DATE ARCHIVES : June 2018

The Ambient Light – ‘Feelin Kinda Lost (Feat. Pure Mids)’

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The Ambient Light is a dreamy psych-pop project hailing from California; who impress with recently-released new single ‘Feelin Kinda Lost’, featuring Pure Mids.

Per the project, ‘Feelin Kinda Lost’, captures the aesthetic perfectly; gentle, laid-back and calming sounds marry summery guitar grooves, effortless melodiousness and gently undulating, atmospheric effects. It is three-and-a-half-minutes of dream inducing, melting instrumentation, exploring through an elegant sound of frazzled electronica, twinkling synth, bubbling basslines. This majestic combination is filtered through a haze of dreamy textures and layers of mild fuzz and topped off with hushed, whispering vocals. Playful but sincere, vulnerable yet confident and simplistic yet stylish; it is catchy as, and will have you reaching for repeated plays.

Listen to ‘Feelin Kinda Lost’ (Feat. Pure Mids) below and begin to drift away….

77:78 – ‘Chilli’

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As card-carrying members of the kaleidoscopic musical maestros The Bees, Aaron Fletcher and Tim Parkin served some of the most magical, downright brilliant musical moments of the last decade.

The Isle of Wight pair introduced their new project 77:78 with radiant, jaunty and joyously infectious cut of soulful psych-pop ‘Love Said (Let’s Go)’. Their debut album, Jellies, is due out July 6 via Heavenly and with that date fast approaching, 77:78 have released new single ‘Chilli’. Embracing a desire to be a double-denim clad 70’s dirty ol’ roadhouse blues band, ‘Chilli’ is another musical ray of sunshine with a similarly bouncy, pep to its step. It swaggers, bops and cavorts on its merry way, aided and abetted by blasts of brass and organ as it grooves along, building and building toward a spectacular climax.

Jellies is out via Heavenly Recordings on July 6th – to get in the groove, check ‘Chilli’ below.

Nia Wyn – ‘Turnstiles’

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We were introduced to the powerful, raw and soulful sounds of North-Walian artist, Nia Wyn about this time last year.

Singles ‘Do You Love Enough’ & ‘Help Me’ immediately marked her out as an exciting prospect. Now, one year on, Nia Wyn is back with a brand new single ‘Turnstiles’. Produced by Paul Weller, ‘Turnstiles’ is a rich blend of soul meets bluesy rock. Weller provides backing vocals and the bass bits alongside a steady beat and strum, and some illuminating, heart-winning parps of brass, that all oozes with a glowing vintage charm. As marvelous a backdrop as it is, the music pales into insignificance when compared to Wyn’s most considerable asset; her voice. Powerful, rich and engrossing, Wyn’s vocals are special (in an Amy Winehouse way) and combined with a flair for storytelling, demand you full attention.

Listen to ‘Turnstiles’ below and if it is to your liking, there’s more here.

Nia Wyn is also one of twelve acts selected from across Wales for Horizons 2018, so you will be hearing plenty more from her over the next 12 months.

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The Compensators – ‘Love Drags’

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Comprised of Curtis Strange (lead vocals/guitar), Chaz Mitchells (drums/backup vocals), Stevie Blunder (bass), and Kip Wicked (guitar), Brooklyn-based The Compensators appear to have an innate ability to find a sweet spot between pop and indie, splendidly well.

‘Love Drags’ is their debut release and as an opening introduction, it is a perfect exponent of the the eccentric four-piece’s aforementioned attributes. It bounces along with catchy twangy riffs, buoyant groove, an abundance of melodicism, pop appeal and super sing-along lyrics. That said, amid an undeniable flair for pop, there is an off-kilter peculiarity at play, providing an edge that zaps your attention. The Compensators showcase a brilliance for crafting an immaculate pop song, one with a unique, distinct pedigree and it is one of those tunes that embeds itself into your brain and refuses to leave.

Tune in below:

Silverbacks – ‘Dunkirk’

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Silverbacks have delighted and excited at every turn thus far and the Dublin-based outfit are back with their strongest showing to date, ‘Dunkirk’.

Produced by Girl Band’s Daniel Fox, ‘Dunkirk’ was released on June 15 through their own PK Miami Records. ‘Dunkirk’ is a sprawling three-minute post-punk underpinned by an insistent, nagging bassline and increasingly manic, winding guitar lines, metronomic drumbeat and Gang of Four caliber bass lines. It is the ideal backdrop for Daniel O’Kelly’s stream of conscious musings of a dystopian future where Dunkirk, despite its history, has become a built-up holiday destination for young families. ‘Dunkirk’ is the latest in a string of top class releases that signals strongest their evolution beyond their early Pavement-esque beginnings, to a coveted plain where parts Talking Heads, Television, LCD Soundsystem and Gang of Four can all coexist and flourish.

As pointed out in the intro, ‘Dunkirk’ is their strongest showing to date, tune in below.

Introducing: Serol Serol

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Originally the pop-project plaything for producers Llŷr Pari (Palenco, Omaloma) and George Amor (Omaloma, Sen Segur), Welsh cosmic pop foursome Serol Serol are completed and fronted by Leusa Rhys and Mali Sion.

