THE MOORS - Deidre & the Dark - Phogg - POOLS

THE MOORS have released their debut E.P '15 Minutes'. Comprising of seven songs this is a refreshing mixture of old school indie rock and new wave, expect plenty of hooks as the band serve up 15 minutes of high octane and addictive music. ===== Deidre & the Dark has just released 'Can't Believe You're Mine'  the folk singer songwriter's new and short song is beautifully melodic and her gorgeous vocals are put simply, captivating. ===== Swedish psychedelic rock band Phogg share 'Mon Ami' which is both notably original and intriguing and at just over two minutes duration it's over in a flash and for me, impulsively needing another listen. ===== Whilst we are in Sweden the duo POOLS new release 'Walk' is definitely worth featuring. This is highly creative and original music which mixes Americana and Gospel vocals with so much atmosphere it's quite breathtaking. Those who remember the Swedes Please blog which sadly closed down in 2009 might be taken back in time with Phogg and POOLS who would have perfectly fitted in there.

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THE MOORS - 15 Minutes (E.P).

THE MOORS just released their debut EP, "15 Minutes.”   It’s  the music in that fever dream you once had---where you’re hanging out with Paul Westerberg and Alex Chilton while Joan Jett and Ric Ocasek are out back shooting pool, smoking cigarettes and watching the ’87 World Series in an old Bowery flophouse. Finally, Westerberg pulls a cassette from his pocket, looks at you, and says, “I gotta play you this.”

Written and recorded during the global pandemic, “15 Minutes” clocks in at about 14:55.  The record was produced by JP Bowersock (The Strokes, Julian Casablancas, Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, Norah Jones, Zerobridge) Front man and songwriter Din says, "I didn't want to waste anyone's time with the tunes. Our mantra was 'don't bore us, get to the chorus.'  We recorded everything live, and when things really got bad with the lockdown, we worked remotely. This record could only have been made in New York, and its sound and attitude hopefully reflect that---celebrating the City, while also trying to provide some hope, solidarity, and maybe even a little insight and levity during such a tumultuous time."

Formed in 2018, THE MOORS is comprised of lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and songwriter Din (Mubashir Mohi-ud-Din) and lead guitarist, producer, "consigliere" JP Bowersock, both of whom were previously in the band Zerobridge.  Din, who was born in the UK and whose family immigrated to the US from the disputed region of Kashmir, eventually settled in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. After a chance encounter between Din and JP at the Delancey/Essex subway stop, a close friendship and musical comradery ensued. Joined by a supporting cast of seasoned NYC musicians, THE MOORS ethos is simple: just give 'em good tunes, and keep it New York AF. 

THE MOORS · 15 Minutes

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Deidre & the Dark - Can't Believe You're Mine.

Brooklyn-based artist Deidre & the Dark is sharing a new single, "Can't Believe You're Mine," off of the soundtrack for the documentary Record Safari.

Deidre & the Dark is a cinematic, technicolor world of music conceived by Brooklyn-based songwriter, vocalist & instrumentalist Deidre Muro (founder and former frontwoman of Savoir Adore). With her distinctive voice, she seamlessly blends her love for 60s pop with cinematic arrangements and touches psychedelic and electronic production, resulting in songs that feel like modern classics.

The latest single “Can’t Believe You’re Mine” has just made its first appearance on a limited vinyl release for Record Store Day (10/24/20). It is an exclusive track on the vinyl soundtrack for Record Safari, an upcoming documentary that follows record collector/addict Alex Rodriguez across America as he discovers and curates vinyl for Coachella’s on-site record store, buying records and swapping stories with some of the industry’s most knowledgeable enthusiasts along the way.

“I’ve known Alex Rodriguez since 2012 when he pressed a vinyl 7” single of my song “Classic Girl,” shares Muro. "So when he was working on the film and looking for music, I was psyched to share some of my newer, unreleased ideas with him. “Can’t Believe You’re Mine” was an unfinished demo at the time, but overnight the song seemed to finish itself, largely inspired by just having had my son. Considering he is such a music collector, I was really honored that Alex was so enthusiastic to use it in the soundtrack, along with a few of my other songs.”

“Can’t Believe You’re Mine” is the first single since Deidre & the Dark’s 2019 debut album Variety Hour - "an album that's so lovingly crafted" (Shindig!) of “nostalgic noir-pop enhanced by modern stereophonics” (Culture Collide) and “...that delivers the kinds of hooks and euphoria found only in the very best pop records.” (WFMU, Sheila B)

Deidre & the Dark · Can't Believe You're Mine

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Phogg - Mon Ami.

The Swedish psychedelic rock wonder Phogg is back with a new album. An album sprung out of a pandemic, 30-year crisis and heartbreak. Today we see the release of the first single "PP" with a gorgeous music video.

The year 2020 has not been easy for anyone and Phogg is no exception.

“What does it really mean to be a rock band these days? Does anything even matter? The legendary days of rock have faded into the ruthless fart of the pandemic-era. It's not fun to make songs about the end times when you are in the middle of it.”

In September 2019, Phogg's second album "Mofeto: Mashine Adamkosh" was released, an album "about robots that take over the world" which was well received and praised in Sweden and internationally. After the cheers of "Mofeto", Phogg took on the challenge of recording two albums at the same time. The goal was to work on these albums in parallel and release them at the same time.

Recording two albums at the same time would prove to be an extremely bad decision and the band was burning out mentally. For a time they floated around with neither direction nor goal, just waiting for their instincts to come to life again.

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POOLS - Walk.

Swedish duo POOLS’ debut record is a collection of affecting, haunting lullabies. The band is the collective vision of multi-instrumentalist Fredrik Forell and singer Arvid Hällagård. Reminiscent of bands like The National and The Tallest Man On Earth, the pair combine Americana, Folk and even Gospel to create something unique.

There are echoes of the pair’s previous life as electro-pop outfit WYRES, with elements of electronic noise and creative production adding twists and turns to the recordings.

Arvid was going through a divorce as the theme of the album took shape. This theme of loss and rumination is evident on upcoming single ‘Walk’.

He explains the track is “a reflection of the emotions I’ve gone through and how I’m trying to move on. All the ache described in pictures and a cry for help. How you sometimes need something higher to hold your hand when it feels like your life is over.”

