Bittersweet and tainted with an afflicting tautness, marking her debut with Hard To Be Happy, Chi makes an emotional entrance in to our musical world. From her dainty intricate vocals to the track's softly plucked guitar strings comes a gorgeously pieced together work of art which slowly unravels as each warming layer's revealed. As its tempo picks up the true scope of Chi's indigenous talents become apparent as the track begins to crescendo in to a rousing finale of heated percussion and hurricane vocals. Take a listen below for yourselves. I for one can't wait to hear more.



f: www.facebook.com/pages/C-H-I/411467502324518

Wow. It literally feels like a lifetime since I last played any Laura Marling. 2008's 'Alas, I Cannot Swim' definitely got its value's worth though, being one of those records of such timeless beauty, yet since then I've sort of never really indulged myself any further for one reason or other. Upon hearing news of her return though I'm instantly thrown back 6 years in to a nostalgic whirlwind of all my teenage memories. Back with a rawer electric sound for what will be her fifth album in seven years, 'Short Stories' is set to be released through Virgin Records on March 23rd 2015 and you can now hear its title track streaming above. Speaking of its conception Marling commented: “I realised that I hadn’t been in place for longer than two or three weeks since I was 16” she explains “I thought I wonder what will happen if I try and root myself somewhere? Look back over the past eight years”. Take a listen to 'Short Movie' above.


f: www.facebook.com/lauramarling

When I saw that I had a new Ry X track sitting in my inbox, I opened this post ready to write without having to hear a single note. There's not that many artists around that can install such confidence but Australia's Ry Cumming is definitely one of the rarities. Returning with his latest single 'Love Like This', engulfed with the kind of earnest beauty we've already fallen for in previous tracks, we get a much more composed offering of his haunting array of simplistic arrangements. With its stringed section softly rising adding an airy warmth its the loosely strummed guitar and fragility in Ry's vocals that bring with them the emotional tautness that we've become accustomed to. If you're looking for a little escapism in your life, be sure to hit play above. 

f: www.facebook.com/RYXmusic

In what feels like it's been a lifetime since first piquing my interests back in May '13, Marika Hackman finally reveals with us details of her debut album. Set to feature 12 unreleased tracks the record entitled 'We Slept At Last' will be available from February 2015 through Dirty Hit Records. To celebrate this, the London based songwriter returns once more with another gorgeous clip filmed live at Toe Rag Studios, this time treating us to a rendition of Cinnamon. Take a watch/listen above. In addition, a full run down of her forthcoming live dates can be found below. Tickets are available from: http://marikahackman.com

Live Dates - November 2014
Monday 3rd - Edinburgh – Electric Circus
Tuesday 4th - Carlisle - Brickyard
Wednesday 5th - Sheffield – The Harley
Thursday 6th - Liverpool – East Village Art Club
Saturday 8th - Manchester - Gullivers
Sunday 9th - Leeds – The Wardrobe
Monday 10th - Leicester - The Musician
Tuesday 11th - York – The Duchess
Thursday 13th - Birmingham – The Sunflower Lounge
Friday 14th - Nottingham – The Bodega
Sunday 16th - Bristol – Birdcage
Monday 17th - Norwich - Epic Studios
Tuesday 18th - London - XOYO
Wednesday 19th - Cambridge – The Portland Arms
Thursday 20th - Brighton - Green Door Store

f: www.facebook.com/pages/Marika-Hackman

Piercing the deferential silence through his woeful croons, LA via Australia resident RY X returns with a mournful and solemn offering in his latest track Sweat. Whilst labelled a demo it feels anything but as we're thrown full force in to an ember flickering furnace of emotive pain. With its slow burning finger picked guitar strings building in to a subtle crescendo Ry Cuming delivers one of the most gorgeous compositions I've laid my ears on in recent times. Take a listen avove for yourselves and improve your day by tenfold.

