Jillette Johnson - Blue Stragglers - Bikini Test Failure - Cordovas

Jillette Johnson is a Nashville-based singer/songwriter who has just shared 'I Shouldn't Go Anywhere' and it's a superb modern country rocker. === Blue Stragglers have two new singles 'She' and 'Late At A Festival' where their brand of garage rock is robust and defined with plenty of clarity. === Bikini Test Failure has revisited and redefined 'Are We Having A Good Time Yet?' adding depth and richness to this fabulous genre spanning rock song. === From Cordovas we have 'High Feeling' ahead of their new album 'Destiny Hotel', out 30th October on ATO Records. The bands beautifully crafted mixture of folk, country and classic rock & roll is simply wonderful.
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Jillette Johnson - I Shouldn't Go Anywhere.

Nashville-based singer/songwriter Jillette Johnson has released a stirring new track titled “I Shouldn’t Go Anywhere.” Johnson spoke with American Songwriter about her first new music in three years, which showcases her irreverent, candid lyricism, wrapped in a bolder, more confident sound fueled by a rebelliously-optimistic attitude. “I Shouldn’t Go Anywhere” illustrates a destructive relationship nearing its end with a lilting melody and Johnson’s classically emotive vocals.

“I wrote this song after deciding to leave a short-lived fling with someone who was emotionally unavailable,” explained Johnson. “The song is about trying to navigate the power struggle that inevitably presents itself in an unhealthy partnership, coupled with the realization that we are responsible for how safe our own hearts are. Thankfully, I found my way out of it, and shortly there-after I met my now husband. Turns out the lotus flower really does grow out of the mud.”

Since releasing her full-length debut Water in a Whale, Jillette Johnson has built a reputation on her ruminative pop/folk, piano-driven songs and powerful vocals, garnering acclaim ranging from Billboard and Paste to Marie Claire and ELLE. Her follow-up Dave Cobb-produced release All I Ever See In You Is Me, prompted Rolling Stone Country to hail Johnson as “Regina Spektor refracted through the lens of American roots music.” She has experienced a period of significant growth in the years since, while navigating a volatile, ever-changing industry and relocating from her hometown of New York City to Nashville. After taking back control of her sound and career, Johnson returns with a hard-won optimism and newfound creative energy. “I Shouldn’t Go Anywhere” is the first look at Jillette Johnson on the other side of a journey through pain and struggle to gratitude, forgiveness, and, ultimately, acceptance.

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Blue Stragglers - She / Late At A Festival.

Encapsulating the Stragglers’ intention to write anthems for festivals lost and yet to come, ‘She’ and ‘Late At A Festival’ represent a one-two of utterly infectious and euphoric garage-rock.

‘She’, for all its swaggering riffage and alt-rock punch, is in many ways the perfect pop single: sub-three minutes of melodic immediacy with a verse and chorus so catchy you’ll be singing along on second listen. It also focuses on that most classic of pop themes – unrequited love. According to Stragglers’ frontman Lee Martin, ‘She’ is “A cheeky south London romp about the one who got away.” This is a track that oozes sweet menace, carried along by a hook that displays the trio’s guitar, bass and drums dexterity at its unified best.

‘Late At A Festival’ melds harmonic indie sensibilities with a fuzzed-out guitar line that the Nineties forgot to write. A paean to lost love that was written after the band spent a hazy weekend stumbling around Dorset’s End of the Road Festival, the song draws as much on the likes of Blur as it does Demob Happy or Boy Azooga. Lee’s chiming guitar line contrasts with the powerhouse intent of the rhythm section as ‘Late At A Festival’ crests from understated melodic counterpoints into crunching overdrive that hints at the song’s ferocious crescendo.

About the ‘Blue Stragglers’ EP - Comprising five heavyweight alt-rock gems that lay equal claim for A-side status, Blue Stragglers’ debut EP captures the Sussex trio at their muscular, melodic finest. Recorded and mixed by engineer and producer David Holmes in the belly of Lightship 95 at Soup Studios – a houseboat turned recording studio docked on the Thames in East London – the EP sessions were almost over before they had even begun. Recording took place during a ferocious winter storm, which turned the loading of equipment across the Lightship’s ice-covered bridge into a precarious ordeal. Thankfully, the dreaded cry of “man overboard” was never heard and Blue Stragglers laid down five songs that are unequivocally up to the task of being played “during the sunset slot at festivals”, as per the band’s stated aim.

The mastering of the EP was shared between Bill Skibbe of Jack White’s Third Man Mastering in Detroit and Oli Morgan of Fluid in London.

Blue Stragglers · She

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Bikini Test Failure - Are We Having A Good Time Yet?

Originally on my first Bikini Test Failure album, (Another Day Another Fat Pile Of Cash) this is the track that got me all the attention back in the day. Now during lockdown, it’s remultitracked, remixed, remastered and I’m really looking forward to playing it to a new audience who might have missed it the first time around.

But here’s my big story today: twenty-five years after starting Blague Records, I’ve finally made my first “pop” video! It took a month of filming on my iPhone, a week of editing and a global pandemic to make me bother!

More life-affirming, post-lockdown, pre-Second-Wave, melodious, dark, humorous, classy Prog Alt. Rock Britpop from the fevered mind of Manchester UK’s one-man-band, ego-maniac, control-freak James Hill, with all the hallmarks of a Dark-Side-Of-The-Moon Pink Floyd, fronted by the acid wit and humour of a Queen-Is-Dead Smiths.

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Cordovas - High Feeling.

Cordovas’ new album 'Destiny Hotel', out 30th October on ATO Records, is a work of wild poetry and wide-eyed abandon, set to a glorious collision of folk and country and groove-heavy rock-and-roll. In a major creative milestone for the Tennessee-based band—vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Joe Firstman, keyboardist Sevans Henderson, guitarist/vocalist Lucca Soria and vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Toby Weaver—the album harnesses the freewheeling energy of their live show more fully than ever, all the while lifting their songwriting to a whole new level of sophistication. The result is a batch of songs that ruminate and rhapsodise with equal intensity, inviting endless celebration on the way to transcendence.

Recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Rick Parker (Lord Huron, Beck, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Firstman’s Atlantic Records-released debut solo album 'The War of Women'), Destiny Hotel expands on the harmony-soaked roots rock of 'That Santa Fe Channel', a 2018 release that earned abundant praise from outlets like Rolling Stone, Clash and NPR Music. Before heading to L.A., Cordovas spent over three months in their second homebase of Todos Santos (an artist community in Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula), sketching dozens of songs partly sparked from their voracious reading of authors like mythologist Joseph Campbell, poet/novelist Rainer Maria Rilke, and spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle. And when it came time for the recording sessions—a frenetic seven-day stretch squeezed in just before stay-at-home orders took effect in response to the global pandemic—the band methodically eliminated any lyrics they deemed inconsequential.

