Electronic pop duo Valley Boy have recently unveiled their glistening new single Sad Girl. Filled with swelling harmonies and sickly sweet melodies, the track digs deep in to ear worm territory as the pair prepare for the release of their upcoming debut EP. "This song began after receiving my second 'we should never talk again' text from someone I had started seeing," explains songwriter James. "Change can be scary, and I think she and I were both very aware that we would be taking a big step were we to begin dating. That would mean saying goodbye to the safety of the known, even if what we both knew was isolation, disappointment, and a pessimist’s view of life and love. The devil you know vs. the devil you don’t, right?". Take a listen for yourselves below.
Set to kick off the year in the only stylish way they know how, Oxford's BE GOOD unveil their brand new EP entitled 'Everything's Alright In The Evening'. Having long developed a niche for creating silk smooth alt-pop, rich in provocative undertones and a burning desire, the four-piece find themselves right at home in their new effort. From the warming synth pad textures and grand pop sensibilities on Young Strangers, to the darkened pulsating tones on Dark Glasses, everything about this release has been produced to an exquisite level. Take Cathy's love-lorn lyrics and twinkling keys for example, setting a despondent mood as singer Ash Cooke attempts to pull apart his mind's inner-workings. Where last year's big hit Sickie knocks you to the floor with its sultry melodies and reflective depiction, the EP's penultimate track Torch Song tones things back with its soft ushered vocals and scintillating crescendo. Rounding things up with Pink Sky (Can I Tell You Something?), the band's latest release delivers heartache and delicate soul in the biggest of measures. This is disconnected pop for the ones that can't sleep in the blackened twilight hours. Deluge yourselves below.
To coincide with the release the band have shared an official video to lead single Young Strangers, directed by Joe Vozza, perfectly encapsulating the push/pull of longing and loneliness. Take a watch for yourselves below. Speaking about the clip the band had the following to say: "Joe is an amazing multimedia instrumentalist with an incredible eye—he has that rare talent of enhancing the aesthetic world of the artists he works with. We connected behind the vision of creating a dream-like, cinematic version of British suburbia in the video, referencing Spielberg and teen movies. We wanted it to almost feel like a trailer of a film or TV show—evocative of interlacing stories and characters without necessarily focusing on a linear narrative".
Encapsulating how we all feel on the inside, George Moir returns with his vibrant, catchy-as-hell new single Empty. Built upon a buoyant instrumental of bubbly keys and flamboyant melodies, the track's happy-go-lucky charm masks the inner-breakdown of life as he tells the tale of struggling to get by. About the new track, George says: “‘Empty’ is kind of a sister track to my last single ‘Flowers’. I wrote it the same week – we had one day left at the studio before I had to go home. I was drained and spent the whole year up to that point working a full time job alongside making music. Eventually I had to quit the job and the money was starting to run out and I was completely burnt out. We’d been trying to write stuff all day and nothing was really very good, but I went back to the studio on my own, sat down at a Rhodes piano and out came the song. It was like it was just waiting there for me. It was a huge relief to not have to brute force anything, and it summed up the whole frustrated feeling for me! I was absolutely knackered and absolutely broke, and it was a real relief to stop holding it together for a minute and just get it out into a song.” Take a listen for yourselves below.
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever unveil their new video for 'The Only One', taken from their their internationally acclaimed second album of 2020, Sideways To New Italy. Directed by Mike Ridley, the video for fan-favourite 'The Only One' follows the beloved character of Pie Man as he wanders the streets of the Northern-Melbourne suburbs.
Pittsburgh-based artist Kahone Concept returned over the weekend with his brand new single Hylow. Filled with euphoric choruses and dazzling instrumentation, the track showcases his joyous talents in a divine light, delivering another pop-perfected masterpiece. Take a listen for yourselves below.
With little to no new music streaming in, I thought I would use this quiet time to clear out my inbox from last year's songs that I never quite got around to featuring. As much as I want to post every single thing that I'm sent which I enjoy, as a one man band (terrible pun alert), I just sadly don't have the time or capacity to do so. Although I still want to get these tracks out and this seems like the only fitting way, rather than them being lost in the never ending depths of my email account. Enjoy and Happy New Year (we can hope)!
Holly Humberstone - Vanilla (Live) Holly's music has slowly been picking up pace over recent months and 2021 looks set to be a mega year for the young artist after being picked up as VEVO DSCVR’s Artists To Watch 2021' With a tour set to kick off later in the year (fingers crossed this COVID madness clears off soon), she shares a recent clip of what to expect with a live rendition of Vanilla.