Live Dates
04 JUL 2014 Blissfields, UK  
10 JUL 2014 Zeltival, GERMANY  
11 JUL 2014 Phono Pop Festival, GERMANY  
12 JUL 2014 Open Source Festival, GERMANY  
13 JUL 2014 Feel Festival, GERMANY  
15 JUL 2014 Montreux Jazz Festival, SWITZERLAND  
19 JUL 2014 Latitude Festival, UK  
26 JUL 2014 Splendour in the Grass, AUSTRALIA  
08 AUG 2014 Haldern Pop, GERMANY  
09 AUG 2014 Way Out West, SWEDEN  
15 AUG 2014 Dockville Festival, GERMANY  
17 AUG 2014 Green Man Festival, UK

f: www.facebook.com/RYXmusic

With Josh Record's The War giving him the recognition he so rightfully earned back in '13, the London based artist returns with news of his debut album, Pillars. Sharing the first track from its release, Wide Awake sets the scene from its very first steps with his soft and fluttering vocals cascading amongst plinky harpsicle-esque synth notes. With the use of heart-wrenching lyricism Josh manages to once more capture the intrinsic beauty within singer-songwriting that's becoming ever more lost amongst today's music. And for that, we salute him. Take a listen to the new single above. Wide Awake will be released 7th July with the debut album set to follow on 14th July 2014 through Virgin/EMI Records.

f: www.facebook.com/joshrecordmusic

It would seem each time Rhodes shares a new song I'm consistently blown away but the sheer, unmitigated talent that one person can possess. Stripping the new single down to its bare bones we get to hear his delicate and quite often falsetto-esque vocal abilities in their rawest of forms as flutters of guitars begin to trickle in to set the mood. Building in to a subtle crescendo through the addition of fervorous percussion you're quickly raised to dizzying heights before it fades in to nothing leaving you to float back to the ground at your own descending pace. With the EP set to feature 3 original tracks produced by Ian Grimble (Daughter) and Tim Bran/Roy Kerr (London Grammar) it's safe to say Rhodes is back, and back in a big way! The 'Morning’ EP will be available from May 11th on his own Rhodes Music imprint.

f: www.facebook.com/rhodesmusicuk

Having been lucky enough to catch Marika during last year's Swn Festival (within the gorgeous acoustics of a church of all places) it's no bold claim to say the London based songwriter truly shines brightest in a live setting. The haunting and tangled nature of her often disconsolated lyrics hold a distinct aura that comes with her persona and something about seeing them recreated in front of your very own eyes is a wonderful sight to be seen. It's no surprise to find myself hitting replay after replay on this then. Recorded live at Toe Rag studios by Liam Watson and mixed at Rat Salad Studios by Rupert Lyddon Deep Green gets a vintage overhauled look whilst the tempo's upped through its rumbling reverberated percussion and dejected guitar strums.

Deep Green is taken from the 'Deaf Heat' EP which will be available now through Dirty Hit Records here. You can stream it in full below.



f: www.facebook.com/pages/Marika-Hackman

It's quite hard to believe Glasgow via Nottingham Alt-Pop duo Nieves only met and began writing together in 2013. As they premiere their debut single Winter we learn of a refined maturity echoing through their music, something that usually only becomes apparent after years of partnership. I guess this just goes to show the true musicianship the pair behold as singer/songwriter Brendan Dafters and musician/producer Herre de Leur come together to create a heartfelt and pensive tale detailing the death of a relationship, the changing of seasons acting as their metaphor. Take a listen for yourselves above.

f: www.facebook.com/NievesGlasgow

If this is your first introduction to James Bay I can only assume you'll be as equally won over as me, sat here speechless, the unfathomable beauty within Bay's intrinsic songwriting bouncing around the walls. Even the story surrounding his rise to fame serves to be a beautiful anecdote; discovered by Republic Records through a fan uploaded video of him performing in a Kentish Town pub on YouTube. All them years of open mic nights finally paying dividends. Following his 2013 ‘Dark of the Morning' EP the Hertfordshire singer/songwriter returns with a gorgeous angst-ridden single that looks set to capture the hearts of all who listen. They say honest music is best and that's undeniably true in the case for James as he lets out a distraught cry of anguished despair. This is art in its rawest form. "[Let It Go was] super personal and quite hard to write. It outlines the point in a relationship where you think that you should perhaps put it all to bed. We tried it again, and we tried really hard. Maybe we can just be friends and let it go. It’s really honest, and I got something off my chest". Be sure to check out a special Burberry Acoustic performance below.