POOLS is a departure from another life in more ways than one for Arvid, also of successful stoner rock band Greenleaf, the arrangements might be a little more delicate, but the artistic intensity remains the same.

Something Beautiful · POOLS - Walk

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Emma Miller - Jessy Yasmeen - Nico Ev - Kate Davis - Plants and Animals - Julia Bardo

Emma Miller first came our way just over a month back with 'Sail Away' a track taken from her new E.P 'Set Me Down' which we have the pleasure of sharing in full below. Comprising of five songs this is truly beautiful music from a clearly talented folk singer songwriter. ===== Jessy Yasmeen latest single 'Forbidden Fruits' is taken from her new three track E.P 'Dreams' where each original song simmers with personal and genuine emotion. ===== Nico Ev new release is 'Floating Free' an exquisite singer songwriter piece with refined and natural vocals set against a melodic backdrop. ===== From Kate Davis we have her brand new single 'Oh No' and the artist serves up a mixture of refrained and punchy indie rock as this gorgeous song twists and turns. ===== Plants and Animals have shared a video for 'The Jungle' taken from their fifth studio album of the same name, opening with drum lead rhythms and bass licks the song builds layers of sound and superb hooks. ===== Julia Bardo shared It’s Okay (To Not Be Okay) a couple of days back, the song has been described as "a contemplative song about survival, self-acceptance and positivity," it's also one impressive indie rocker.

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Emma Miller - Set Me Down (E.P).

Set Me Down, the second EP from Elgin, Scotland based singer Emma Miller follows the beautiful pattern raised from singles ‘Honey’ and ‘Sail Away’, sharing songs about heartache and letting go, while also representing the artist’s own small musical liberation, allowing all her imperfections and contradictions to be on show.

The songs truly represent an arc in Emma’s songwriting: bridging the organic and more produced sounds, into soft electronics and back to stripped down piano and vocals. Emma has been finding her voice over the last three years and doesn’t shy away from sharing that process here.

“Although the majority of the music was written and recorded in London, I wrote ‘Low Light’ at home in Scotland fairly recently, and it seemed to embody a lot of the theme of Set Me Down. It’s another song about letting go and returning to the small everydayness of life, and finding peace there.

"I wrote ‘Set Me Down’ nearly two years ago when I was feeling particularly overwhelmed by the music industry and all that that entails. It has quite a literal meaning really, I wanted to be wrapped up in cotton wool and gently set down, away from the hubbub and franticness of London.

“Funnily enough, a year later that’s just what happened. I left London, dropped the pretence of my music having to pay the bills and came back home to the north east of Scotland. Listening to the song now, it’s like hearing a small piece of my life being played out, things have come full circle in a way and I get a strong sense of peace from that."

Releasing music since 2017, Emma has taken a noticeable step back over the past 2 years. Instead, as she quietly watched and supported her peers to  find success in their own musical projects, she chose to diligently focus on her songwriting and began working on a body of music she could be proud of.

Like many artists and songwriters who’ve found themselves jaded by the music industry, it  wasn’t until Emma let go of the idea that music had to pay the bills that she fell head over  heels in love with it. Today, amongst other things, (such as roaming the Scottish hillsides and looking after her dog, Gracie) Emma is pursuing a Diploma in Counselling Psychology, supporting people in the quest to navigate their mental health.

emma miller · Set Me Down

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Jessy Yasmeen - Forbidden Fruits.

With both Dutch and South American roots, Jessy Yasmeen brings the best of both worlds. Her dreamy indie folkpop is inspired by acts such as Ben Howard, Bon Iver and Matt Corby. With her songs she wants to challenge listeners to be vulnerable and to help conquer personal battles like fear and desire.

After her EP 'Isolation Tapes', her new EP 'Dreams' opens with a long version of the eponymous single which was released this spring, her latest single 'Forbidden Fruits', and new track 'No Man Is An Island'.

Jessy about the story behind the Dreams EP/trilogy: "Society, and often upbringing and education, all steer you in the direction to walk the beaten path. Go to school, study and then the white-picket-fence life. But when do you really learn to think outside the box, or big? And if you already think big, are you brave enough to say it out loud? And to chase your dreams? The assurance that you presumably get when you graduate, you cannot achieve with a dream. You only get the approval of your surroundings when you have already achieved it. And in the time prior to that you can feel misunderstood and alone.

With this EP I want to invite people to just go for it and chase your dreams. Better the "oops" than the "what if". No one else can walk your path of life for you. That is actually pretty cool, right? You can shape your life the way you want!"

Over the past three years, Jessy Yasmeen played more than 80 shows on stages in The Netherlands and Germany. Last year her debut EP saw the light of day, she won a big Dutch music award, 'Grote Prijs van Rotterdam' (category: singer-songwriter), and earned nominations for the Rotterdam Music Awards (categories: ‘the promise’ and ‘best track’). Despite all ongoing restrictions these days she is dedicated to perform at local live shows as much as possible!

TCBYML · Jessy Yasmeen - Forbidden Fruits

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Nico Ev - Floating Free.

Background from Nico - Based in Glasgow, I started writing and composing at the age of six.  Over the last few years, I have carved out my place in the Glasgow music scene, through hosting regular music nights across the city and providing a platform for other local talented singer-songwriters to showcase their original material. 

Unable to perform live due to current restrictions, I have concentrated on live streaming and recording my debut EP which has new brought me many new fans,  increased media attention and radio play throughout the UK, Europe and the USA.

Floating Free is the second track from the EP HUNTER, due for release this December.

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Kate Davis - Oh No.

Kate Davis (who's album Trophy was released late last year and who co-wrote Sharon Van Etten's "Seventeen") is releasing her second single "Oh No" today November 20 off the forthcoming cover album Strange Boy (out Jan 15). 

Strange Boy is a cover album of Daniel Johnston's Retired Boxer and we've been lucky enough to team up with DJ's charity the Hi How Are You Project for the release, with a portion of the proceeds from sales/streaming going to the charity. 

As part of this partnership, Kate was part of the Hi How Are You Mental Health Day Fundraiser and performed over livestream with Jeff Tweedy, Bully, Molly Burch, Lucius, Tunde Adebimpe (of TV on the Radio) and a bunch of others.

