigh Cohen is definitely one to watch out for in the months to come." I am even more convinced that is the case now!

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Line & Circle - Vicious Folly.

Background - Ohio-born, Los Angeles-based Line & Circle will follow up their acclaimed singles and debut LP with their new EP Vicious Folly, due December 1st via Grand Gallop. This week they share the title track. At a moment when societal divisions seem increasingly tense and tribalistic, Vicious Folly explores a belief the Romans held centuries ago: homo homini lupus — man is a wolf to man. Whether the conflicts here are romantic ("Man Uncouth"), ideological ("Vicious Folly"), or familial ("Who Runs Wild"), the songs contemplate the disquieting idea that man himself is his own greatest threat.

Vicious Folly brings the resulting emotional complexity to life by expanding on the band's characteristically moody but vibrant color palette. Interweaving bass clarinet pulses and distorted tape loops move underneath minimalist patterns of chiming guitar and bass melody counterpoint. Singer/guitarist Brian J. Cohen's dramatic tenor pulls across the songs' brisk rhythmic foundations, which are more unhinged here than in previous releases.

The bulk of the record was tracked live to tape in one day at Los Angeles' Vox Studios with Michael Harris (Angel Olsen's My Woman), with additional sessions in various warehouses, bedrooms, and backhouse studios around the band's Echo Park neighborhood. The project was mixed with frequent collaborator Jonathan Low (The National, The War On Drugs) at Aaron Dessner of The National's Long Pond studio in Hudson Valley, New York.

Vicious Folly's cover features Peter Flötner's 16th century hand-painted playing cards from post-Reformation Germany. Flötner used his cards to depict and denounce the perceived greed, gluttony, and folly of his time. That the imagery strikes a chord today — as it surely did then — is either deeply comforting, or incredibly disconcerting, depending on your information filter. FACEBOOK, BANDCAMP.

Less than a month since we shared 'Man Uncouth' along comes 'Vicious Folly' from Line & Circle. The vocals slowly emerge from within the mix, as the band play some dynamic guitar lead rhythmic music that carries the power.

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Vern Matz - Trampolines.

Background - Indie rock trio Vern Matz share the lead track off their forthcoming self titled debut LP, due out January 2018. Vern Matz is comprised of guitarist and singer Danny Belgrad, pianist Michael Lituchy, and drummer Noah Silvestry. 

Not only are they bandmates, they are also all students together at Yale University. Speaking on "Trampolines," the band states, "At its core, Trampolines is a nostalgic piece that yearns for something that never really existed. It's like driving through a suburban town and feeling a longing for a time and place that you never experienced. You know you can't have it, you never did -- it's just this feeling of reaching out."

The EP was born out of several road trips between New Haven and Philadelphia. In a lot of ways, the EP is about Vern Matz coming of age - as individuals and as a band. Faced with finding a place in the world, the EP is about fleeing from those decisions and trying to ground themselves. Vern Matz says of the record, "Much of the EP is an expression of a feeling of displacement and an attempt to restore a sense of wholeness.

There's a lot of confusion and nervousness in the fact that you don't know what needs to be restored. We looked backwards a lot to resolve that uneasiness and got very swept up in nostalgia." The Vern Matz EP was recorded at Miner Street Recordings, produced and mixed by Matt Poirier, and mastered by Greg Calbi and Ryan Schwabe. FACEBOOK.

The distinct and engaging vocals are notable from the beginning on 'Trampolines'. The musical arrangement is refined and quite beautiful. This one is set to get quite a few personal plays, if the album is half this good, it will still be a must have.

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Broads - Big Bill

Broads - Climbs (ft. Milly Hirst).

Background - British electronic duo Broads have announced that they'll be releasing their new album 'Field Theory' in the new year.  But for now, they present the first single from that 11-track album, called  'Climbs', which features mesmerizing vocals from Milly Hirst, who also co-wrote this track with band members James Ferguson and Mark Jennings.

Mainstays of the Norwich music scene, Broads deliver a variety of music - always delicious - ranging from synth-pop bliss to a hybrid fusion of genres straddling the divide between ambient drone, post-rock and shoegaze. Broads takes a fascinating approach with this album, tastefully showcasing completely different sides of their musical spectrum.