“We wanted to strike the term ‘want’ from our music—to get rid of all the ‘Baby, baby, baby, I want this, I want that,’ and create something more useful,” says Firstman. “We needed to make sure these were songs we’d be proud to sing forever.”

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Wynnm - KEYS - Lady Dan

Wynnm first came across our radar back in February with 'Fire On The Moon' which we described as "a gentle and melodic song with fabulous vocals above a restrained musical backdrop" and with the new song 'The Morning' it's a case of "have some more". === KEYS were here last month and return with another fine track entitled 'Phases' which exudes some retro pop and rock vibes, something these folk are very good at. ===  Lady Dan shares 'Facta, Non Verba' today and its a highly addictive song, with a subtle musical arrangement that adds layers along the way supporting her gorgeous vocals.

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Wynnm - The Morning.

Wynnm’s quicksilver sound is an elegant amalgamation of smooth folk and vital bass. Her music emerges from the dusty mirages of Arizona and the private mountains of Idaho and cycles to the electronic beats of her current residency in Amsterdam.

Though born amidst the sands and sunburnt rock faces of the Sonoran Desert in the Southwestern United States to an amateur harmonica player father and a first-generation Korean mother, Wynnm’s dark notes and honey-throated tones draw from experiences far beyond her landscape, circumstance, and family myths of origin. CD’s like Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Moby, The Doors, and Creedence Clearwater Revival spun in the family car on long road trips. She came of age with a love for bass beats and albums by powerful female vocalists like Annie Lennox, Portishead, and Fiona Apple.

Wynnm about her new single: "The Morning is a song of appreciation for those who make us the greatest versions of ourselves. Those who pull us from the edge. Those who free us from the heaviness of dark pasts. With driving, atmospheric drums and heavenly choral synths, ‘The Morning’ is needing, beyond wanting."

TCBYML · Wynnm - The Morning

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 KEYS - Phases.

'Phases’ is the second single taken from KEYS ‘bedroom’ recorded album ‘HOME SCHOOLING: A collection of 4-track rarities’. As Matthew Evans (vocals / guitar / songwriter) explains: “Phases – When you start realising that these songs were going to be recorded somewhat intimately into a 4-track machine, it has an impact on the type of song you write. As Julian Cope says ‘The verses can lie if the chorus is pretty’. This is one of the most introspective tunes we’ve written. It’s the Lennonesque chords; they insist on a blue feeling.”

HOME SCHOOLING is proof of the importance of the spaces left between the integral notes, the spaces that let the songs breathe. The songs range from joyous early 70s Midlands pop, bucolic chamber pop, sweeping Krautrock grooves, fractured Big Star/Bad Finger songcraft to vamping 2 chord proto-punk freak-outs.

Through it all we hear the hiss of the 4-track cassette recorder turning, the sound of the endless possibilities and magic of the pop song spilling out in vivid colours . No second guessing or over thinking, only the joy of creating.”

Matthew summarises the collection of songs that make up ‘HOME SCHOOLING’ as “something to help us get through this lockdown. Hopefully you can use it too.”

The single 'Phases' is out August 8th, with the album 'HOME SCHOOLING': A Collection of 4-Track Rarities' to follow on August 21st, on Libertino Records.

Libertino · KEYS - Phases

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 Lady Dan - Facta, Non Verba.

Working out of Texas but with roots in Birmingham, Alabama, Lady Dan makes music which is self-described as “Melancholic cowboy sounds you can cry in front of your cat to.”

Lady Dan puts a pause on weeping pedal steel to tread new waters in fresh goth-folk single. “Facta, Non Verba” uses dead language to convey what she is feeling - but not before she paints an image with dirty drones, grimy feedback, and angsty vocals. 

The subtle dissonance is an unsettling nightmare we all want to live in.

Anne Malin - Brock Mattsson

Anne Malin has just shared 'Empty is the Day' ahead of the October release date for the album 'Waiting Song'. It's looks like we will be able to share two more tracks ahead of the release, in the meantime just enjoy this beautiful song from an album that is equally special and wonderful. === Brock Mattsson has released 'Are You Thinking Of Me' and it's a honest, personal and natural track to immerse ourselves in.

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Anne Malin - Empty is the Day.

The first single from Anne Malin's new album due in October is Empty is the Day. The album Waiting Song explores what it means to be forced into stillness. At times meditative, at times defiant, Anne Malin’s latest album turns inward, moving through themes of impatience, ambition, confinement and memory. Ghosts haunt the landscapes of these songs—ancestors, friends who left the earth too soon, aging and sick loved ones, violators—as if to remind the band of its own impermanence. Marked by the ephemeral, these songs use repetition to declare their intention, Anne Malin’s determination: “I’ll stand by the window / O, I’ll stand by the window / Yes, I’ll stand by the window / And think a waiting song.”

Written by singer and poet Anne Malin Ringwalt and brought to life with long-time partner William Johnson, Waiting Song punctuates the already still and already violenced landscape of 2020, inviting its listener to inhabit its dreamscape while bringing their own pains and jubilations along. Ringwalt and Johnson moved to Nashville in 2019, yet this southern homecoming—Ringwalt from North Carolina and Johnson from Kentucky—has been stunted by natural disaster, bouts of unemployment and sickness. The band realizes they aren’t alone in this stuck-ness, this mundanity—so they sing, instead, towards a garden they wish to inhabit.

Drawing from and ultimately subverting the sounds of 20th century hymns and country/pop music, these songs are an eclectic and realized hybrid of New Weird America, post-punk, jazz and Americana. A combo organ’s sputtering Leslie coheres these songs, with Ringwalt’s agile voice soaring and sinking into each sonic scene. Johnson exhibits his musical confidence in Waiting Song with full force, contributing the entirety of the album’s instrumentation. Co-produced, this album demonstrates Ringwalt and Johnson’s capacious and playful musical ethos at its finest.