Solitaire Recordings · Kate Davis - Oh No

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Plants and Animals - The Jungle.

Plants and Animals released a new music video for the title song “The Jungle,” off their critically acclaimed fifth studio album out now on Secret City Records.

“This song grew out of the ashes of one that we had recorded for the previous record but didn’t ultimately make the cut," stated the band. "Nic, who had sparked the song in the first place way back when, wanted to try to salvage some of the parts and give it another shot—the chord changes and the “yeah yeah yeahs” at least, which were inspired by Jorge Ben and the band’s eternal love for Brazilian music.”

The animated video was directed by Yann-Manuel Hernandez, who also directed the “Le Queens” and “Love That Boy” music videos.

“The Jungle” starts with electronic drums that sound like insects at night. A whole universe comes alive in the dark. It’s beautiful, complex and unsettling. Systematic and chaotic. All instinct, no plan. Every song is such a landscape. They are personal experiences made in a volatile world, and they reflect that world right back at us, even by accident. There’s one song Nic sings to his teenage son who was dealing with climate change anxiety and drifting into uncharted independence. The band carries it out slowly together into a sweet blue horizon. Warren wrote the words to another shortly after losing his father. It’s about the things we inherit not necessarily being the things we want. In a broader sense, that’s where a lot of people find themselves right now.

Plants and Animals is an iconic Montreal-based trio that began playing together as kids and emerged on the international scene in 2008 with “Parc Avenue.” The band has developed a varied cult following ever since, built on the shoulders of their self-produced records and their intense live shows.

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Julia Bardo - It’s Okay (To Not Be Okay).

Manchester-via-Italy singer, songwriter and guitarist Julia Bardo has shared new single and video It’s Okay (To Not Be Okay), which follows her recently released covers EP The Raw via Wichita Recordings.

Strangely fitting to current events, It’s Okay (To Not Be Okay) is a contemplative song about survival, self-acceptance and positivity; it’s a song for everyone. The video, directed by Hannah Cobb, is raw and introspective with 90’s retro-tinged visuals starring Julia herself. She says;

“‘It’s Okay (To Not Be Okay)’ is about a journey of the self. It can be hard to accept a certain situation we’re living through, to accept ourselves and to appreciate who we are. Sometimes we feel stuck in the same circle of negative thoughts. It’s okay to not be perfect. It’s okay to not feel good. It’s okay to be ‘different. It’s okay to be who we are.”

“The video is inspired by Video Art, hence why we used a television. I imagined it being in an art gallery and having images and shots that show my natural self, doing spontaneous things following the music.”

Julia recently released The Raw EP, which followed the release of her Phase EP earlier this year. Through its 3 tracks, it marked a further experimentation in Julia’s wistful and mysterious sound, explored through a host of unexpected influential artists, including LCD Soundsystem, Silver Jews and Fleetwood Mac, with lead track Only Over You.

Julia Bardo’s musical journey began in Brescia in Northern Italy, where she sang and wrote lyrics for a local band between shifts at her father’s bar. A free spirit craving new inspiration, she relocated to Manchester and it was here she developed her striking style as a solo musician before also meeting and joining post-punk band Working Men’s Club. Never losing her strong desire to have full creative control over her music, she returned to become a solo artist again, and her first two EPs are just the start of what is yet to come, as she continues the evolution of her sound through every new release.

With her candidly open lyrics illustrating her world through journal-like observations and poetic visions, Julia Bardo is a special talent and an authentic and curious alternative pop star in the making.

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Katie Kuffel - Hollow Graves - She's Got Spies

Katie Kuffel released 'Carillon' two days ago. It's a powerful singer songwriter song that's fabulously arranged, her vocals are captivating, soulful and ooze emotion.  ===== From Hollow Graves we have their new single 'Far Out Summer,' it's produced by themselves in a live performance setting, it's melodic, flows beautifully and has some enchanting psych feeling. ===== She's Got Spies has shared the video for her track 'All Outta Tears' taken from her new album 'Isle of Dogs'. We featured ‘Super Sniffer Dogs' prior to the album release and are really pleased to have the new video which once again helps confirm what a superb collection of music she has recently given us.

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Katie Kuffel - Carillon.

Seattle singer-songwriter, Katie Kuffel, announces the release of the first single off her upcoming album this week. Exuding a dream-like trippiness, “Carillon” serves as a source of strength and resilience in trauma’s aftermath. Kuffel’s smokey vocals resolutely compliment layered horns, organ, and guitar to build forward momentum. It’s a reminder there’s no going back, only moving forward. “Carillon” is off the album, Alligator, due out early 2021.

The single was written following a violent attack on Kuffel while she was in college. Kuffel says, “I like to speak openly because violence against women is still so prevalent. So many people are stuck during Covid with their abusers, so many folks don’t know what resources are available to them, what laws are and aren’t on their side.

Set to three acts within the song, “Carillon” begins by submerging the listener into the anguish directly after trauma occurs. An acknowledgment of inner strength emerges in the second act, It concludes with a refusal of defeat. Kuffel says, “During the early days of recovering from my attack, I often had nightmares, and would suffer from sleep paralysis. This song is a mix of some of the trapped feelings I felt while dreaming, and me wishing I never experienced that event.” This can be heard in the line “un-ring the bell” that Kuffel repeats over and over. She says, “It’s me desiring to become stronger, it’s me telling myself that only I have the control over myself and my own reactions. That I won’t be undone.”

Kuffel expresses an empowering depth and self-awareness throughout her album. Topics on Alligator range from intergenerational trauma viewed through kid glasses, a song about how a volcano would experience time, seasonal depression, and about her own disability. No matter the scale of her theme, Katie finds the universal thread to captivate her listener, reminding us we’re all human, and to embrace the messiness inherent in being alive during this turbulent, modern era.

Katie Kuffel · Carillon

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Hollow Graves - Far Out Summer.

Hollow Graves keeps the fire burning with their arsenal of new material, all written in a live performance setting to capture the fervent energy of the band.

This single is solely produced by the band themselves, enlisting help from long-time friend and musician Logan Trearty in mixing and engineering the songs, recorded at his studio in downtown Toronto.