‘Climbs’ recalls Melody’s Echo Chamber and Broadcast, while 'The Lecht' brings to mind both Mogwai and Boards of Canada. 'Mixed Ability Sequencing' most strongly aligns with My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive, leaving you hanging with less than minute of pure guitar reverie, while 'Habitats' brings the duo delightfully close to New Order territory.

After several releases as a solo artist, James Ferguson says Broads’ dynamics started to change with the release of the ‘Hellas’ LP (Jan 2016), undergoing a kind of sonic breakthrough with Mark now joining James for live shows and co-writing one of its tracks ‘Soft Homo’ – the first time Broads had really arrived at their now-signature sound, marrying droning, lo-fi synths and slow build through repetition with straightforward electronics. FACEBOOK.

'Climbs' is a good indicator of  'Field Theory' the album due in the new year. Although the featured song has the additional benefit of Milly Hirst's gorgeous vocals, the duo are creative and adventurous across all eleven tracks, allowing their imagination and creative minds to develop some very engaging music.

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Big Bill - Pharmacy.

Background - Austin's favorite punks, Big Bill, have been busy gearing up to release their debut LP, "Stand By Your Bill." We get the first gift and glimpse from that new LP with the release of their video for "Pharmacy,"

“Pharmacy” was originally an acoustic country demo that members, Alex and Eric, put together. It eventually became simpler and accompanied by more aggressive, shouting vocals. The track is the narration of a person afraid to admit any vulnerability, thinking that doing so will do him in. Instead the ridiculous solution offered is to avoid admitting you're sick, and avoid taking medicine. It's a steady progression from the pharmacy, to the infirmary, to the mortuary, and finally to the cemetery. Maybe a bit morbid, maybe a bit strange, but guaranteed to be stuck in your head. 

Big Bill is a punk band made up of brothers Eric and Cody Braden, Alan Lauer, and Alex Riegelman. The band formed in 2011, when Eric moved back to Texas from New York, and Cody finished college in Houston, though the seed for the band was planted years earlier, when the Braden brothers were in high school. Eric and Cody wrote countless songs together despite being untrained in music, and made entire “albums” of bizarre homespun folk, found sounds, and bad jokes. Even in Big Bill’s current, slightly more professional compositions, the element of the outsider artist that set them and their sound apart lives on.

Big Bill's debut LP, Stand By Your Bill will be available worldwide on November 17. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Vocals with plenty of punk attitude are accompanied by a guitar lead no nonsense rock groove on 'Pharmacy'. At just over two minutes a second play is almost mandatory, whilst the video suggests Big Bill have a good sense of humour and fun.


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The Limiñanas - Jacob Thomas Jr. - Fever High

The Limiñanas - Shadow People (feat. Emmanuelle Seigner).

Background - French psych duo The Limiñanas have released a new track taken from their ‘Istanbul Is Sleepy’ EP out 17th November. Featuring acclaimed French accress Emmanuelle Seigner, 'Shadow People' was recorded in The Limiñanas' home studio in the South of France, and finished at The Brian Jonestown Massacre's Anton Newcombe's studio in Berlin.

Lionel from the band explains: "The shadow people are an American myth, they are described as furtive apparitions, comparable to ghosts observable from the corner of the eye. These "spirits" accompany throughout your all life, a sort of paranormal glue stuck to you... Emmanuelle came to visit us in the South of France, and we asked her to sing "Shadow People" with Renaud Picard, the singer from Hair and the Iotas.

We recorded it in just a few minutes over an afternoon...". Emmanuelle Seigner added: "A friend introduced me to The Limiñanas, I was in love with their Music. Three days before our first meeting, Lionel Limiñana called me and offered me to sing on one song off their new album. He sent me 'Shadow People'. Then we recorded directly at their home, it was fast, easy and pretty natural". FACEBOOK.

We first featured The Limiñanas around six weeks ago, & following quickly after we now have 'Shadow People'. Last time we mentioned that the song was psych through & through, with the latest track there is more melodic sound and the mixture of vocals adds to a catchy & richly layered piece.


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Jacob Thomas Jr. - Running Through My Mind.