Anne Malin’s 2018 release of Fog Area, called “haunted” by The Wire and “gorgeously atmospheric” by The Line of Best Fit, exhibited an unsettled movement through genre. Drawing from this fluidity, but rooted in place, Waiting Song explores what happens when the band digs deeply into one set of musical tools. These melody-driven songs, written and produced around the vocal part, allow for a playful relationship between voice and arrangement. Recurring melodies in songs like “Child,” “Sleep,” “What Brings My Eyes Open” and “Hourglass” are passed confidently between Ringwalt and Johnson, creating a sonic texture that plays with its listener’s expectations while still creating a sense of familiarity. Ringwalt explores the full range of her voice, through melody and affect, leaning into a more sinister tone for “Mountain Song.” Equally inspired by Willie Nelson’s Phases and Stages and Sonic Youth’s Bad Moon Rising, Waiting Song marks the duo’s southern homecoming in the Anthropocene.

Anne Malin · Empty is the Day

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Brock Mattsson - Are You Thinking Of Me.

The song I am writing to you to share is, "Are You Thinking Of Me," this song emerged on one lonely night after having parted ways with the first individual I began dating after moving to Alberta. We used to drive around listening to music and would go hiking down in the North Saskatchewan River. They were a heavy smoker and I had never dated anyone who smoked before. But I liked them, so I put that aside.

Months passed and we parted ways as they got back with a previous partner. At the time I was living alone and didn’t have many friends, so I found myself writing a lot when this song formed and took shape. The recording experience was the most joyful part of the process for such a sad song about heartbreak. I reached out to my peer Cohen Wylie from The Crowleys, who was working at Threshold Recording Studio in Hamilton, Ontario.

When I got to the studio, Cohen had me lay down the base tracks and he, as well as Justyn, Stuart and Kaulin from The Crowleys created over the song from what they felt from it. I turned a psych-rock band into a country band for the weekend, it was great!

I feel the song brings thoughts of human companionship and it is big. Having someone to touch, hold and feel loved by is huge. I hope the slow and calming music of the single can help take you away through storytelling when you're in a lonely state of mind.

BrockMattssonMusic · Are You Thinking Of Me

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Josefin Berger - Kaylee Patterson

Josefin Berger shares 'Go Kiss An Orc - Chapter 1' accompanied by a dramatic and amusing story telling video, however the song stands well on it's own with bags of originality, incredible vocals and plenty of musical twists. === From Kaylee Patterson we have 'Other Side' and immediately her gorgeous melodic and distinctive vocals are simply captivating on this beautiful song.

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Josefin Berger - Go Kiss An Orc - Chapter 1.

Fun Fantasy Pop inspired by The Lord of The Rings. "Fantasy is real. When Josefin Berger brings to the masses, her brand of fantastical arrangements, chivelry rises again with gallantry and utmost beauty in musical ambitions.

Josefin’s rendition, brings the other dimension to another precedence. Honesty and pure fun, lives in Josefin’s falsetto and the colors it brings," writes the music blog Comeherefloyd about it.

"I wrote the song inspired by working with fantasy events, The Lord of the Rings and the high soprano melodies of Kate Bush" says Josefin.

She continues: "In elf language it’s offensive to say the phrase go kiss an orc and it means 'be gone, go kiss an orc'. Go Kiss an Orc will be released in different versions (there is another version released already, Go Kiss an Orc – Prologue) – Chapter 1 I see as the main one".

Josefin lives in Gothenburg (Gårda) in Sweden and grew up at the countryside in Fjärås in Kungsbacka. She has alsways had a fondndess for fairy tales – hence she writes fantasy inspired lyrics for her music.

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Kaylee Patterson - Other Side.

Kaylee Patterson has always prided herself on her uniqueness- it is no surprise that her musical style follows in this same vein. She started writing songs and using music as a coping mechanism during a 6-year long toxic relationship.

Well-versed in heartbreak, Montreal-based artist Kaylee Patterson brings a new sound to the industry, one that blends contemporary pop with a plethora of other influences, such as elements from the works of Lana Del Rey, Leonard Cohen and Alexandra Savior. Her music is at once a cry for help and an indication that love doesn’t have to end in pain.

Other Side is Kaylee Patterson's debut single, released on July 17th. Kaylee’s distinctive vocals only contribute to the experimental nature of Other Side. It was the first song (of many) that the Canadian artist ever wrote about running away and not hurting anymore. It took her a few years to finally gain the courage to run away, even though she had already done so in her music.

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Samantha Tieger - Bag Of Cans - Komanda - Be No Rain

Samantha Tieger shares 'Close My Eyes' and it's a smooth flowing and melodic song delivered in a personal soulful manner. === Bag Of Cans are a five piece band from Norwich, England who recently released the rather fabulous 'Chris Alice' where indie rock rubs shoulders with surreal lyrics in an exuberant manner. === Komanda share 'Begin Again' where the musical arrangement is refined and the catchy nature of the piece leaves us with a warm, feel good vibe. === London-based artist Be No Rain has shared 'Media Luna' ahead of his debut album due next month, the track itself is a "study of dread" and despite that it glows with beauty.
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Samantha Tieger - Close My Eyes.

Nashville-based singer/songwriter Samantha Tieger (pronounced “Teeger”) is set to follow up her seductively resonant single “Eyes Wide Open” with a new soulfully sweet entry, “Close My Eyes.”  In a time when friends and family are experiencing isolation and loneliness, “Close My Eyes” holds hope that distances can be closed via a powerful emotional connection. It delivers a very soothing and reassuring pop vibe thanks to Tieger’s effortless and comforting vocals.

Her sweet, soulful delivery and alluring harmonies bring listeners together in a way that is deeply personal and almost magical. “Close My Eyes” was co-produced by multiple Emmy Award-winning producer Ed O’Donnell (Friends, Beverly Hills 90210) and Bobby Campbell, with Tieger and O’Donnell collaborating as co-writers. “Close My Eyes” will be released as a single today, July 31 and will be included on Tieger’s forthcoming six-song debut EP in late summer.

Says Tieger: “The idea for this song was inspired by the friends that I’m physically distanced from and the fact that we’re still always there for each other.

It’s been heartwarming to see how those in my life have interpreted the song in a way that’s personal to them. They’ve told me the song has helped them feel closer to long distance family members and friends, as well as to people in their lives that they’ve lost. Having received such a positive emotional response to the lyrics has been really special, and I’m so excited to share this song with the world.”

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Bag Of Cans - Chris Alice.

Bag of Cans are a five piece indie rock band birthed from the effervescent swamp which is Norwich’s music scene, they have weaved through the musical ranks on a sound described as “a gloriously surreal mix of old school indie, Weimar Berlin cabaret and Kinks circa Village Green Preservation Society”.

Since their formation in late 2017, they have garnered a reputation as one of the must-see bands in East Anglia with invariably hectic live shows. Sinewy guitar lines glide between a relentless rhythm section and a penchant for indie-pop vocal-harmonies.