The band dives deeper into experimental material with their new collection of music, balancing grunge and psych rock intensity with indie sensibility.

HollowGraves · Far Out Summer

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She's Got Spies - All Outta Tears.

She's got Spies has shared the new video for her track 'All Outta Tears' filmed in Moscow, Russia in 2012, watch/share it below. This lovelorn tune is lifted from her new album 'Isle of Dogs' which is out now.

She’s Got Spies’ second album ‘Isle of Dogs’ refers to an area of London, Laura Nunez’s hometown,  as well as the state of turmoil of the island of Britain. The follow up album to her debut Welsh language  album ‘Wedi’, ‘Isle of Dogs’ features songs written over the last decade. She’s Got Spies is the project of Laura Nunez and her cast of collaborators. She spends her time between Cardiff and London, she’s  multilingual and can sing in Welsh, English and Russian.

‘Isle of Dogs’ is a charming trilingual travelogue album, with most of the songs written on the move  while travelling or whilst Nunez was living in various countries. She spent time in Russia, Vietnam, Italy,  Tierra del Fuego in Argentina, and parts were also written in Cardiff, London and other parts of Wales  and England. Threaded with Laura’s knack for a bittersweet earworm melody and surreal yet personal  lyrics, these charmingly wonky songs are underscored with dark psych tinged sounds and an unsettled  feeling which reflects the turmoil of current times.

With music hall style pianos, bounding percussion, fizzing guitars and a playful vocal, new single ‘Super Sniffer Dogs' is inspired by Laura’s time spent visiting Poplar on the Isle of Dogs, an area of high  contrast with the rich, banking area of Canary Wharf and large, destitute council estates. It’s about an  imaginary dystopian festival with lots of restrictions in a high walled destitute area. Despite its serious  themes, which is juxtaposed by a catchy singalong melody, it’s a joyous tuneful romp.

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Mamalarky - Greg Cockerill - Phil Mitchell Band

Mamalarky share 'Drugstore Model' ahead of their debut album due out this coming Friday. The song is a vibrant mixture of indie pop and punk, there are plenty of catchy moments and a few twists along the way, overall it's a fabulous taster for the album. We have also added the first single 'Schism Trek' which unfortunately passed us by in September however is another notably engaging and original track.  ===== Toronto based Greg Cockerill has shared 'No, Never Alone' and it's a really fine piece which exudes some timeless natural rock vibes, some smooth guitar licks and his vocals add both feeling and gravitas. ===== Phil Mitchell Band latest single 'My Love Is True' has already gained considerable attention. That's hardly surprising this is absolutely exquisite and something of a genre melting pot as indie rock and EDM dance music collide beautifully, the melodic vocals are the icing on the cake!  

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Mamalarky - Drugstore Model / Schism Trek.

In September, Mamalarky announced their debut full length with the single "Schism Trek." The band, who have recently re-located to Atlanta after stints in Austin and LA, have been the subject of a rare mid-pandemic buzz ahead of the release of their album on their new label Fire Talk (Dehd, Pure X, Corey Flood), earning early praise from outlets like NPR, VICE, Billboard, Bandcamp, The Grey Estates, Pond Magazine, Refinery29, Alt Citizen, and The Line of Best Fit. Yesterday Mamalarky shared the final single from the LP ahead of its Friday release, a track called "Drug Store Model."

"'Drug Store Model' is an epiphany in realizing how much I wanted to unlearn and reject power dynamics in relationships," guitarist and vocalist Livvy Bennett explains to CoS. "I kind of allowed myself to fully embody the immature side of myself; to both acknowledge and make fun of myself in regards to the serious inner work that needs to happen to really function in a 'give and take' relationship. Since writing this I definitely feel more able to engage in relationships that really nurture growth, but it’s an ever-evolving process I'd reckon."

“I don’t think Tinder was created to connect bandmates,” bassist Noor Khan says. But in 2018, that’s just how she connected with singer and guitarist Livvy Bennett, who had put a call out for a bassist on the dating app. Livvy was a year into her life in Los Angeles where she had been working in the music industry and playing shows as both a solo artist and as a duo with longtime collaborator Dylan Hill, who is Mamalarky’s drummer. With their friend Michael Hunter on keyboard and synth bass, they recorded their self-released debut EP Fundamental Thrive Hive but were in need of a full-time bassist who could properly distill the “patchwork of different influences that comes together as a cozy quilt you can cuddle under.”

“I was swipin’ for a bassist which makes me cringe to say now,” Livvy adds. “I just had no idea where to start meeting people to play music with in a new city!” In the end, she found Noor, and the final piece of Mamalarky’s puzzle was complete. "Using the best technology the world has to offer, I was able to find my best friend who I'd travel the world with in a few months time.”

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Greg Cockerill - No, Never Alone.

Born in Montreal, raised in Alberta, living in Toronto, Greg Cockerill’s music is a unique expression of Canadian Roots. Growing up and discovering classic albums from John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix amidst the exploding grunge rock scene of the early 90’s, Greg picked up a guitar and played in as many bands as possible ranging in style from hip-hop and r&B to jazz and country. Going on to formally study music and getting a degree in composition/arranging and jazz guitar, he found himself inevitably drawn back to his roots in Alberta, and to his roots in rock, blues and country music.

In Calgary, Greg discovered the power of songwriting. This quickly led to the formation of The Greg Cockerill Band and he released his debut album Summertime & Heartache in May 2008 which received nationwide radio play. In 2010, Greg relocated to Toronto and re-formed a new Greg Cockerill band, releasing Festuca in 2011 with his brother Joshua Cockerill and Stew Crookes. The album garnered industry praise and generated a faithful following in the local music scene playing residencies at the Cameron house and the Dakota Tavern.

As well as fronting his own band, Greg also works as a sideman and session musician and arranger. Most notably his collaboration with blues renaissance man Paul Reddick won the JUNO Award in 2017 for Blues Album of the Year. Currently, Greg has a new roots band playing alongside Steel guitar virtuoso Burke Carroll and Kurt Nielsen on the Double-bass. He released three new music videos in July 2019 through the Unicorn Project. He’s currently in the process of recording a new full-band studio album with the first single to be released in the fall of 2020.