Background - Nashville artist Jacob Thomas Jr. has released "Running Through My Mind," the second single from his upcoming LP, Electric Sex, out February 16, 2018 on Summer Dress Music. "I wanted to write about my divorce, but I’ve never been someone who’s able to articulate thoughts and feelings while I’m in the midst of extreme emotional situations," reflects Jacob. "I find it more beneficial to wait until there is some time and space to gain perspective. ‘Running through My Mind’ is hard to talk about. It’s one of those songs that reminds me of a period in my life when I was a person that I no longer am. It’s not a cryptic or vaguely written song. It’s about as straight forward as a song can get.”

Jacob’s debut album, Original Sin (2014), was a solo-acoustic dive into his past that explored the path that brought him to Nashville in 2008. On that brutally honest debut, we learned about his dramatic shift from Louisiana pastor to Nashville musician. After being fired by his own Parrish for spending too much time performing in bars, Thomas made the incredibly difficult decision to leave his wife and pursue music full-time in Nashville. If the bare-boned songs on Original Sin shone a light on Thomas' ability to pack a punch with little more than an acoustic guitar and a gorgeously ragged voice, then Electric Sex — full of heartfelt, anthemic anthems about getting laid, getting lost and getting left behind — shows the full range of his abilities. Electric Sex explores his life after the church, with Thomas telling us, “At 25 years old I said ‘f it all,’ and this album is me trying to reclaim my sexual identity after years of growing up in the church.”

10 years into his professional music career Thomas has played out with some of Nashville’s best country/rock artists including Rayland Baxter, Uncle Kracker, Sonia Leigh, Randy Montana, Logan Mize, Elise Davis, Goodbye June, and Danielle Bradbery to name a few. However, on Electric Sex he's a frontman, leading a studio band whose members include pedal steel wiz Drew Belk (Billy Currington, Midland), producer and keyboardist Jason Morant, bass player Jason Harris and drummer Jake Finch. Together, they make a sound that nods to rock & roll's biggest moments — from Fleetwood Mac to ELO to Silverchair's Diorama — while still pushing into new territory. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

'Running Through My Mind' is one of those songs where less is more. Heartfelt, personal vocals that are full of emotional intensity, are backed by a beautiful musical arrangement that slowly builds adding to the mood.

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Fever High - Casting My Spell.

Background - Brooklyn's Fever High released their long-awaited full length album FHNY. The duo - multi-instrumentalists Reni Lane and Anna Nordeen - made their debut with last year's critically acclaimed All Work EP.

FHNY continues the band's collaboration with Adam Schlesinger (Fountains Of Wayne, Ivy) who also produced the All Work EP. Reni says, "After releasing All Work, we entered a new stage where we really honed our sound, lyrics, and mood... the new batch of songs takes everything to the next level." Adds Anna, "We want to sing about things we really feel and have fun at the same time."

After releasing the All Work EP, Fever High began to play live, with Adam and drummer Brad Wentworth joining Anna and Reni onstage for a run of club shows, as well as a string of dates supporting synthpop pioneers Book Of Love. They found radio support from influential stations like Los Angeles' KCRW and Austin's KUTX, and their songs showed up in numerous films and TV shows, including the CW comedy Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Netflix’s To The Bone, and three songs in the 2017 film Fun Mom Dinner. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

The opening piano chords had me interested, then when the vocals kicked in 'Casting My Spell' had me hooked. The production quality gives away that this is a more recent song, the style however is timeless & gorgeous.


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Sad Palace - Ali Murray - The Tates

Sad Palace - Melody Crux.

Background - South Coast quartet Sad Palace unveil their latest single, Melody Crux, its was release via Kissability on November 10th. Brimful of grooving attitude, the single is a continuation of the icy pop Sad Palace have already made their name with, just three sharp releases into their career. Fizzing organs and piercing alt.rock guitars sit atop jazzy breaks, delivered seamlessly by the rhythm section, whilst imperious vocals deliver commanding hooks, breaking at times into infectious falsetto. 

If the track is channelling late night vibes, then here’s why: 'Most of the lyrics were written on a night out, sometimes you go out partying for the night when you really shouldn't. It's a weird feeling, being out dancing and drinking, and then realising you're just not in the mood.The music stays really upbeat as the words slowly deteriorate with the night, because the night doesn't care about your feelings, it goes on anyway.'