Recent Activity: 2020 began with a strong start for the cans with gigs peppered around the East of England, including an illustrious support slot for Joe Talbot (Idles) on his DJ set tour. The band even made their way to the semi-final stage of the Isle of Wight Festival New Blood competition, before Covid-19 put a
dramatic stop to their hopes for this year.

Throughout quarantine, the band have been scheming, plotting world domination, and writing madly– though nothing is really filling the hole of live gigs. Most recently they have been featured on a charity live album, raising money for the Music Venue Trust, to try and help the music industry survive these perilous times in any way that they can. Chris Alice is a small token from a band who love what they do but are being forced to bide their time before a large scale assault after lockdown.


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Komanda - Begin Again.

Komanda is the English transliteration of the Russian word for “team”. It is the spirit child of U.S.S.R born & Brooklyn, NY raised songwriter/producer duo
Ed Zisk and Phillip Alexeev.

Komanda tell us - The last few months have been pretty weird for all of us. I just want to thank you for giving people good music to brighten their days and get through this weird time.

We've been locked in the studio working on our own form of sunshine. It's the only coping mechanism we have to deal with some of the crazy sht going on in the world, and we hope we can provide music fans with some small beacon of human connection through our tunes.

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Be No Rain - Media Luna.

London-based artist Be No Rain has announced the release of his debut album, Strawberry Backstory, out September 18th via One Two Many Records. Along with the announcement, Be No Rain is also sharing new single “Media Luna”, a contemplative, stirring study of dread, in all of its various forms.

The third track to be lifted from Be No Rain's debut album Strawberry Backstory, "Media Luna" is a stark, sparsely arranged cut, showcasing a darker side to his synth-pop songwriting. Borrowing its name from the fictional rancho in Juan Rulfo’s book Pedro Paramo, the track is released today alongside a Jacek Zmarz-directed video. Zmarz bought 50 old VCR tapes from strangers online and stitched together clips of the disparate lives; acknowledging the tragedy of a world trapped in stasis and reminding us of the pain this pandemic has caused.

Speaking a little more on the track, Be No Rain said: “As the song developed it became more of a generalised study of dread, that kind of non-contingent fear that lives in the realm of dreams. Or even the dread that arises at 6am, stumbling, cold onto an unfamiliar street, blinking in the dawn as a chemical shroud lifts and every passing thought feels altogether too tragic and terrible to comprehend. Nonetheless, what’s left resounding at the end of the song is a sense of hope. Dread is transient and so are we; with or without our misdeeds the world will keep spinning.”

To understand Be No Rain’s lovelorn take on pop music, you must first know where it is made. A south London studio decked out with disco balls, fairy lights, and fake ivy - in many ways, looks exactly how his music sounds. Kitsch and camp in places, but unashamedly itself. It was in this utopia that Sam Frankl, who records as Be No Rain, got to work tirelessly distilling ideas he’d had over the course of a decade into a shape that represented his eclectic mind.

Taking his stage name name from a Gil Scott Heron lyric from the song “I Think I’ll Call It Morning”, Be No Rain was a name that provided a sense of ambiguity and uncertainty, the latter being a theme that Sam was subconsciously examining in his songwriting.

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Katey Morley - Hannah Frances - SYBS - Päter - Brother Sun Sister Moon

Katey Morley just released 'The Guy Who Breaks Things', it's been three years since we last featured her (time fly's eh?) however this beautifully crafted singer songwriter piece makes for a very pleasing return  === Towards the end of June we featured 'Wolf' by Hannah Frances and now she is back with 'That Night', a sensitive, personal song with gorgeous vocals. === SYBS power up with 'Anwybodaeth' a raw and energised Welsh language rocker with bags of determination. === Päter has just shared 'Sleep' which is a splendid alt rock song with plenty of natural passion. === From Japan we have Brother Sun Sister Moon and the notable psych pop/rock track 'Numb' where melodic hooks and a really fine musical arrangement vye for our attention.
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Katey Morley - The Guy Who Breaks Things.

Emerging from a long, gloomy spring, Katey Morley is about to make your summer better, with the release of her eagerly anticipated EP Hearts & Heads & Thoughts & Deeds. The first single, “The Guy Who Breaks Things,” is a dark and twangy account of a well-intentioned mess who accidentally topples everything in his wake. Ever hard to pin to one genre, you will recognize her sound: the seriousness of folk, combined with a heavy dose of country earnestness, wrapped in delightfully singable pop melodies and heavy grooves.

As usual, the Toronto-based singer-songwriter took her time with this release– it’s been three years since her last record. With Hearts, her 4th solo EP, she has crafted a fine batch of slow-cooked, sonically delicious tunes. Katey’s previous album Now & Then, a double EP that took nearly 13 years to complete, was featured on CUIT, ERIN Radio and CBC Radio regularly. Her third single “Good Little Girls” was chosen by Gill Deacon as CBC’s song of the week in March 2018. It also won an honourable mention in the Women’s Freedom Song Contest in 2019.

Unequivocally Canadian, she is sorry she is so slow at releasing music. “It is next to impossible to survive in music without a day job,” she explains, “and next to impossible to record an album while you’re working full time.” Squeezing in studio sessions after work and on weekends, she proves once again, that the proverbial tortoise wins the race. A self-taught composer and multi-instrumentalist, Katey plays dulcimer, autoharp, keys and percussion, but it is her voice that captivates listeners and that has earned her loyal following. Soft and vulnerable for a moment, and then suddenly unleashed, it is a powerfully dynamic instrument, drawing comparisons to the likes of Linda Ronstadt, Brandi Carlyle, and Sinead O’Connor.

Katey began singing, playing and composing at a very young age. As a teen, she studied for 3 years with acclaimed vocal teacher Elaine Overholt (Shawn Mendes, Francisco Yates, Queen Latifah and many more). Soon after, she left Jazz studies at York University to front the band Gypsy Soul (Resort/Universal Records), toured North America with Minneapolis folk-rockers Bobby Llama, and returned home to record her first solo album, Phor.

Over the last decade and a half, she has been producing and recording original songs, while supporting herself as a world-touring club DJ, session singer and designer. With Duncan Coutts (Our Lady Peace) and producer Scott Currie (Emily Haines), she recorded the award winning “Noah” (Great American Song Contest), capturing the attention of the legendary Garth Hudson of The Band, who travelled to Toronto to perform organ and accordion on four of Katey’s original songs.

Katey Morley · THE GUY WHO BREAKS THINGS

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Hannah Frances - That Night.