f: www.facebook.com/jamesbaymusic

From one Matt to another (although this one's minus a 't') Au Contraire serves to be as devastating of debut's as one could imagine. Ostensibly bare from its simplistic guitar strums, dig beneath the surface and you'll find yourself embodied in a warming swell of soulful emotion. As Hunsley's endearing vocals stop you in your tracks, through heartstring-tugging toil you can't help but fall for the rustic, homespun nature within as Mat's songwriting and lyricism leave no stone unturned in their ambitious drive forward. There's always been a fine line between good and bad folk music for me, but I think it's safe to say Mat falls wholeheartedly on the favourable, this latest effort only solidifying his name as an exciting talent to watch out for in 2014. Au Contraire will be released May 19th via up and coming label Trellis Records. You can stream it above now. 

f: www.facebook.com/MatHunsley

With her plaintive tones and harsh reality driven lyrics Annie Eve returns with another hazy kaleidoscope video for her latest single, Shuffle. Taken from Annie's current EP, 'Feversome', the unravelling of pensive guitar strings and off-kilter vocals only add to the track's already disconsolated and heavy-hearted texture, something the young 22-year old has shown a fine talent for in recent months. Taker a watch/listen above. The 'Feversome' EP is available now.

f: www.facebook.com/annieevemusic

Discovering Sophie Jamieson on a day like today really couldn't have panned out better. With my hangover slipping in to its second day (I must really be getting too old for this) and the unappealing views of grey monochrome skies rolling as far as the eye can see, Stain serves to be the perfect accompaniment as I stare out in to all of life's bleakness. In her romanticistic sway of contemplative and cadenced elements the young Berkshire resident constructs a raw and sombre affair conjuring some of the most beautiful atmospherics I've heard in recent months. Glistening in their spacial surroundings, with obvious comparisons drawn to Daughter and Laura Marling, Jamieson stands on her own all too well as her woozy vocals begin to break down the silence of its haunting echo as a flutter of slow burning guitars engulf you once more. ‘Stain/Other’ will be released on 19th May through LuvLuvLuv Records.

Live Dates
10 April – The Old Queen’s Head, London
09 April – Sebright Arms, London  *Solo show* (w/ Rhodes)
06 May – Slaughtered Lamb, London *Solo show* (w/ Wilsen)
15 May – The Finsbury, London
18 May – The Louisiana, Bristol

f: www.facebook.com/sophiejamiesonmusic

I'm sure anyone who runs a music blog will back me up on this but you really can't go taking days off. Not unless you want to come back to an inbox that resembles a low budget horror film (yep, the real scary ones). Finally making my way through what has felt like a deep excavation in to its murky depths I reach the latest single from Rae Morris. Already revelling in the success of well received 'Skin' back in January Rae returns with its brilliant follow up, looking set to be another whirlwind release. Having already supported Bombay Bicycle Club on their recent tour (which hopefully gives her music the recognition it so rightfully deserves) 2014 is sure to be her year as the anticipation for the debut album forever grows. This time sees woody synth notes take to the forefront as Rae's blissful vocals fill the spacial textures within. There's something eerily hypnotic about this. You can check out the poignant and starkly moving clip above now.

Rae had the following to say in regards to the video "I wanted people to be able to feel the discomfort and awkwardness of feeling misunderstood. I wanted people to see me as a mannequin shining on the outside but with the inside well hidden. The end of the video is my favourite part.  My figure, the static character, begins turning and spiralling out of control through a form of stop frame animation. At the end, the spiralling stops and I'm no longer in the chains of the statuesque stillness from before, but moving more freely and dancing.  To me, that symbolises an acceptance and shy confidence knowing that it doesn't really matter if people know you or not..."

'Do You Even Know?' will be released as a four track EP on 5th May 2014. You can pre-order it here.

Live Dates
April  28th – The Leadmill, Sheffield  
April 29th – Temple Room @ HMV Institute, Birmingham  
May  1st – Wilton Music Hall, London  
May  2nd – Liverpool Sound City, Liverpool  
May  3rd – Live at Leeds, Leeds  
May  5th – The Art Bar, Oxford  
May  7th – Open, Norwich  
May  8th – The Great Escape Festival, Brighton



f: www.facebook.com/raemorrisblackpool

Before even hitting play I found myself typing this post from the faith Marika Hackman's given over the months. As each release builds on her success and confidence she continues to raise the bar setting herself miles in front of the pack, this time round taking to cover Lykke Li's empowering I Follow Rivers. In gorgeous detail presenting us with a sublime and stripped back rendition Marika plays hard on its haunting and mesmerising tones as sweeping synths create a darkened sullen mood. This forms the final track on her forthcoming EP. You can check out the previously streaming tracks Deep Green here and Call Off The Dogs here. The EP will be available from 14th April 2014 through Dirty Hit Records and is up for Pre-Order now.