Sad Palace’s previous single Frostbeat was released on limited edition tape as part of International Cassette Store Day earlier this year, a move echoing their sonic combination of retro and contemporary influences.

With online acclaim building, invites to perform at the exclusive Sofar Sounds sessions and another glacial diamon under their belt, Sad Palace look set to break beyond their small town constraints, possessing the creativity and ambition to level-up to national indie stalwarts. Melody Crux will be available on all streaming and downloading services from 10th November. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

'Melody Crux' is a refreshing and sprightly song where the band are clearly putting their hearts into the music. It might be Indie or Alt something, it's certainly a breezy pleasing song.

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Ali Murray - Only Wind.

Background - Ali Murray has just released a new EP called 'Only Wind'. Musically it's kind of atmospheric folk, influenced by the dark hills and barren moorlands...and the general harshness, beauty and sadness of remote Scottish island life. He will also be following up the EP with a full-length album sometime soon.

”Ali Murray is a songwriter/musician hailing from the cold and rainy Isle of Lewis in northern Scotland. Equal parts grandiose and humble, effervescent and melancholy, spatial and solitary, Ali’s dark blend of acoustic folk, atmospheric post-rock, and dream pop is as beautifully depressing as it is introspectively invigorating.

His lyrics, which speak of longing, loss, and various degrees of emotional turmoil we can all relate to in some way, speak volumes themselves but are also wonderfully complimented by moving melodies and expansive soundscapes; Ali proves himself to be a creator of an incredibly vast array of sound for a single person. An artistic channeler of all spectral ranges of human emotion, Ali Murray will appeal to any and all folks looking for that faint, but visible light at the end of the tunnel.” - Kevin Berk. BANDCAMP, FACEBOOK.

The title track and one of four on the EP 'Only Wind' is typical of the refined and high standard of music Ali Murray creates. On the featured song Stephanie Ratcliff adds some beautiful additional vocals. It's worth noting however, that as a solo artist Ali is more than capable of filling all voids, and some.

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The Tates - Water.

Background - ‘Water’, the brand new single by Welsh Indie / Pop five piece 'The Tates', has been eagerly anticipate after the success of the band’s debut release ‘Electric Girl’. The song was supported by Huw Stephens, BBC Introducing, Radio 1 and gained Amazing radio playlisting as well as being A-listed on BBC Radio Wales.

Energized by their summer tour in support of ‘Electric Girl’ a confident and inspired band returned to the studio in Cardiff to work with producer Steffan Pringle (Estrons, Himalayas, Future Of The Left) again. They emerged with a sense of purpose with a song that will redefine 'The Tates' as the torch-bearers of a new sound, a sound that ranges from The Libertines’ poetic raw energy to the death disco of early New Order and the fuzzed day-glow pop melodies of MGMT. Lyrically ‘Water’ asks a poetic question exploring themes of nature over nurture, as Tom the guitarist explains: “Are the flaws that we share with our parents who we are, or have we learnt from them?
                                              
Are we free to be the people we want to be or are we trapped by our genetic makeup and our immediate environment and society?” It is testament to the band that with their unwavering belief in the pop song they are in full control of their chosen genre - they make the pop song theirs. 'The Tates' build from the ground up, step by step until they can reach the stars. FACEBOOK.

'Water' is vibrant and feisty. Vocals and harmonies are bright, and supported by a determined and delicious musical arrangement. Whatever it is in their 'Water' it's definitely a mood lifter!

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I'm With Her - Robin Martin - Soho Rezanejad - Jason S. Matuskiewicz - Empathy Test - Willie Breeding

I'm With Her - See You Around.

Background - I'm With Her, the band of Sara Watkins, Sarah Jarosz, and Aoife O'Donovan, have announced the release of their full-length debut, See You Around, out February 16, 2018. “See You Around”, the title track from the album, is available everywhere now. Co-produced by Ethan Johns (Ryan Adams, Laura Marling, Paul McCartney) and the band and recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios in Bath, England, See You Around is a 12 track LP filled with finespun narratives and breathtaking harmonies – full track listing is below. Additionally, I’m With Her has announced an international headlining tour that will kick off in March 2018 and bring the band to major cities across the world including Los Angeles, Paris, London, and more.