Greg Cockerill · No, Never Alone

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Phil Mitchell Band - My Love Is True.

A stylistically unique Indie Rock Band from day one, the members of Phil Mitchell Band have been singing, performing, and playing in sync as if they’d been together their entire musical careers. 

Throughout the course of the band’s union, they have won over the hearts of music lovers from all walks of life; performing at a variety of venues, making loads of public appearances, all the while recording new music. 

Learn more by exploring the site, and feel free to get in touch with any of your comments and questions.

"My Love is True". Is an EDM Dance song of Phill Mitchell Band's "A Better World" Album

Phil Mitchell Band · My Love Is True

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Bonader - Facing Mountains - Kama Vardi

Bonader shares a gorgeous analog synth based song entitled 'Backseat' her vocals are dreamy and oh so engaging, and the music sumptuous on this moving piece. =====  Facing Mountains new album 'Season's End' has been sometime in the making as the artist explores different musical ground. We have two tracks from the collection, namely 'Echo Returns' and 'Season's End'. Both give a good feel for the collection where Xander delivers a mixture of melancholic vibes, dramatic intensity and often personal lyrics. ===== Kama Vardi has just released 'The Gate' along with a video for the track. This is an absolutely beautiful song, to describe it as catchy is an understatement, its taken from the new album 'Moonticket' due out on 27th November.

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Bonader - Backseat.

Ellinor Sterner Bonander creates experimental, cinematic pop with a penchant for electronica and alt-jazz composition. Her lyrics often concern themselves with existential questions about the world, seen through a feminist lens.

On new single ‘Backseat’, warm analogue sounds mirror the comforting safety of childhood, dreamlike strings envisage the daydreams and unlimited imagination that a child can have. These musical elements stand in stark contrast to the lyrics, which express the ‘rug pulled out from under you’ feeling of adulthood, the fragility of human existence and the risks people face every day.

Bonander tell us “This song is about growing up and the unwillingness to see the world as it is. As a kid you would fall asleep in the backseat of your family’s car, with that comforting feeling. The night wasn’t scary, it was just…safe. Now, you have to walk home alone with the keys in your fist, looking over your shoulder.”

ICEA · Bonander - Backseat

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Facing Mountains - Echo Returns / Season's End.

Facing Mountains' compositions are defined by intimate and personal lyrics, drifting on melancholic melodies. Colourful arrangements are shadowed by ambient textures. The album 'Season's End' is a collection of songs that nests itself inside you and takes on a new identity as the story slowly unfolds. Season’s End came to life in June 2019 and started off as a one-song experiment. After focussing on classical music for many years, Xander felt the Season's End necessity to incorporate and explore different styles of music. 

The first song Xander wrote was The Beggar. Little did he know that this would
create such a creative influx. Spending months in isolation, writing one song after the other, Season's End gradually took shape. Recording 'Slowing Down in Daydreams' meant the capstone of the album. Season's End was born. 

In Facing Mountains' musical realm, opposites do not contradict but rather complement one another. Contemporary, classical, alternative and pop music can coexist. Or, as Xander puts it: "It's all about what you communicate and by what means. If a song is meant to expand your ego and display how good you are as a musician or producer, I believe you are missing the point".

The personal and heartfelt music of Facing Mountains was born out of a longing from Dutch composer and songwriter Xander Slikker. After treading on numerous musical journeys, he has found a way to combine his love for classical, alternative and electronic music and shape it into one identity.

Facing Mountains · Echo Returns

Facing Mountains · Season's End

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Kama Vardi - The Gate.

The Gate is the fourth and final single to be released from Kama Vardi’s new album ‘Moonticket’ (out 27 November). Indicative of Kama’s style, The Gate’s simplistic folk-pop harmonies and quaint yesteryear hint of French new-wave offer a gorgeous backdrop to Kama’s tender, enchanting vocal.

Musically inspired by ‘40s pop and noughties songwriters such as Adam Green and Bonnie Prince Billy, and lyrically by French romantic poets such as Baudelaire and Rimbaud, The Gate oozes a dreamy romanticism and bitter-sweet melancholy. Kama was inspired to write the song from the point of view of her friend after watching her fall in love for the very first time, as Kama expands “She was all over the place - ecstatically happy, but also very scared that everything is going to blow up in her face, that she's going to somehow pay for her feelings, for letting herself get carried away.”

The Gate’s accompany video is a recreation of the final scene of ‘The 400 Blows’ by François Truffaut, filmed in a tiny 30-family village up in the Galilee mountains where Kama grew up, filmed by her friends Lior Shalev and Noya Globen on a simple camera and iPhone.

The Gate was produced by Israeli-American producer Sagi Shahar, and recorded between New York and Tel Aviv, and features musicians across both cities, including Harrison Keithline, Noga Davidson and Shay Roth.

Kama Vardi is a critically acclaimed Israeli artist who, like bygone artists such as Nico, Molly Drake and Joni Mitchell, writes song centred on honestly and depth, with each track on Kama’s forthcoming album ‘Moonticket’ being a story of her life experiences or – as in the case of The Gate - observations of loved ones. Kama has previously released a debut album ‘Forgetmenot’ (2012) and a double E.P. ‘Satchel-Sof Ma’arav’ (2016) which were both critically acclaimed in her homelands of Israel.

The Gate is the forth single taken from forthcoming new album ‘Moonticket’, following Under The Sun, the cover of Nico’s These Days (2020), and first single Whatever Will Be (2019) which received play on Israel’s biggest radio stations, featured on Shazam’s most searched for songs in Israel, and was included on Apple Music’s ‘Israeli Essential Rock Song Of The 2010s’ and ‘100 Best Songs of 2019’ lists.

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All Things Blue - llawgne - Flight Attendant - Palberta

All Things Blue are a Los Angeles pysch-shoegaze band and they have just released 'Lully' ahead of their debut album 'Get Bit'. The song itself slowly opens with gorgeous vocals and plenty of originality, adding some refined musical accompanyment. ===== llawgne (aka Mathias Engwall) shares 'Reverie Neverending' a song that is smooth flowing dream pop with a hint or two of showegaze, the melodic hooks making the piece really stand out. ===== From Flight Attendant we have the new track and video for 'Comedy Show'. The Nashville based quintet serve up a song that builds both musically and with intensity, it's a little dramatic and very enticing, the video conveys all of that. ===== Palberta return just over a month since we featured 'Before I Got Here' with another new song and video for 'Corner Store'. Once again the vocals and especially the harmonies are notable and the stripped back music complements well.