f: www.facebook.com/pages/Marika-Hackman

Dripping with a divine nostalgic renaissance Marika Hackman returns with her delicate and enchanting new single Call Off The Dogs. Forming the second taster from her forthcoming EP 'Deaf Heat' we see what's become the more experimental side to Hackman's songwriting abilities as her nonconformist song structures develop in to tantalising works of art. You can check out the previously streaming track Deep Green here. The EP will be available from 14th April 2014 through Dirty Hit Records and is up for Pre-Order now.

f: www.facebook.com/pages/Marika-Hackman

Not one shy of an exceptional work rate Marika Hackman returns once more with her latest track Deep Green. Showcasing another fine effort in soaring antagonistic songwriting we take an unprecedented voyage in to an overgrown jungle of tribal percussion shaded by swaying guitar notes. Hauntingly beautiful yet equally intriguing Hackman manages to further more pique our interests with her simplistic and raw take on modern day life as we step in to her mind. Deep Green forms the lead track from the forthcoming 'Deaf Heat' EP which will be available from 14th April 2014 through Dirty Hit Records. You can Pre-Order it here.

Live Dates
March 11 Glasgow, King Tuts 
March 12 Newcastle, Think Tank
March 13 Manchester, Soup Kitchen 
March 14 Sheffield, Harley
March 16 Birmingham, Hare & Hounds 
March 17 Oxford, Cellar 
March 18 London, Hoxton Bar & Kitchen

Tickets for the forthcoming tour dates are available here.

f: www.facebook.com/pages/Marika-Hackman

The funny thing with music is you'll never hear everything. NEVER. No matter how many times you think that you've heard everything there's someone new to come along and you realise once more that you're just on the tip of the iceberg. Just so is the case with discovering Stratford Upon Avon singer/songwriter Liz Lawrence. Currently supporting Bombay Bicycle Club on their worldwide tour the 23-year is readying her new EP due for release this Spring and Health & Safety is the first taster of what's to come. All woozy with sickly sweet vocals and joyously strummed guitars is a buoyant and care-free track that does more than enough to whet our appetites. We can't wait to hear the rest of the EP! Check out the video above.


f: www.facebook.com/lizlawrencemusic

Through despairing fragility and heartwarming melodies Will Joseph Cook manages to capture hearts and souls alike with minimal efforts. When his music is this powerful it really doesn't take much persuading to become instantly won over and that's exactly what happened when I hit play on his then soon to be released single Catalyst late last year. Having already supported the likes of Tom Odell in Manchester and The Rolling Stones at their Hyde Park gig last summer the future looks very bright indeed for the young singer/songwriter. Performing at a secret Sofar session in London earlier last month Will Joseph Cook proves he's just as if not even more devastating live as he delivers a stellar live rendition of his single Catalyst to an attentive and intimate audience. Check out the live clip above.

If you want to be part of the next Sofar event you can sign up here.

f: www.facebook.com/willjosephcookmusic
f: www.facebook.com/sofarsounds

The rise of George Ezra has been pretty outstanding to say the least. In little more than a year the young Bristolian has gone from performing on YouTube video sessions to selling out a full UK tour and placing a respectful fifth in the BBC Sound of 2014 poll. Now, as he readies the release of his new Cassy O' EP, Ezra returns with an official video for the title track. Have a watch above.

Cassy O' will be available to buy from 16th  March via Columbia Records in digital and 2x7-inch formats. As a thank you for anyone Pre-Ordering the EP you can grab the title track as an instant download via iTunes: http://smarturl.it/CassyO.

Live Dates
26 February Leeds, Wardrobe - SOLD OUT
27 February Nottingham, The Bodega Social Club - SOLD OUT
28 February Liverpool, Leaf - SOLD OUT
02 March Birmingham, Hare & Hounds - SOLD OUT
03 March Bristol, The Fleece - SOLD OUT
04 March London, Dingwalls - SOLD OUT
06 March Penzance, Acorn Theatre - SOLD OUT
07 March Bere Alston, Plymouth, Rumleigh Farm - SOLD OUT
08 March Exeter, Cavern - SOLD OUT

f: www.facebook.com/georgeezramusic