See You Around presents a warmly textured, yet stripped-down sound layered with lush guitar tones and crystalline harmonies. The album is comprised of 11 originals, penned by the band in Los Angeles and Vermont, plus the never before released Gillian Welch-penned “Hundred Miles.” With each member playing guitar and handling various aspects of the instrumentation— including fiddle and ukulele for Watkins, mandolin and banjo for Jarosz, piano and synth for O’Donovan—the band cut most of the album live, performing just a few feet away from each other in the tracking room. All through See You Around, I’m With Her exhibits a refined musicality that reflects their deep musical roots.

After years of crossing paths in their intersecting scenes, I’m With Her came together by happenstance for an off-the-cuff performance at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival during the summer of 2014.The multi-Grammy-Award-winners have individually released nine solo efforts, co-founded two seminal bands (Nickel Creek and Crooked Still), and contributed to critically acclaimed albums from a host of esteemed artists. The band has garnered tremendous acclaim for their unique blend of instrumental interplay and indelible harmonies.

"We all feel immensely fortunate to be in this band together,” says I’m With Her. “As longtime friends and fans of each other’s music, it’s been wonderful to realise that writing and collaborating together fits so seamlessly into our lives. And now, we’re so excited to get to tour and share the work we’ve done as a band with our debut album, See You Around." WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

UK Tour Dates: 
Jan 30 London, UK @ Bush Hall
May 11 Belfast, UK @ Cathedral Quarter Arts Festival
May 12 Dublin, Ireland @ Whelan's
May 14 Gateshead, UK @ Sage Two
May 15 Manchester, UK @ Band On The Wall
May 16 Bristol, UK @ The Station
May 17 London, UK @ Union Chapel

I'm With Her just oozes class with 'See You Around'. The music is highly crafted yet restrained allowing the superb vocals & harmonies to hold centre stage. February feels like a long time to wait for the album, this song suggests it will be worth each week.


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Robin Martin - Drunk On You.

Background - Robin Martin is a recording artist from Northern Ireland. While making a living from cover bands, Robin always had a passion for American country music. “The first singers voice I remember as a child was Willie Nelson singing "Yesterdays Wine" while traveling to the north coast to visit family.”

Robins influences include Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Merle Haggard and more recently, Chris Stapleton, Zac Brown Band and Brad Paisley!

Robin has recently teamed up with the very talented song writer and producer Paul Mahon from Croc Recording Studio' to record his song "Drunk On You" After shooting the video Robin and Paul decided that this would be a partnership worth pursuing.

“With the help of my beautiful wife Karen, we will share our love of country music with anyone who wants to share the journey with us." FACEBOOK.

American country music has travelled well across the Atlantic to Northern Ireland care of Robin Martin. 'Drunk On You' is a natural helping of classic Americana, considering how many folk from Ireland made the journey west decades ago, music like this might well be part of Irelands heritage.


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Soho Rezanejad - Greed Wears a Disarming Face.

Background - 'Greed Wears A Disarming Face' is the first track to be released from Soho Rezanejad's debut album 'Six Archetypes', which is due out 19th January 2018 via Silicone Records.

The single marks the first in a series of videos, which will be themed around a different Archetype from the record. Speaking about the concept, Soho says "“The first passage in the video relates to the record’s overarching narrative and title, Six Archetypes. Apple seeds rest in my hand while I sleep, searching for my mother in a dream — a reference to the orphan complex that Carl Jung writes about. He thought that children orphan themselves by abandoning their heritage for the pursuit of a particular quest, one which in no way fits their parents' or caretakers' expectations.

In a different sense, one can become orphaned from society. An idea or ideology can become so common that the mass establishes a system of expectations: one person's idea becomes the people's image. So what choice do we have other than to be orphans? I am drawn to this archetype because it possesses qualities shared by all visionaries of the world. Inasmuch as the orphan relates to being alone, it's also about the obsession for breaking and challenging systems.”