Hot on the heels of her acclaimed debut single, “Wolf”, comes the second impressive single from Aussie newcomer, Hannah Frances. “That Night” is primarily a break up song that references a specific night where Hannah let go of a long-term relationship.

“This song expresses the doubts that may consume you after ending a long-term relationship”, she says. “That Night tells the story of the night I let go of a relationship and how I thought with my head instead of my heart - as my heart was too hurt to react at the time”.

While “That Night” focuses on the specific night in question – in reality Hannah clarifies that the complicated story eventually ended with a happy ending!

As the second single released from her forthcoming EP, “That Night”, was written by Hannah and impeccably produced and arranged by Lee Bradshaw. Joining Hannah on acoustic guitar is renowned Australian musician, Brett Garsed (John Farnham/Nelson). Brett is also the mastermind behind the electric guitar solo. Rounding out the studio ensemble are Gerry Pantazis (Anthony Callea/Bachelor Girl) on drums and Rich Panaia (Christine Anu/Lucy Durack) on bass.

The Melbourne singer-songwriter has a haunting and hypnotising sound and cites artists including Joni Mitchell, Fleetwood Mac and Lana Del Rey as major influences. Hannah’s music has been described as ‘a sweet and dark musical terrain that traverses folk, pop and the sounds of the singer-songwriter generation of artists who trail blazed out of Greenwich Village in the 60’s’.

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SYBS - Anwybodaeth.

'Anwybodaeth’ is the new single by SYBS, bursting out of the seams with joyous glee.... Ever imagined what you would get if Sonic Youth, Talking Heads and the Pixies ever got together to soundtrack the coming apocalypse? This would be it and it sounds incredible!!

Osian, the band’s Singer/ Songwriter explains the background to the song:

“This song was definitely a turning point in the band’s sound, as I (somewhat naively) realised you didn’t have to make a serious, punky song for it to have political/social commentary lyrics (I know, crazy right?) and sometimes creating something joyous and danceable in the face of everything that’s going on in the world can be a much bigger statement than the latter".

Libertino · SYBS - Anwybodaeth

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Päter - Sleep.

Travelling across the subgenres of indie is Päter, a bold, irreverent new force in music. Boasting no B.S. songwriting and a powerful voice, Päter navigates through themes of self-discovery and mental health with light-hearted touch. It’s no wonder that after just a month of posting original music online, Päter has connected with listeners internationally.

In May 2020, Päter released their first single “Dam, Damn,” an unexpectedly jovial folk-rock tune about fending off inner demons. Victoria Anderson of Off the Record Blog praises “Päter’s incredibly strong voice and vivid lyrics were more than enough to captivate and describe an aspect of life perfectly.” In just two months, “Dam, Damn” has collected over 150,000 streams on Spotify alone.

At the core of Päter’s project is acceptance. Accepting the good, bad and ugly in yourself, and accepting those around you. Every Päter show is a safe space to dance, cry and laugh at the absurdities of life. Päter has performed in venues across Canada, lifting the spirits of audiences and making everyone feel a little bit lighter. With a debut self-produced EP, SOLE, set for release in July 2020, this is just the beginning for Päter.

Päter · Sleep

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Brother Sun Sister Moon - Numb.

‘Numb’ is a psych-pop song. The whole part is made of the same 4 chords, but its drum beats are constantly changing like a wave. The song is about the feeling of numbness, which might be the answer for all the questions you may have for people. Let yourself flow with numbness."

“Numb” off the debut EP ‘Some Same Soul’ from the Japanese band Brother Sun Sister Moon has a strong tendency towards psychedelic/electro, in comparison to their previous releases, and brings out the heat with its very shoe-gazey development in the second half.

After the releases of “Paranoid” and “All I Want”, the latter being selected on many official playlists all over Asia, the band has released their long anticipated debut EP on 29th July. All tracks off the EP have been added to several Spotify editorial playlists in various countries, including New Music Wednesday Japan. Shohei Megumi (Gt&Vo), Yusuke Okada (Dr) and Ayu Megumi (Ba&Vo) founded the indie pop band Brother Sun Sister Moon in 2017 in Osaka (Japan).

Two voices of very different colors, singing in English, blend into a very open sound, adding their own peculiar and crooked angle to the universality of pop. Clearly inspired by Western indie, their music is much more than that, easily tickling the ears of listeners from various backgrounds.

The lyrics, co-written by the brother and sister Megumi, depict with a rich expressiveness the complexity of the heart, and how it underlies the inherent loneliness of people, the beauty of looking for someone to heal this solitude, the feeling of love. The three members of Brother Sun Sister Moon jump across music categories with their evolving art form, an anonymous projection of people’s inner self into music.

BROTHER SUN SISTER MOON · Numb

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Elrichman - New Fries

Elrichman has just shared his new single 'Seeking Grey Skies' and makes his second appearance here this year, the song itself quickly reminded me of his sophisticated and lovable modern pop. === We get to feature a third song from New Fries this year in the form of 'Lily' the final single from their forthcoming album 'Is The Idea Of Us', out on August 7th. Once again their unique and pleasingly original musical styling works wonders, the album is keenly awaited.
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Elrichman - Seeking Grey Skies.

Elrichman – the project of Paul Erlichman – has shared his new single, 'Seeking Grey Skies' – this is the latest in a string of Aquarium Drunkard and Line of Best Fit-supported singles to be lifted from his new album Heaven's Mayor which is out September 4 on Madrid-based label, Bobo Integral.

The new album follows 2014's Young, Healthy and Wonderful as well as Paul's more recent material as part of Goosebump (previously called Germaphobes) and Ducks Unlimited. Emerging from the same scene as Kiwi Jr, the aforementioned Ducks Unlimited and Ellis, the new record packs in a bunch of Toronto-based talent – Alex Gamble helms production duties (previously worked with Fucked Up and Alvvays) with further contributions coming from Zach Bines (Weaves) and Jon Pappo (Hooded Fang), as well as the Boston-based Anh Phung (Twisted Pine) who provides some magnificent flute work on the new track.

Heaven's Mayor touches on the sounds of 80s indie, wonky-folk and "country music for the urban environment" – there are hints of Huey Lewis & The News, Orange Juice and Roxy Music scattered throughout, as well as a nod to the recently disbanded Nova Scotia-based project, Mauno.

Thematically, Erlichman looks to delve into honesty and how we present this to ourselves in a world hell-bent on consuming – more on this idea in the press release below – with 'Seeking Grey Skies' in particular turning to the idea of finding comfort in dissatisfaction. It's certainly a highlight for me on the record with a fairly carefree meander through the sounds of the 80s picking at yacht rock and jangle-pop aesthetics.

