DATE ARCHIVES : July 2018

Nicola Carrara – ‘Tobogán’

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Nicola Carrara is a Buenos Aires-based multi-instrumentalist, producer and musician who’s latest single spirits us away to a world of warmth, nostalgia and psychedelia.

‘Tobogán’ is the first single lifted from his forthcoming new album. Introducing itself all lo-fi and minimalist but warm and inviting, it slowly develops and morphs into something rather different from where we began. Combining acoustic guitar, synthesizers, dry drums and a touch of psychedelia it swells into a frazzled, washed-out Supernova of colour. ‘Tobogán’ is a pure ear-worm; the hook, luscious melody and irresistible dandering groove – just fantastic! Carrara has hit on something rather special here, combining the purity of acoustic sounds with frazzled, psych-saturated synthesizers and hitting the sweet spot to craft a warm, real and emotional song too.

Listen to ‘Tobogán’ below and keep an eye out for that forthcoming album too.

Altvater – ‘Moonbird’

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Earlier this year, producer Altvater introduced us to his downtempo fusion of electronica, trip hop, and dark synthwave.

Hailing from Columbia, South Carolina, Altvater’s style is marked by an ability to blend colour and warmth to a glacial but imperious ambiance, as evidenced by his Walking Creatures EP, and indeed, new single ‘Moonbird’. The latest cut is super chilled and silky smooth as it slinks on by at its own pace, unhurried or bothered by anything else. This beautiful aura of tranquility is mesmeric and further illuminated by glacial twinkles and and crystalline chimes. Precise, pristine and wholly beautiful – it is yet another spectacular single from Altvater.

Get a glimpse of ‘Moonbird’ below:

Estrons Announce Debut Album; Share ‘Cameras’

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Welsh indie-rock powerhouse Estrons have announced their debut album will be released later this year.

Titled You Say I’m Too Much, I Say You’re Not Enough, the album is due out on October 05 via The Orchard / Gofod Records.

We’ve been keeping tabs on Estrons for quite a while and they impressed on every given opportunity, reminding us what a very, very exciting proposition they are. Going by taster track ‘Cameras’; their debut promises to come good on all that potential. ‘Cameras’ is very much what we’ve come to expect from the Welsh outfit; a powerful, passionate and compelling indie-rock masterclass. It is a muscular and melodic mix of riffs – soaring, scintilating and bruising, pounding drums and Källström’s incredibly powerful, searing vocals cutting through the feedback and fuzz. ‘Cameras’ is gripping, somewhat cathartic and an emphatic example of Estrons’ powerfully emotive rock ‘n roll. Stirring stuff indeed.

You Say I’m Too Much, I Say You’re Not Enough is released on October 5th, for now, listen to new single ‘Cameras’ below.

Jude Woodhead – ‘For The Birds’

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Jude Woodhead is a 20-year-old classically trained producer and DJ hailing from South London.

Woodhead’s latest release, double single ‘For The Birds / Beautiful Rain’, finds a producer at the peak of his powers with a sound that defies easy categorisation.

‘For The Birds’ is a great song, something you’ll agree with, once you press play and become entranced by the melodic sensibilities and slick electronic production. Enveloped around a tender Arabic vocal line, ‘For The Birds’ builds subtly with a transfixing and hypnotizing progression taking hold as a four-on-the-floor beat and beautiful synth hooks float out to create a sonic state of mild euphoria.

While ‘For The Birds’ draws inspiration from Arabic culture, ‘Beautiful Rain’, equally as hypnotizing and based on an afrobeat-infused vocal sample, directly nods toward his dad’s music collection loaded with Congolese and South African records as well as classic songwriters. Woodhead is evidently a skilled producer with a love of what he’s doing, his is the sound of embracing a world of music that knows no boundaries.

‘For The Birds / Beautiful Rain’ is out now via Just Off Pop. Tune in below.

Tempesst – ‘Doomsday’

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London-based Aussie quintet Tempesst are gearing up to release their new, and second, EP Doomsday, next month through Pony Records.

With this news comes lead and title-track ‘Doomsday’, which in just shy of four-minutes, juggles the meaning of life, death and one’s mortality with a backing combination of old fashioned psych, ’70s folk-pop and rock. ‘Doomsday’ is a bold statement of intent, with orchestral strings, raw percussion, jarring guitar twangs converging as lead singer Toma Banjanin’s vocals shift from croon to soaring, with an effortless ease. It’s a real groover that oscillates on a whirlwind of hypnotic percussion.

Listen too ‘Doomsday’ below – it is lifted from their forthcoming EP Doomsday, which will be out on August 3rd via Pony Recordings.