Banji - Listen Netherlands-based 4-piece Banji returned in November with their vibrantly bursting new single Listen, built through charismatic instrumentation and buoyant melodies. Check out their official video below as the group get messy with food in its chaotic climax. The band explain its concept: “The instrumental to this track felt very lively and energetic. There are a lot of little elements hidden in the music, almost as if they're constantly trying to talk through each other. I took that concept and pictured a couple sitting at a dinner table. 'Listen' ended up being a song about favouring child-like stubbornness over maturity. The inability to filter thoughts, and instead, trying to talk your way out. It's basically me saying to myself 'things would be a lot easier if you just listened’".
Viji - Are You In My Head? Tackling the age-old inner struggle of a relationship, London-based artist Viji recently put out her grungy, angst-ridden masterpiece, Are You In My Head?. Speaking about the track she goes on to say: "The song Are You In My Head is about the internal struggle of relationships. Especially how little things can blow up in your head if you’re in a bad mood. An open tuning and weird chords go with the theme of indecisiveness. The video for the song is inspired by teen witch movies. Exorcism warning on the label. I’m genuinely so excited for everyone to hear it!"
K.P. Ring - Not A Hopeless Place Cork, Ireland-based artist K.P. Ring has an incredible talent for creating warming energy in his intricate guitar playing. He recently unveiled his new video to latest single Not A Hopeless Place, a track rich in desire and anguish of equal measure. Speaking about the track he went on to say: "The song is about acceptance of change. Someone once told me that the scariest and, simultaneously, most comforting thing in life is that nothing is permanent. Everything must change. That's always stuck with me. I think this idea resonated in the song's meaning." Take a listen below.
Angel Hotel - By All Means Necessary Having been delighted by their previous efforts, a return by Angel Hotel was very much welcomed as the Welsh-based outfit unveiled their latest single By All Means Necessary. Filled with dazzling guitar solos and high energy melodies, the track serves up another fine taste of their driving pop prowess. Take a listen below.
MAUVE - Branches London/Cambridge-based outfit MAUVE have recently shared their brand new EP which features their recent single Branches. A track that serves to be a perfect introduction to the band's adrenalin soaked anthemic rock built upon driving guitars and pummelled percussion. Jump in for yourselves below.
Flyte - Never Get To Heaven Last but by no means least in this series of track's I never got around to writing about is the heartfelt live rendition of Flyte's Never Get To Heaven. As glorious as we've come to expect from their touching harmonies and soft, intricate melodies, the band's effort is another pristinely exquisite slice of celestial pop. “Funnily enough, I wrote this song aged 14. I remember thinking it would be a very clever and grown up exercise to reappropriate a chant from my stint in the scouts as an 8 year old. My 14 year old self, then advanced in years and wisdom, putting a post modern spin on a childish relic. Using it as a vehicle for all my pain and suffering, ha. Strangely, so very many years later, it had achieved it’s depth. It had become the perfect eulogy to the end of my adult relationship. An adolescent attempt at world weariness had become meaningful. For an album based entirely around a break up, it’s a god's-eye view, nursery rhyme that closes the album with the perfect quiet defiance” says Will. Take a listen below.
Following on from his last single Helen, No, Welsh-based multi-instrumentalist Tom Mason, aka Denuo, has recently returning unveiling his latest effort All I Need. Within its soothing textures of soft percussion and a layer of velvety smooth saxophone, courtesy of Kerry Williams, the Conwy-based artist continues to add further dynamics to his already expansive sound. Here proves to be another warming treat just in time for the cold winter nights ahead. Take a listen for yourselves below.
Following the release of their debut album 'Volume 1' in August, Edinburgh-based alt-pop trio Liimo (meaning a little more) now return to share a cover of the classic Alexander O’'Neal single 'If You Were Here Tonight'. Through smokey atmospherics and emotive synth pad textures comes a stunning rendition that showcases the band's appreciation for 80's pop. Speaking about the new rendition, the band said, "After reading Richard Russell's book 'Liberation Of Hearing' and with a mention to Alexander the idea grew from there. We’re big fans of Alexander O’'Neal, 'Hearsay' being one of our favourite albums. We were listening to 'If You Were Here Tonight' recently and it resonated so much with how we’re feeling at the moment. Missing loved ones and wishing you could be with them, so we thought we’d put the Liimo spin on it." Take a listen for yourselves below.