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New Fries - Lily.

New Fries are sharing the final single from their forthcoming album Is The Idea Of Us, out on August 7th through Telephone Explosion (Badge Epoque Ensemble, Pantayo, Chandra, Scott Hardware). The band's first new material since 2016's More (produced by Holy Fuck's Graham Walsh), "Lily" is a perfect example of New Fries' glitching and fidgeting No Wave inspired meditations.

On the new track, the band offered, "Lilydale, New York is a caged community inhabited almost exclusively by mediums--those who communicate with the spirit world. It is a community of liars and people with special spiritual gifts. People across North America travel here to connect with the deceased. Anni spent many summers in Lilydale as a kid--her grandfather was a medium."

The Toronto-based experimental legends are one of the best kept secrets in the city, and with their new album they delve deeper into their unconventional, ever-changing sound. Working closely with Carl Didur (Zacht Automaat, formerly U.S. Girls), they settled on a fresh new direction. Focusing more on space and repetition, finding the in-between and reflecting on it, examining that transition. Is The Idea Of Us is anxious in its repetitions and unsure of genre, a reflection of musicians and non-musicians making music together; New Fries insist on doing it differently.

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May Have - Paper Fishes - Girlhood - Obscura Hail

May Have have shared their first single 'May Have (Misunderstood)' from their forthcoming E.P due August 28th.The song is a rich mixture of gorgeous vocals and harmonies surrounded by lush synths and more. === Paper Fishes brand new album 'Instant Happiness' has just been released by the UK Indie Folk and Folk Rock band, it's packed with hook filled and imaginative tracks ( and it's streaming in full below). === Girlhood have been gaining considerable attention through BBC radio and it's well deserved as the fabulous new song 'Sister' demonstrates. === Obscura Hail share 'Doomer' which is a powerful and distinctive rocker that just oozes warmth, passion and determination.
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May Have - May Have (Misunderstood).

Saturday night dance party. Gut­wrenching lyrics. Perfectly placed synths. May Have’s new EP, Misunderstood, draws influences ranging from Sylvan Esso to Daft Punk.

Originating as a three­ piece, Maerin Hunting’s songwriting and soaring vocals are elevated by the contagious energy of the rhythm section, Sebastian Balk-Forcione (drums) and Matt Rousseau (bass/synths).

Adding Dan Rougeau (guitar) and Emily Rockarts (vocals and keys), May Have has added depth to their sonic palette.

With an impressive array of synths, samples, guitars and other goodies, May Have lights up the dancefloor. Their hook filled songs get stuck in your head all – night – long.

May Have · May Have (Misunderstood)

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Paper Fishes - Instant Happiness (Album).

Recorded by the acclaimed producer Leo Abrahams (Brian Eno, Editors) at Livingston Studios in London, Instant Happiness is the debut album by UK alternative rock band Paper Fishes.

Rooted in Americana but moving easily between lo-fi rock, country, folk, blues, punk, and gypsy-folk, the album is tied together by Andre Levy’s distinctive vocals and his incisive and humorous lyrics, backed-up by the band’s precision and versatility.

The album boasts prestigious collaborations with Leo Abrahams (Florence and the Machine) on lead guitar, Mirek Salmon (Moscow Drug Club) on accordion, Rosa Conrad (Gabby Young and Other Animals) on guest and backing vocals, Jenny Glester (Liverpool Philharmonic) on violin, and Paul Cuddeford (Bob Geldof) on steel guitar.

Paper Fishes’ core lineup comprises singer & songwriter Andre Levy (lead vocal, piano, rhythm guitar), Simon Edwards (Fairground Attraction) on bass, and Aram Zarikian (Seamus Fogerty Band) on drums.

Paper Fishes · Instant Happiness

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Girlhood - Sister.

London-based BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra and 6 Music-tipped duo, Girlhood have just dropped their new single, 'Sister' – it was premiered on Lauren Laverne's Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 6 Music.

The new single from the pair, Christian Pinchbeck and Tessa Cavanna comes in line with the announcement of their debut LP – Girlhood out October 23 on Team Talk Records – and follows previous tracks that have earned support at Loud & Quiet, Wonderland, The Line of Best Fit, Complex and more. More recently, the band earned success with their single 'The Love I Need' that was tipped at R1 and 6Music and found comparisons to The Avalanches, Moby and Fugees, as well as scoring BBC Radio 1's Introducing Track of the Week with 'Bad Decisions' – in a time of live shows, they also opened for Poliça and performed at Visions, Iceland Airwaves and Latitude.

’Sister’ is another sunkissed cut from the pair, welding together tar thick grooves and Screamadelica-esque choruses – as with previous singles, this new one focuses on womanhood and what it means the group’s lyricist, Cavanna. Speaking about the track, Tess says: "For me, 'Sister' is about celebrating love in all her shapes, colours and sounds! These beautiful people throw their loving arms around us! I am thankful for Love and for ALL my sisters!"

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Obscura Hail - Doomer.

Obscura Hail is helmed by songwriter Sean Conran. After releasing a prolific amount of music online via Patreon over a number of years as a way to document his life, Obscura Hail released the Zero EP via Dot Dash Recordings last year. They've supported the lovely Soaked Oats over in Melbourne.

Balanced out by Tamara Issa (bass, vocals) and Kaelan Edmond (drums), Obscura Hail combines biting guitars, beautiful harmonies, atmospheric acoustic percussion, loops and drum machines to deliver something dynamic and existentially curated.

About Doomer from Sean: The instrumentation is our heaviest yet, to give a voice to the guilt, shame, anger and frustration that comes with feeling powerless. It's rhetoric is about the purpose of power in the presence of crisis and its roots are in the motivation and awareness given to me by punk songs growing up. I wanted the narrative to express the discovery of this voice breaking through blissful ignorance, in favour of real change extending beyond experience.

We wanted the lyrics to stand on their own as a sea shanty or lullaby, to allow the song to exist in multiple forms without losing the impact. Tamara and I were binge watching the news around Greta Thunberg and the support she was receiving, and so the song emerged from the restlessness. Born in the age of information, the Doomer is fatalistic, apathetic, a symptom of the overwhelming awareness of suffering outside of their control.

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Francesca Louise - Immaterial Possession

Francesca Louise has just released a beautiful E.P entitled 'Melancholic Antidote'. Comprising of six songs, the collection moves from gentle and personal tracks to more powerful arrangements as the singer-songwriter delivers a memorable mixture of folk and folk pop tracks. === Immaterial Possession share the new track and video 'Tropical Still Life', we featured 'Midnight Wander' in May and this gorgeous psychedelic song ups the stakes even further for their forthcoming album.
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Francesca Louise - Melancholic Antidote (E.P).