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All Things Blue - Lully

Los Angeles pysch-shoegaze rockers All Things Blue have released the latest taste of upcoming debut album Get Bit, in the shape of contemplative new indie-ballad "Lully".

The project of singer-songwriter India Coombs (aka Blue) and guitarist Jon Joseph, All Things Blue’s new album Get Bit follows a series of hype-building EPs and singles, tackling the personal and the political with equal vigour. “I feel like everybody has a spaghetti brain,” India says. “In one moment you're talking about politics and what's going on in the world, and then the next moment you're thinking about somebody that you really like. It’s the ups and downs of the human brain.”

New track "Lully" leans more toward the political, with India zooming in on cotton plantations in Arizona and putting the magnifying glass on environmental sustainability.

India Coombs said: "My brother sent me an article about farms using flood irrigation on their cotton crops in Arizona and how unbelievably wasteful it is. Cotton is the most widespread profitable non-food crop in the world and its current production methods are completely environmentally unsustainable."

Taking inspiration from the weirder, psych-leaning corners of indie-rock, and especially Aussie psych legends Pond, whose latest album Tasmania tackles Australia’s own brand of climate change-related horrors, Get Bit brings together influences from across the guitar music spectrum. “Tipsy” is a loose, lo-fi romp that recreates the feeling of its title, while “Buddha and Penelope” is a woozy slice of psych-pop. Then there’s “Scratch,” a blistering 40-second tirade against unrealistic expectations, which sees All Things Blue bare their teeth and take cues from gutsy garage rock.

Traversing genres and sounds with impeccable clarity, Get Bit is an open, giving record that allows and beckons listeners to make their own interpretations, and get whatever comfort and validation they need from its songs of rage and love. In an era of oversharing, the album is a tonic with which to use your imagination, project yourself onto, and take these songs into a whole new world.

India and Jon originally met in LA at the age of 18, having both independently moved to the city; Coombs driving across the country in her broken down pickup truck from Philadelphia, and Jon hailing from further south in California. The pair wasted no time becoming friends and firing out an eclectic assortment of demos. They did so namelessly for some time, but eventually settled on "All Things Blue”.

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llawgne - Reverie Neverending.

‘Reverie Neverending‘ is the exciting first single from Mathias Engwall aka llawgne’s upcoming 2021 album Nevereverie. A classic shoegazed dreampop song, Mathias explains ‘Reverie Neverending’: “its about waking up one day and realizing you've been practically living in a daydream all your life. You discover that everyone around you has been living in the real world all along, and are miles ahead of you in their lives.” 

“In your romantic mind you were the protagonist of the movie, but in reality you didn't even get cast in it. And, most importantly -there is no movie.” “I wanted to convey this with a kind of a mildly euphoric but also melancholic wall of sound - think Tom Petty and Deehunter mixed with a classic Swedish indie-vibe”.

llawgne is the brainchild of Gothenburg's Mathias Engwall who had early praise from first 2019 single, ‘The White In Its Eyes’, a dreamy pop song that found its way onto the PSL Top 20 and several major playlists. 

A showcase of ambitions for strong melodies within soundscape balanced with beauty and noise. The previous single ‘Love + Somebody’ was described as "Sonic Youth meets Chris Isaak", getting buzz from Savantmusikmagasin, Hymn, We All Want Someone To Shout For and more. Mathias also works as a record producer, mixer and mastering engineer in Sweden. He has done remixes for Loney Dear, and recently collaborated with David Ahlen.

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Flight Attendant - Comedy Show.

Nashville based quintet Flight Attendant have just issued a video for their dark and sensuous new single, the ironically titled ‘Comedy Show’. Released to coincide with the ongoing election circus in the USA, the song is a sombre, melodic and thought-provoking ballad with a lyric that comments on the current social and political landscape in their home territory of Nashville TN where they will be performing on Sunday.

Flight Attendant lead singer Karalyne Winegarner states that the song "serves as a gentle warning to not lose sight of what’s important in a world filled with so many distractions. The song is supposed to remind you that the easier road of plugging up your ears and laughing your problems away is a temporary fix that won’t hold. The line ‘There’s a ghost from tomorrow’ is a warning to get our heads out of the distraction box and take a long look at our world and ourselves and start changing and improving the one life and world we have to live in. This song is close to our hearts as a band and I couldn’t think of a more perfect time to release it than when the distractions seem to be at their loudest."

A video for ‘Comedy Show’ switches between Winegarner distractedly watching the endless gabble emanating from a TV screen and scenes of her walking through sumptuously colourful woodland to a river in which the band can be seen immersing/cleansing themselves.

Displaying wide-ranging influences that span from Lana Del Rey to Vivaldi, Flight Attendant established themselves locally via a series of ecstatically received live performances prior to lockdown, while the June 2020 release of anthemic single ‘Man Of Chaos’ saw them begin to gain international acclaim via a number of excellent reviews.

The band is currently hard at work creating their debut album with Grammy winning producer Charles Yingling to be released in 2021 by Moraine Music in association with Membran.

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Palberta - Corner Store.

Last month, the beloved NYC trio Palberta returned to announce the follow up to their breakout 2018 LP Roach Going Down, with their clear-eyed fifth album, Palberta5000 (out January 22nd, 2021 on Wharf Cat Records). The album was announced with a deep-dive feature on Stereogum that explored the more expansive and pop-forward style on this new release from a band long-heralded as one of the most original and idiosyncratic bands in the East Coast DIY scene. The announce was also accompanied by the release of the single "Before I Got Here," that created a stir even by the standards of critical acclaim that have greeted the band's earlier releases, earning comparisons to ESG and Delta 5 in The New York Times, being described as "everything great about Palberta" on NPR's All Songs Considered, and garnering glowing coverage from spots like Pitchfork, NYLON, Paste, Consequence of Sound and BrooklynVegan among many others.