Translating from Welsh to English as “Stellar Stellar”, Serol Serol is an apt handle as they craft sumptuous cosmic and charmingly celestial space-pop – of which their self-titled debut album is littered with. Their intricate illuminating interstellar adventures in warm, charming synth sounds are rooted by playful, oscillating rhythms, all pushed toward increasingly interesting spaces and completed by the mesmerising entwined vocals supplied by Rhy and Sion.

Serol Serol’s cosmic-pop credentials are typified by the first single to be lifted from their debut album, ‘K’TA’. Slick, classy and stylish, ‘K’TA’ is a tantalising celestial pop delight as it pops and sparks across the sky like a shooting star. ‘Cadwyni’ treats us to a swooning space waltz, meandering gushing synths, heavenly harmonies and vocal interchanges, and an inescapable groove. Two fabulous and totally irresistible celestial pop delights!

Listen to the two tasters – ‘K’TA’ & ‘Cadwyni’ – below and Serol Serol’s superb debut is available here.

Elsa Lester – ‘Pretty Bad, Man’

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Elsa Lester, aka Lisa van Kampen, is a Dutch singer/songwriter with a penchant for no-frills guitar-pop.

Working under a previous guise of Great Profile, she released debut album Stress Relief in 2017. Written, recorded and produced in her bedroom at her parent’s house, the record is 30 minutes of catchy-as-can-be fuzzed-up guitar-pop imbued with heart, soul and bouts of vulnerability.

Introducing to her new moniker, Elsa Lester has stepped out with a super new single ‘Pretty Bad, Man’ and news of a forthcoming EP, Dinner Party penned for release on July 6th through Z Tapes. ‘Pretty Bad, Man’ is three-minutes of guitar-pop perfection. It is endearingly ramshackle lo-fi, garage-indebted guitar-pop with an upbeat fizzy energy and coated in a warm layer of fuzz, and those riffs, man, they are sensational. Just sensational! An irresistibly infectious little earmworm, it will be fizzing around your head for days and days.

You can sample the delights of ‘Pretty Bad, Man’ below & remember, the EP will be out on July 6. And if the new single is to your liking, Elsa Lester’s debut album Stress Relief comes highly recommended – listen to it here.

Yuksek & JD Samson – ‘Don’t Even Try’

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Yuksek and JD Samson have joined forces for a formidable floor-filling new single ‘Don’t Even Try’; one of the best dance tracks you’re likely to hear this summer.

Shifting through a flurry lively drum rhythms and an undeniably danceable groove; ‘Don’t Even Try’ makes for an incredible, irresistible and glorious disco house cut with empowering vocals. It is a funky edged fusion that brings the party, stomping its way onto the dance floor. High on energy, highly infectious and danceable; this is almost five minutes of deliciously vibrant, disco-edged house groover with a deep irresistible groove and big bangin’ beats. If there is any justice at all, ‘Don’t Even Try’ will be lighting up a dance floor near you soon.

You can listen to ‘Don’t Even Try’ below.

Gulp Announce Second LP ‘All Good Wishes’; Share New Single ‘I Dream Of Your Song’

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Gulp, formed by Super Furry Animals’ Guto Pryce, Lindsey Leven and their long standing guitarist Gid Goundrey, have announced their new album All Good Wishes, which is set for release August 3rd via E.L.K Records.

The new album follows up their bewitching 2014 debut Season Sun; a wonderfully charming blend of distilled flashes of psychedelic sunshine, shimmering pastoral pop and breezy psych-folk. Ahead of the new album’s release, it is preceded by lead single ‘I Dream Of Your Song’. It’s a roving, hazy, dream-like affair, blending a swelling shimmer of hazy psych-folk and kraut-pop with a pastoral pop sweetness as Leven’s lulling vocals drift over the ripples of sun flares. A hazy, soothing and altogether wonderful insight to the new album and if it is anything like its predecessor, it will be one of 2018’s finest.

Listen to ‘I Dream Of Your Song’ below now, and drift away…..

All Good Wishes Tracklist:

1. Search For Your Love
2. Claudia
3. Spend Time Right Here With You
4. I Dream of Your Song
5. Beam
6. All Good Wishes
7. Morning Velvet Sky
8. Following Rain
9. Ride
10. Watching Ships
11. Silver Tides

 

Salmone – ‘Half Blind’

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Salmone is an intercontinental affair comprised of two New Yorkers and three Parisians who create, in their own words, “Psychedelic Bossa-Nova”.

On hearing their recently released Swim EP, that description is pretty apt, as is the case with the latest single lifted from the record, ‘Half Blind’. Crated with a laid back flare, it trickles by with an airy, sunny disposition and chilled out bossa nova and jazzy vibes. Bringing some serious summer feels, it is breezy as they come, easily digestible and one of those tunes that will paste a big smile on your face. An absolute delight, it just won’t let you go – you’ll have it on repeat.

Tune into the laid-back intercontinental summer vibes that is ‘Half Blind’ below. And if you care to, you can check out the entire EP here.