Henry Chadwick – ‘Bag of Chips’

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Henry Chadwick is a musician and songwriter from Santa Cruz, California.

Broadly speaking Henry’s sound is ‘indie’ but his music flits between genres and eras, with influences old and new (The Kinks, T. Rex, The Strokes, Courtney Barnett, etc.) while maintaining a sound all of his own. Following a series of EPs, Chadwick is planning to release his debut album, Marlin Fisher before the end of the summer and to get us in the mood, he’s shared ‘Bag of Chips’ is the first single lifted from forthcoming record.

‘Bag of Chips’ epitomizes Chadwick’s blend of influences, honest and humorous lyrics, and knack for crafting a catchy song. It is a laid-back, mellow, melodic meander in a world of on-the-couch musings, coupled with thoughtful honesty and an ear for melody. Delivered with style and charm, the allure of ‘Bag of Chips’ is nigh on impossible to resist.

Listen to ‘Bag of Chips’ below, ahead of Henry Chadwick’s album Marlin Fisher arriving August 31, 2018.

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Cellophane Sam – ‘The Gang’s All Here’

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‘The Gang’s All Here’ is a new single by LA-based singer, songwriter Cellophane Sam aka Brian Saude.

Hailing from the deserts on the outskirts of LA, he grew up fairly isolated and finds his songwriting takes shape from those feelings of loneliness and introspection experienced through his childhood.

‘The Gang’s All Here’ is an enchanting and whimsical good old fashioned pop song, with a a 60’s vibe, filled with sinuous melodies and swooning arrangements. Ambling along, at its own unhurried pace, conjuring up visions of trekking way out west, it is a tender and lovable tune, packed with a heart wrenching emotional weight, with Saude’s vocal bringing life to these emotions. A charming and delightful easy-on-the-ear treat, Saude has an undeniable talent for crafting pop gems, and it is on full view for all willing to pay attention.

‘The Gang’s All Here’ is a sublime slice of classic popcraft. Tune in below:

Moon By Moon – ‘Apple of My Eye’

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Moon By Moon are a four-piece indie band from Baltimore in the US whose multifarious concoction of charming, sprightly indie-pop hits the sweet spot between the two.

The foursome’s latest single ‘Apple of My Eye’ is a short and sweet pop nugget. Clocking in at just 1:46, it doesn’t hang around as it whizzes and fizzes by with addicting skuzzed-up guitar/riffs, delightful fuzz, mesmerising smiley melodies and snappy percussion. Infectious doesn’t even cover the half of it; this is charming indie-pop perfection – one to be treasured and enjoyed, no doubt about it!

Check out ‘Apple of My Eye’ below and if that’s to your liking, there is more where that came from over here.

Introducing: Kettleflower

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Kettleflower is a collaboration between producer-engineer Mike Purcell and singer-songwriter Patrick Rickelton. Together, the Nashville duo craft guitars-meet-synth indie/alternative sound and last year, they released their debut EP Warning Bells.

Following up that EP is new single ‘Now We Acquiesce’, the pair’s first outing in 2018. A soft, melodic indie/synthpop adventure accompanied by an enchanting blend of shimmering synths, flourishes of electronics and a hushed vocal. At points both melancholic and hopeful, it conveys a sense of strength in fragility and imbued with an understated burning possitivity. A magnificent, shimmering indie-electronic delight. The pair have followed it with ‘Dreaming’; a heavenly blend of tranquil, hazy atmospherics. It is simply beautiful and at the hazard of stating the obvious, it glides elegantly by with a beguiling, dreamlike aura.

You’ll be all the better for letting this pair into you life, guaranteed!

Listen to ‘Now We Acquiesce’ and ‘Dreaming’ below; the latter is available free for a limited time from bandcamp.

Dead Sullivan – ‘Swallow’

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Dead Sullivan is the project of Denton, Texas resident Boone Patrello, who has been self-releasing lo-fi pop songs since 2015.

Patrello has a new Dead Sullivan album, titled Season, coming out later this summer but ahead of all that, we’ve been provided with a short and sweet introduction to what we can expect, in the form of ‘Swallow’. It is a slumbering, atmospheric delight as a gauzy guitar and soft percussion coalesce, swirling around Patrello’s gentle, semi-audible whispered vocals. It is the vocals which lend the track its doleful, melancholic air but perked up with the combined swelling mass of laid-back, meandering sparkled groove. Short and sweet it may be but in fairness, there’s quite a lot to crammed into a minute and a half nonetheless, and most importantly of all; it works and ever so well.

Don’t just take my word for it, listen to ‘Swallow’ below.