Now the band are sharing a second single from their new LP, a track called "Corner Store". Opening with just guitar and voices that builds to full band as the band's three members (Nina Ryser, Ani Ivry-Block and Lily Konigsberg) continue expanding and mutating their layered harmony parts in ways both beautiful and bewildering, before eventually casting their instruments aside entirely in an extended a capella breakdown. The track is full of elements that have been common to Palberta's songwriting for some time, but are given a new depth and power here, and a confident display of Palberta's growing mastery over their sound.

"'Corner Store' is a song we’ve been playing live for a while now and has gone through many transformations over time," Ryser explains. "It culminated in this final version once we discovered that it needed an a capella breakdown that would slowly bring us back into the groove. Though it’s a classic Palberta move to fit in a 3-part harmony whenever we get the chance, it felt crucial. This song tells a story about strolling to the corner store, a sacred place we all know and love, on a Sunday afternoon to meet your friend and you see them on the front of the Sunday Times. And once they arrive, you do a double take and say to them, 'hey! No way! I saw you at the corner — I saw you on the front of the Sunday Times!'"

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Flor and The Sea - Sketch Club - Rampton Prom - Looms

Flor and The Sea have just released their new E.P 'Kings & Queens'. Last month we shared 'A Candid Lie' from the collection and we now have the full set streaming below, this really is a sumptuous collection of indie electro music. ===== Yesterday Sketch Club released 'Futile Pursuits' which is a rhythmic and sweeping alt rocker with some fabulous melodic hooks. ===== Rampton Prom debut single 'Too Baby' is a stunning and dreamy song that flows along and demands an immediate replay. ===== Brooklyn rockers Looms have shared 'Obvious' a song that packs plenty of power, emotion and some very catchy vibes.

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Flor and The Sea - Kings & Queens (E.P).

The songs of Flor and the Sea’s debut EP Kings & Queens invite listeners to surrender themselves to the stream of music: to dream, to dance and to defy the world’s tumult for a moment and abandon themselves to the group’s heady stylistic fusion. Pop elements meld with electronica throughout their songwriting, inviting a host of esoteric influences from dubstep, synth pop and trap to join them. 

It’s a melting pot of style that recalls the work of Flume, Miike Snow or Alt-J. Co-produced by composer Dieter Dolezel and mixed by Moritz Enders (Casper, Kraftclub), the songs are a multifaceted exploration of sound and songwriting. From the lilting mythology-evoking arpeggios of ‘Arcadia’ to the electro propulsive ambience of ‘Dark Minds’ and the bleak dystopian piano keys chiming through ‘Reconnect’, Kings & Queens reveals a restless group with a unique and voracious musical chemistry.

Munich-based indie/electropop duo Flor and the Sea was founded in 2015 as a five-piece project. With the release of debut singles ‘Hold Your Breath’ and ‘Shed No Tear’, as well as live gigs at Digital/Analog Festival and the Muffat Winterfest among others, the band generated a lot of buzz in short time and were featured as ‘Band of the Week’ by the Suddeutsche Zeitung/SZ Junge Leute in early 2017. After the group split up later that year, Marc Aretz (guitar/synth) and Chaem (vox) decided to keep Flor and the Sea alive as a duo. 

Redesigning their sound from scratch, they incorporated influences from bands like Alt J, Radiohead and Portishead. Singles ‘Dark Minds’ and ‘Reconnect’ were birthed from the rubble and led to widespread acclaim, receiving regular airplay on radio stations like Ego-FM, Bayern 3, M94.5 and BR Puls, and landing glowing reviews on international blogs like Composer's Toolbox and York Calling. Capping it all, the duo performed live on Radio Fritz ‘Live on Air’ for the first time. Flor and The Sea resumed live performances in 2019, while simultaneously producing their debut EP Kings & Queens, and put together an elaborate new program with their own light show, visuals, masks, and the support of additional live musicians. A first taste of this show was presented at renowned festivals Theatron Musiksommer and Sound of Munich Now in 2019. 

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Sketch Club - Futile Pursuits.

“Futile Pursuits” is a reflection on the things we pursue in life that don't end up being good for us. Be it a relationship, a career or a dream, sometimes the things we chase the hardest end up being entirely unhealthy occupations. And sometimes as we stand in the bright lights of hindsight, we can see we were set to fail from the start.

Recorded in March at Phaedra Studios, Melbourne with producer John Lee (Augie March, Bananagun, Laura Jean), with mixing & mastering taking place remotely via several hundred discerning phone calls over the following months during lock-down. Originally hailing from Dublin, Phillip Island and Brisbane, Sketch Club formed in Melbourne in 2009 via a classified ad left on an online forum for music nerds.

The band quickly settled on a song writing method that works best for the indie-rock outfit - 3 gentlemen making noise in a red velvet room until something good happens. And good would be some cinematic pop with a dark edge & a little swagger.

With songs from their 2017 EP “Primal Calls & Graceless Falls” finding their way on to radio rotation and Spotify’s New Music Friday (NL) playlist, the 3-piece continued to write, play and chin rub their way towards a new body of work. This inspired time has resulted in the band’s debut LP “Departure Lounge Transmissions, out 4th December 2020!

Sketch Club · Futile Pursuits

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Rampton Prom - Too Baby.

Self-professed, ageing, wannabe pop stars, Jonny (Bubs), Ryan (Breeze) and Gina (Queen G) reveal new project Rampton Prom.

Out of a dead-end band that fell apart after years of utter disappointment, three members regrouped to form the new alt-pop project. 

Debut single 'Too Baby' takes cues from their influences of contemporary pop and US hip hop, with their unique mix of choppy beats, poetic lyricism and quirky analogue arrangements (plus a sprinkle of vibraphone).

'Too Baby' is the first track we made together as ‘Prom. We wanted to make a low-key pop groove with a lyrical sense of unease. "I guess I feel like a bit of a wimp sometimes, like I need to toughen up". - Gina 'Queen G' Leonard.

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Looms - Obvious.

"Obvious", is the new standalone single from Brooklyn rockers Looms, their second of 2020 following “My Stupid Life”.

On the track, the band's Sharif Mekawy (lead vox, guitar, keys) shares, "this is a song about realizing how obvious your feelings are for someone after being so uncertain."