Francesca Louise is a London based singer-songwriter originally from the North West of England. Combining stunning folk/pop songwriting, sparkling with Joni Mitchell influence and Carol King inspired vocals which tell a thousand secrets, Louise’s sound reaps authenticity and pure honesty. Bleeding with meditative melodies opening a door to escapism, her music acts as a melancholic medicine to people's lives. Inspired by the likes of Billie Marten and Lucy Rose, as well as Fleetwood Mac and strong piano players such as Tom Odell and Rae Morris, Louise’s music channels emotion and intimacy through her use of conversational instrumentation and poignant lyricism.

Louise’s upcoming debut EP entitled Melancholic Antidote is a collection of personal experiences, life lessons, emotions and growth. Detailing topics such as love, career, family, goals and themes which resonate with the general listener on a more personal, intimate level, with the hope to create music which is of comfort, enjoyment and reassurance. Louise confides, "The release of Melancholic Antidote is a nerve-wrecking concept to me, but I anticipate a feeling of self-release and acceptance of all the events/moments I have written about to create what is now my first official EP release. I am giving my whole self to the listener with this record, and though some may appreciate that and enjoy the music, I really hope that this extends to them finding solace and comfort in all that I have created. I hope that my music stays with people and finds its way within everyone else’s lives, as well as my own."

A standout track on the EP is "Seasons Change" holds strong inspiration from Joni Mitchell's Ladies of the Canyon and The Staves' Dead & Born & Grown. Highlighting on the challenges and life decisions that we all inevitably make at many moments as we grow up and old, "Seasons Change" gives us the reassurance that we aren’t alone, that things can be better than they are perceived and that maybe, just maybe, someone somewhere craves your life’s catalogue of experiences rather than their own. The songwriter shares, "It’s a song of SILVER LININGs and LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDEs and WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHERs. Take your pick, there’s an uplifting catchphrase hidden in this song if you look hard enough."

Louise has seen success having supported the likes of ANashville based indie folk-rock duo The Harmaleighs, brit-pop band Echobelly at St Pancras Old Church in London and Juanita Stein, the former singer of Howling Bells. With radio plays and live sessions with BBC Introducing and independent radios alike, as well as taking festival slots in 2020, Francesca Louise is making her way up the musical ladder and is showcasing her capabilities across the UK.

Francesca Louise · Melancholic Antidote - EP

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Immaterial Possession - Tropical Still Life.

Immaterial Possession have Released a new psychedelic track and music video for ''Tropical Still Life." Exploration of the power in finding animation in an object, or a still-life, and using that insight to shake the self from the stillness in a void. Traversing self-preservation in a relentlessly defeating world. Directed by Jason Thibodeaux of the Nightshade art-troupe out of Portland, OR. The band's self titled debut is out July 31st on on Secretly Canadian distributed Cloud Recordings.

Immaterial Possession was conceived by Atlanta natives, Cooper Holmes and Madeline Polites, whom share a history of the underground DIY Atlanta music, theater, and arts scene. The duo moved to Athens and was soon granted the seasoned drummer, John Spiegel, and eventually fulfilled with Kiran Jeremy Fernandes (keyboards, clarinets, flutes)- descendant of Elephant 6's beloved John Fernandes (Circulatory System, Olivia Tremor Control, Cloud Recordings).

 All members bring forth a spectral hue unique to the ear- with Holmes' dark and driving punk-rooted base interwoven with Spiegel's vast repertoire of drumming artistry and sacral ardor. Polites, inspired by the musical scales of the Greeks and Spanish, weaves from her haunting bedroom classical guitar and transposes to a grittier electric. Fernandes' hands dance fearlessly along the keyboard as well as clarinet, offering windows into far away eastern lands as a light in the looming darkness.

The group's vocal charm is shared by both Holmes and Polites, tying the dynamic of the band into an intricate bow- sometimes in relatable rawness, other times by billowing operatic impulses. All together they create a sort of entrancement exclaimed as distinctly rare. "Immaterial Possession", the debut LP to be released on Cloud Recordings, is as much a visual journey as auditory. With Holmes, Polites, and Fernandes all sharing ties to surreal and abstract theater, each song on the album creates a distinct 'world' of impression and mystery. The album commences with the apocalyptic fury of "Midnight Wander" to "See Through Stares"- the catching pop tale of altering the past through the present. It takes you through the psychedelic landscapes of "In the Loom", the hallucinatory darkness of "Accidental Summoning", towards the final 'Night Cap'- a soft, but inescapable ushering into the depths of the ancestral dream state. Cover tin-type by Salvage Sparrow.

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The Gina Furtado Project - Nicky William - Juanita Stein - Speaker Face

The Gina Furtado Project latest single 'The Things I Saw' has a new video, the song is described as a "unique blend of driving contemporary bluegrass and acoustic pop influences" which is spot on for this fabulous track. === Nicky William just released 'I Fell In Love With Her' along with a video that adds to the story, it's a superb song and what can I say, the vocals are simply stunning. === It's been a while since we last featured Juanita Stein so we welcome her back with the new song and title track from her next album 'Snapshot' a reminder of why we got more than a little excited about her music in 2018. === Speaker Face have just shared 'Phosphorescence' and it's a beautiful electronic song with notable vocals and a refined musical arrangement.
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The Gina Furtado Project - The Things I Saw.

The Gina Furtado Project has released a video for "The Things I Saw" the group's latest single. “The Things I Saw” — produced by Thomm Jutz is a unique blend of driving contemporary bluegrass and acoustic pop influences, and of personal memories with a universal spirit, exemplifying the evolution of today’s acoustic music scene through Furtado’s fresh, distinctive approach.

The song describes a personal, literal journey to a sacred and well-loved place in order to seek — and find — solace and redemption from a hectic world. "'The Things I Saw’ was inspired by my experiences growing up on the Shenandoah River,” Furtado says. “All throughout my childhood, I went to the river when I needed comfort of any kind. No matter what happened in my life, good or bad, the river was always the same. The plants and critters and smells and sounds became like old friends; always welcoming and beautiful in every way, and always more powerful than whatever it was that could possibly bring me down.”

“I imagined a secret society whose mission was to fight Hatred with Love,” she continues. “I've taken that little vision into my adult life, and enjoy trying to spot members of this secret society (and trying to be one myself!)....they can be flowers, animals, sunsets, people you pass on the street...anyone or thing who refuses to let darkness and negativity take over and instead chooses to exude pure and unstoppable love.”