Soho Rezanejad’s Six Archetypes is an exploration of humanity’s essential postures, and a bold statement of the artist’s range. The album is at once an opera and intimate ledger. Like in any good theatre, gestures within this album suspend not only reality, but a division between the universal and the particular. FACEBOOK.

A thought provoking song title such as 'Greed Wears a Disarming Face' left me hoping for something a little different. A rhythmic and atmospheric piece with gorgeous & almost pleading vocals, above a dark and sombre soundtrack, yes this is a little different, it's pretty special as well.


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Jason S. Matuskiewicz - Battle Born.

Background from Jason S. Matuskiewicz - Here's a song from yours truly, me, Jason S. Matuskiewicz, Esq. This is a song about similar formative trials--experiences that are, in a way, mutual to my girlfriend and me. It was written while she was undergoing intensive chemotherapy and was essentially bed ridden for the majority of the time. 

To watch someone that you don't just love but love more than you ever imagined yourself capable of loving someone is a profoundly challenging experience. My only outlet is song. So, I wrote an EP and this is the opening track. And my friend let me record it at the studio he heads.

This song explores the alt folk and alternative styles that I have always loved, but band members have not embraced as much as I have, which is the magic and the frustration of collaboration. It also features Adam Kruckenburg, my band mate in Shapes on Tape, and Justin Craig, our producer, who produced the track and drums on it.

The major third garners The Pixies comparisons, my team of experts has determined. I hope you like it.  FACEBOOK.

'Battle Born' may have come from extreme and difficult circumstances, I suppose from an artistic point of view, that situation fuelled the emotional charge in the vocals, and passion across the song. I'm still trying to figure out if that's a good thing or not, I guess plenty of music has come from intense pain and concern. If this seems a little deep, it's because a relative & friend faces this treatment very soon. Art from angst, on reflection this is a fine song.

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Empathy Test - All It Takes.

Background - Empathy Test shares new LP track "All It Takes".  Empathy Test will be releasing two LPs, Safe From Harm and Losing Touch (Remastered), next Friday, November 17th, both of which contain remastered versions of previously released material as well as brand new tracks. You can pre-order the LPs here.

Empathy Test was formed in 2013 by childhood friends Isaac Howlett and Adam Relf. Sharing a mutual love for all things sci-fi, the London-based duo draw inspiration from ‘80s movie soundtracks, ‘90s guitar bands and underground dance music. Their name, borrowed from Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi masterpiece, Blade Runner, gives a clue to the DNA of a band that, since its conception just three years ago, has self-released a string of meticulously layered, life-affirming Synthpop tracks that have won them both critical acclaim a legion of dedicated fans worldwide.

The twin debut albums, Safe From Harm and Losing Touch, represent the culmination of four years' work from Howlett and Relf, who, in a now wholly over saturated synth scene, have used their considerable talents to form an enthralling, standalone identity. Starting out with the dark, melancholy nightscapes of early tracks like their debut, ‘Losing Touch’, which has now had over half a million plays on Spotify, the duo's sound has continuously evolved, propelling them towards the genre-defying territory reserved for the likes of other UK acts like Editors, Hurts and White Lies.

Fiercely independent, the band remains unsigned, having already turned down their fair share of record deals in favour of crowdfunding their twin debut albums via PledgeMusic. The hugely successful campaign is now 600% funded and counting, showing the huge weight of support they have behind them. Despite the lack of label-backing, they’re also turning in the kind of Spotify streams you would expect from the latest industry-backed buzz band, with their last single Bare My Soul already having racked up 85K+ plays. BANDCAMP, FACEBOOK.

We featured Empathy Test less than a month ago, however 'All It Takes' is gorgeous and deserves to be shared immediately. Electronic pop of a very high calibre.

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Willie Breeding - Prague Spring ft. Caitlin Rose.

Background - Kentucky based newcomer Willie Breeding will release his debut album ‘Big Sky’ in early 2018.  With influences ranging from Lee Hazlewood to The Strokes, Marty Robbins to A Tribe Called Quest, "Big Sky" is first and foremost an album of well-crafted tunes. The melodies are rich and wavy, complementing well the lyrics of someone torn between their years in New York City, and their generations in Kentucky.