Looms entered the studio in January 2020 with the goal of recording five new songs and releasing them throughout the year as singles. The first song was to have an accompanying music video and be released coinciding a trip to SXSW. Unfortunately, everything derailed once March came, and we took a few months apart to deal with the world.

'My Stupid Life' (which has new meaning in these times) was finally released in June, and we've been rehearsing, livestreaming, writing, and trying to continue on as a band as best we can in the moment. It's a weird year for everyone, but we're moving forward.

Good Eye Records · Looms - "Obvious"

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Falcon Jane - Loryn Taggart - Leif Vollebekk - HOPdot

Falcon Jane has shared 'Feelings' just ahead of Friday's album releases 'Faith'. We have already had the pleasure of featuring two songs from the new album and the latest 'Feelings' is another fine reminder of her knack for creating original and lovable music. ===== From Loryn Taggart we have 'The River' where the folk and singer songwriter shares a gently opening and intimate song, the build is gradual, the end is fabulous and in between we are treated to some wonderful vibes. ===== Leif Vollebekk has released a new original song entitled 'Long Blue Light' it's accompanied by a cover of Bon Iver's '29 #Strafford APTS'. We are just sharing 'Long Blue Light' which is a gorgeous piece that just funnels emotion. ===== HOPdot contacted us directly with 'Before We All Go Under'. They are a father and daughter duo and collectively they are simply fabulous as is born out with this gentle, intelligent and beautiful song. 

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Image - Brendan George Ko

Falcon Jane - Feelings.

Ontario-based project Falcon Jane, led by lead singer and songwriter Sara May, are today sharing "Feelings", the final pre-release track to be lifted from their forthcoming Line of Best Fit, Earmilk and American Songwriter-tipped album, Faith, which is out this Friday, November 13, via Darling Recordings. Stream the new single here.

Faith serves as the follow-up to Falcon Jane’s debut album Feelin’ Freaky, which firmly established May’s self-labeled “plez-rock”. Still keeping some of those previously pleasant summer vibes, Faith sees May steer towards a darker spiral—one that personifies the often isolating meanderings that come with figuring it all out. “A lot of the songs on the album are written from me to me,” she explains. “It’s about trusting in yourself and believing in the thoughts and feelings in your own mind.”

The new track, "Feelings", which features heart-wrenching guitar work from Branson Giles, arrives a song love song written about rediscovering love that you thought had disappeared. "A rekindling, a reawakening," explains May. "It's about letting go of the past in order to pursue a new future. Establishing a new belief system and a new way to express love." Once again featuring May's celestial vocals that are this time laced around jaunty, blues-infused guitars, "Feelings" offers up a real highlight from the forthcoming record, establishing itself as another crucial segment to the emotional core of Faith.

Faith has found Sara May going back to the beginning: her home, her beliefs, and herself. This intention gave her the ability to take another look, to reassess, to breathe. Writing under the Falcon Jane moniker, May explores the intimate experience in getting to know yourself again, highlighting the banal but beautiful ebb and flow of our every day. Her new record is an investigation into what it means to be alive and the often painful experience of the ordinary. As someone who describes herself as “emotionally guarded,” Falcon Jane is May outstretched, breaking through the introspective wall and inviting us in on the experiment.

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Photographer: Simon Pelletier

Loryn Taggart - The River.

I once moved across the world for someone I thought I loved. I didn't listen to myself, or my heart, I just followed the wind. My gut told me one thing and I ignored it. That person made me feel like I wasn't good enough, strong enough, or smart enough to face life alone.

"The River" is a song about relocating internationally for love, and realizing that it was a one-sided sacrifice. I need a man to cross the river is said in a sarcastic measure.

I want anyone listening to look at their current relationships and really question why and how they serve their wellbeing. Start to question the balance between self-love and love given. It's important you have people in your life that are willing to sacrifice for you, the way you would for them.

Weird how we walked as strangers / no rhythm and no bond / A year of love / it took this long to get you in a song is one of my favourite lines, signifying the relationship arch of going from strangers, to dating, to being in love, to strangers once more.

Sadly, and by an unfortunate loss, my father passed away this year. I was in and out of the studio for about two months while I grieved, but the experience of recording this song led me to heal much faster than I anticipated. My father was with me the entire way. He was my biggest fan and really loved this song. I hope it's meaningful for you, too.

Loryn Taggart · The River

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Image - Vanessa Heins

Leif Vollebekk - Long Blue Light.

We have the new double single release from the critically acclaimed Polaris Prize nominee, Leif Vollebekk that comes as one original track titled "Long Blue Light”  and a cover of Bon Iver's “29 #Strafford APTS”, out now via Secret City Records (SUUNS, Wilsen, Braids).

Vollebekk has drawn critical acclaim in his time as a musician from the likes of The New York Times ("pensive and restless, blossoming with stream-of-consciousness verses that bear the marks of long nights spent alone on the road"), Pitchfork ("understated and affecting"), NPR, FLOOD, The FADER, The Line of Best Fit, Paste, Sunday Times Culture, World Cafe, KCRW and more. Alongside press and radio support, he scooped a Polaris Prize shortlist nomination for his record, Twin Solitude, shared stages with the likes of Sinéad O'Connor, Angie McMahon and Beth Orton, and sold out North American headline tours.

Leif has been highlighted previously for his moving way with lyrics and his ability to build brooding and deeply emotive atmospheres, tying 60s folk music with jazz sensibilities. This batch of new music from Vollebekk hints towards his penchant for this style, producing a new original – which features drummer, Homer Steinweiss (Amy Winehouse, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings) and esteemed lap-steel guitarist, Cindy Cashdollar – and a take on one of Bon Iver's 22, A Million numbers.

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HOPdot - Before We All Go Under.

Background from David of HOPdot - A little about me I've been collaborating with a lyricist for a few years now sending songs to publishers, music companies etc. 

I was looking to get songs placed with artistes getting some positive feedback now and again, to cut a long story short decided to try and make a go of it myself with the help of my daughter Amy.

Amy is singing the vocals with myself playing instruments and production, due to covid in 2020 haven't been able to collaborate or do gigs locally in Durham hoping to do so in the future.

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