Formed by innovative artist Gina Furtado, The Gina Furtado Project brings unique musicianship and songwriting that breaks free from the assumed constructs of traditional music modalities and makes a new musical statement influenced by emotion, played with the highest skill, and expressing an enormous verve and vitality.

Furtado, known for her work as the banjo player for Chris Jones & The Night Drivers, she has a long history with her banjo. Born and raised in Front Royal, Virginia, Gina began touring up and down the east coast in her tween years with her siblings, earning countless ribbons from fiddlers conventions, a strong reputation in the regional bluegrass scene, and a stamp from Bluegrass Today as “absurdly talented.” She later played in a number of regional acts before making her international touring debut with Chris Jones and the Night Drivers soon after joining the group in 2016. While touring, she is joined by Drew Matulich on guitar and Malia Furtado, her sister, on violin, who each bring experience and energy to the band.

Now based in Asheville, NC, Matulich grew up in Georgia and began playing guitar at 8.  While studying music in college he performed with several bands of various styles in and around Georgia and Florida before immersing himself in the Bluegrass scene of Western North Carolina. He has toured and recorded with Billy Strings, made a guest appearance on Roland White's album and shared the stage with the likes of David Grisman, Bryan Sutton, Sam Bush, Cody Kilby, and Sierra Hull.

Malia’s musical journey began at the age of 3 with classical violin lessons and took a turn, when she attended her first festival, Galax Old Fiddlers Convention, a few years later. Since then, she has performed with a number of different groups, taken home a range of prizes, graced the stage of numerous venues up and down the East Coast and given private lessons in both bluegrass and classical playing. Malia is the Director of Education at the Front Porch Music School in Charlottesville, VA, and currently teaches adult continued education courses in bluegrass fiddle at Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave, VA.

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Nicky William - I Fell In Love With Her.

Raised in a musical household, singer-songwriter Nicky William took inspiration from the likes of Joni Mitchell, Patti Smith and Nick Cave. Usingold Americana, to the itchy and edgy outsiders to mould his alternative-folk sound, the Swedish artist is set to drop his new offering ‘I Fell in Love with Her’ via Icons Creating Evil Art.

Since the release of his debut album ‘Set You Loved Ones Free, We Have You Surrounded’ in 2017, Nicky has perfected his craft by maturing his sound capabilities. As a result of experimenting with idiosyncratic alternative-folk and complex song-writing, the artist has since secured a signing with Stockholm-based label Icons Creating Evil Art.

Layered with a sensational blend of deep mellifluous strings and Nicky’s husky vocals, upcoming single ‘I Fell in Love With Her’ dwells deep into a love interest who not only captivates the singer-songwriters heart, but everybody else’s too. With others fascinated by her, the song highlights the feeling of self-doubt and not being good enough for that person.

Talking to us about the inspiration behind the track, Nicky tells us: “Fell in love is a song where the idea behind it is quite childish and naive, the feeling of not being desirable is probably pretty universal but this idea of a romantic interest that everyone is condemned to pine for in hopelessness may not be so realistic, but I still felt that it was the feeling I had felt many times and I wanted to convey that feeling in the song.”

Accompanying the new track is a sombre music video featuring Nicky and his desired flame. Directed by Claudio Marino, the visuals portray a rollercoaster of empty emotions and longingness. In the visuals, viewers see Nicky who metaphorically appears to be a ghostlike figure, who fails to be recognised by his love interest. No matter how close he tries to get to her, nothing is ever good enough as her attention is diverted elsewhere.

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Juanita Stein - Snapshot.

Juanita Stein has announced her third album 'Snapshot' will be released via Nude Records on 2nd October in all formats. Juanita has now shared the album's title track, a wonderful introduction to the themes and the sounds of the record. According to Mojo the song " whoops and devastates about how grief unhinges memories like the harshest magic".

“It feels fundamental to understanding the devastation and eerie silence thrust upon us after his sudden death,” begins the Brighton-based, Australian songwriter Juanita Stein, discussing the moment of great sadness that inspired her new record. “It was a daunting task to sum up the life of one man such as my father. He was endlessly inspiring, charming, deeply talented and passionately spiritual. He admirably, and at times frustratingly, carried the torch for his own musical career until the very end.”

It’s within this processing of a life well-lived and attempting to wrestle with the tides of her own grief, that what would become the album began to ebb and flow out of Stein, who first became known for her work as singer and guitarist in Howling Bells. “After I felt I had enough songs,” Juanita explains, “I was moved to reach out to producer Ben Hillier, who I’d been a fan of since hearing records he made with Clinic, Elbow ad Doves to see if he might be interested in making this album with me.”

Unlike her first two solo albums, “America” (2017) and “Until The Lights Fade” (2018), which were made in just a few weeks and both at studios in the US, ‘Snapshot’ was recorded over the course of eight months at Agricultural Audio, not far from Juanita’s home. As she says, “This allowed me the time and distance I so craved. Ben was deeply concerned with allowing the songs to breathe and to take the right shape. We laid down all the defining guitar parts and vocals which were then beds for the band to come in and lay their parts on.”

As the record began to take shape, Juanita “called on my brother, Joel Stein, (guitarist in Howling Bells) to play lead guitar, I knew only he could harness the exact frenzied energy needed for the songs. Both he and I were both going through something pretty momentous and I wanted to shift that energy into the music. Evan Jenkins on drums alternated between freeform and thunderous on some tracks, light and barely-there on others. Jimi Wheelwright on bass held it all together beautifully.”

The result is a record that feels crafted from a life lived as much as it was clearly excavated from loss. It’s a record that strives to capture more than a passing moment and succeeds in laying its hands on something bigger than most of us will ever fully understand.

NUDE · Juanita Stein SNAPSHOT

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Speaker Face - Phosphorescence.

"Phosphorescence" is a complicated love song for the west coast of Canada: British Columbia.

We feel so welcomed by the land and connected to the nature where Trent grew up, but recognize that many people were displaced to allow our presence.

"Phosphorescence" is a thank you letter to those who were here long before us, specifically the Coast Salish, and the early 1900s Japanese settlers, who were interned during WWII. We hope to see this beautiful place through their eyes.

We love the tactile hammer sounds of the rhodes, and the fingers plucking the violin, like a cascade of drips to help paint the west coast landscape. Ruby's voice was recorded three different times in unison and mixed all around your head, so it feels like you’re swimming in the ocean of her voice.

Speaker Face · Phosphorescence

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