The first single to be take from, ‘Prague Spring’, features a guest vocal from Caitlin Rose.

Detailing the story behind ‘Prague Spring’ he explains "One night in Prague, 1962, the son of the Italian ambassador met an actress they called, “The Czech Bridgette Bardot”.  Their adventures were like a black and white noir. Bullets were drunk out of martini glasses. Official diplomatic vehicles were stolen.  14 years later, my wife was born"

"I knew I wanted to make these stories into a song.  The melody came first, but it was a hard story to tell in song form, and I didn't want it to be spelled out and specific like a folk song. I just wanted it to evoke what I imagined the feeling to be. I called Caitlin because she's one of my favorite lyricists, and I thought she would enjoy the story. I felt too close to the material working on it myself. Later, when I was showing my wife the lyrics Caitlin and I had written, she instantly came up with the last line of the song, which I took as a good omen" FACEBOOK.

With an eclectic range of influences mentioned above Willie Breeding set expectations high and with the help of Caitlin Rose on 'Prague Spring' delivers a fabulous song. If the pass mark is wanting to hear more, then it's A+ and as soon as possible please.

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Oddnesse - Novah - Steve Buscemi's Dreamy Eyes - Madeline Tasquin

Oddnesse - I Used To.

Background - “It started with the keyboard part. Doug (Grey Goon) played it in the studio one day. It found it very peaceful and aligned with a kind of freedom I had been enjoying lately. That year I had driven alone from LA to Utah and back twice. I absolutely loved it, in the way I’ve always loved the independence of no one needing me, no one expecting me, no one to confer with about where I might stop, when I might leave, if I might come back. I was grateful on those trips (as one usually is) for the dissolution of a relationship I had been overly attached to.  I was grateful that my mind was clear and that I had the experience to myself. I was happy. I didn’t need to know what was next.” - Rebeca Arango

Oddnesse is the soulchild of songwriter-producer Rebeca Arango, a first generation American from Hoboken, New Jersey. Arango met her partner-in-crime, fellow songwriter-producer Grey Goon (aka Doug Walters), in Los Angeles. The two east-coast expats bonded easily over pop hooks and apocalyptic prep while sporting the mandatory black uniform of studio nerds who find solace spending hours inside making music even when it's very very nice out.

The Oddnesse directive is to construct heavy, harmonious dreamscapes of soaring melodies and simple grooves, pulled freely from a wide range of nostalgic sounds. The project features numerous contributors and collaborators, including musicians Casey Feldman, Eddie Rivera and Lauren Kinney (who all perform in the live band), and designer/art director Dexsy Repuyan. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

'I Used To' is the fourth song we have featured by Oddnesse this year. Last time we stated that "the ability to sound both powerful and yet uncomplicated is increasingly becoming a hallmark of their dreamy and passionate music." I stand by that assessment, with yet another fine track to enjoy.

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Novah - Ghost (featuring Amanda Mair).

Background - Stockholm-based Dream Pop band Novah have teamed up with acclaimed singer/songwriter Amanda Mair for new single ‘Ghost’. This follows their debut EP ‘Alaska’, which won them fans across Scandinavia, North America and the UK.

Taking their cues from the likes of Broken Social Scene, Beach House and The Radio Department, the track features industrial drum grooves, which are juxtaposed with haunting piano chords and Mair’s delicate voice. On working with Amanda Mair Novah told us: “Amanda is a really cool artist, we’ve been talking for a long time about doing a collaboration with her and when this song came up it just felt right.”

 Having recorded their debut EP on a remote island, a studios’ individuality has a significant effect on Novah’s recording process: “We were recording in Stockholm in a studio with an old upright piano, and started messing around with complex beats on a drum machine and then adding piano chords together with it. It took a while before it turned into something you can actually listen to… but it ended up as a beautiful song and we are very proud of this one!”

Novah consist of David Tranberg on Vocals/Guitar, Simon Hagström Rennerstedt on Vocals/Guitar/Keys, and Filip Hagström Rennerstedt on Bass. Raised on the same street on an island outside Stockholm, they played in different formations during their early teenage years until they decided to form their first band together at the age of 15 with British Indie as a common musical thread. The project quickly became serious, and their melancholic sounds can be heard on TV shows on networks such as MTV – their intense crescendos are the perfect backdrop for emotional drama. FACEBOOK.

We featured a couple of songs from Amanda Mair back in early October, this time she is featured in the new Novah piece 'Ghost'. This is a gentle dream pop track where the dual vocals contrast beautifully with a detailed & refined soundtrack adding additional dynamics.

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Steve Buscemi's Dreamy Eyes - Swim Deep.

Background - Swedish indie/dream pop quartet Steve Buscemi’s Dreamy Eyes are back with an excellent first taste of their upcoming debut EP ‘Four Waters’. New single ‘Swim Deep’ explores the idea of wanting to hide away from your own mistakes in life, deconstructing the feeling behind wanting to simply “disappear”. Effervescent, intriguing pop music, with a pure Swedish heart, on this new single the band meld indie pop, electronic rock, and dream pop - into one fluid hybrid.

Prior to forming via Twitter, all 4 members of Steve Buscemi’s Dream Eyes had been operating in different small Stockholm bands. It was in the summer of 2015 that Tilde Hansen (bass, vocals) tweeted out a request for fellow musicians to start a new band. A couple of months later, Steve Buscemi’s Dreamy Eyes were formed.

Behind the odd name — you’ll find one of the most promising new bands on the blooming Swedish indie scene. With all the band members still at the tender age of 22, they’ve already picked up an impressive amount of attention; from both Sweden’s biggest music sites and influential international sources such as DIY, Billboard and Amazing Radio, Spotify also included the band’s 2016 dance-friendly indie pop single ‘Closer' in their Fresh Finds playlist which helped get the track into the top 10 on the Top 50 Viral in USA Spotify chart.

On 'Swim Deep', Siri Sjöberg leads the vocals, and bassist / songwriter Tilde Hansen said this on the lyrical meaning behind the new single: "Swim Deep is about wanting to hide from your mistakes and all the embarrassing things you’ve done. It’s about wanting to disappear and not having to deal with life. But then realising that you eventually have to face it all and stand for what you've said and done. There will always be people who do it better than you, but that doesn't matter because you will find your way and your people.” FACEBOOK.

'Swim Deep' is a mash of genres that come together in a coherent and gorgeous manner. Atmospheric and flowing, everything from the impassioned vocals to the intriguing musical arrangement works.

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Madeline Tasquin - Future Telephone.

Background - "The title track of Future Telephone is a lament on modern day (mis)communication. It was written, recorded, mixed and mastered in Montreal, but Madeline's been based in the San Francisco Bay Area since 2006. These past few years of living a bi-coastal lifestyle have made holding down an intimate relationship challenging. "The lyrics of this tune are paraphrased from actual lines and emotions spoken and felt by myself and my (now ex-) sweetheart in a long period in different timezones, when our words and intentions got lost in pixelation thanks to these future telephones we were trying to communicate complex emotions through.

This felt like the right title for the whole EP because these songs are largely a response to the heaviness of 2016 and they carry so much hope and love for humanity and this beautiful planet, but then I think to myself ... who knows if all that intention will land on peoples' hearts like I hope it will, or if it'll be "lost in pixelation" somehow. Or just drowned out by radio noise of modern life. I feel like our communication as a species is rife with misunderstanding, riddled with assumption and an epidemic single-mindedness. These songs carry with them a hope that we can regain some of our natural empathy and the humility that comes with some sense of the vast complexity of life and all things."

Accompanying herself on piano, guitar and ukulele, Canadian-Californian songcrafter Madeline Tasquin weaves from jazzy folk to soulful ballads in odd meters to playful new romantic pop to delicately dark musical fairytales, delivering it all with a stage presence that radiates joy. With influences including Primus to Billie Holiday to Joni Mitchell to Chopin, it's no surprise that her songs takes harmonic and rhythmic twists and turns, though whether performing solo or fronting one of her bands, she manages to pull this off without leaving anyone in the room behind. WEBSITE, FACEBOOK.

Madeline Tasquin vocals are gentle & melodic to begin with, however they are clearly not without passion & power. 'Future Telephone' is a fabulous song, the music builds, with hints of jazz, folk and more.


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