DATE ARCHIVES : January 2019

Clear Soul Forces – ‘Hit Me Now’

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Detroit hip-hop quartet Clear Soul Forces are releasing a brand new LP, Still, on February 22 and to get us in the mood, they have shared superb slick single, ‘Hit Me Now’.

In under three minutes, the four members of Clear Soul Forces deliver plenty to excited about; boasting infectious verses and hypnotic, shuffling production. The slick wordplay is crammed tight with colourful pop-culture references – from Marvel superheroes to classic Nintendo games – and layers of metaphors, as rhymes are sprinkled over a neck snapping beat. Loaded with zip, gloss and bounce ‘Hit Me Now’ finds a balance between contemporary creativity and nostalgia – it is just irresistible, and will have you coming back for more time and time again. A slick, succinct and perfectly executed introduction to the new record.

Clear Soul Forces new LP, Still, is out on February 22 – for now, listen to ‘Hit Me Now’.

Submotile – ‘Eastern Sky Sundown’

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Formed in early 2018, Submotile are the Dublin-based duo of Daniela Angione and Michael Farren. Together, blurring the lines between shoegaze, drone, ambient and post-rock, Submotile have created a brand of layered, exploratory and moody alternative rock, all of their own.

In the autumn of last year, the pair released five-track EP, We’re Losing the Light, and Submotile have kicked off 2019 with ‘Eastern Sky Sundown’, the first single from an album in the making. It is all-out bombast from the get go, powered by a relentless surging rhythmic energy, ‘Eastern Sky Sundown’ goes huge on the powerful, layers of guitars, which come in wave after wave interspersed with snappy drums that are matched by taut, twisting chords. Amid this admittedly massive whirring sound of fuzz and distortion, there is a lightness, all down to the understated melody and sweetness of Daniela’s voice. And like that, it is over but you will be reaching to repeat.

‘Eastern Sky Sundown’ is out now and you can listen to it below and along with it, while we wait for more on their debut album, why not try out their We’re Losing the Light EP here.

Tender Glue – ‘Dear Peri’

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New York City-based folk singer-songwriter Tom Gluewicki, aka Tender Glue, specialises in tender, rich and heartfelt lo-fi dream-pop – as evidenced by his debut record Closet Leftovers, released toward the back end of last year.

‘Dear Peri’ is the latest single to be lifted from his debut and is cut from a similar cloth to previous releases, ‘Lights Out’, ‘Rudy’ and ‘Back Home’. Recorded in the closet of his apartment, ‘Dear Peri’ is a wistful and melancholic guitar-driven ballad tempered with a heartfelt sense of loss and longing. The guitar strums amid a sombre, late-night sort of atmosphere that is eroded by a growing distorted sound that swells as Gluewicki’s voice clambers to be heard. ‘Dear Peri’ is yet another, in a long line of powerful, heartfelt and beautiful songs from the NYC-based artist.

Listen to ‘Dear Peri’ below and you can listen to the album Closet Leftovers here.

Introducing: Durty Mick

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Durty Mick is the musical moniker of Kildare musician Owen Murphy who from the confines of his bedroom, armed with an acoustic guitar, microphone and laptop, crafts a home brewed fervently DIY sound.

There is a decidedly mellow, late-night, nocturnal vibe to his sound as his ponderings delivered in a despondent world weary vocal tone accompanied by lyrics of everyday observations draped with a prowess for intuitive songwriting and storytelling. Latest release ‘Beige Slave’ captures all this perfectly – and more acutely than any written description. A gentle acoustic guitar-driven number, it revolves around some ruminating sounds, chilled out rhythm, acoustic plucks and strum while Murphy shares his flowing musings. Previous single ‘The Degenerate Manifesto’ is cut from the same cloth, expanding on the loungey, laid-back murmuring backdrop for Murphy to express his contemplative reflections. Both tracks have the right amount of home brewed, rough around the edges sound – a little hiss here and a touch of reverb there adds a distinctive character.

There is a touch of King Krule to Durty Mick but that is in no way a bad thing. An innovative, interesting and exquisitely crafted exploration that rewards again and again with repeated listens.

Tune into Durty Mick below – his debut album Damage Limitationist is out next week.

Martha Ffion – ‘Kennedy Hair’

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Last year, Martha Ffion released my favourite record of 2018 with her long-awaited debut LP Sunday Best; a beautiful record filled with gleaming guitar-pop, wistful-ballads, swooning sixties inspired indie-pop and touches of folk & country.

The Irish-born, Glasgow-based singer-songwriter is back with a wonderful new single ‘Kennedy Hair’; a super catchy slice of bittersweet indie-pop. Working with the excellent Lost Map Records again, ‘Kennedy Hair’ the first release in the label’s brand new PostMap Club – a series of postcard releases and other exclusives – references It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia while critiquing post-Brexit politics. As evidenced throughout her debut, Ffion’s prowess for observation is second to none. Lyrically she is clever, witty, and often times a sharp tongued, while her ear for a melody is only rivalled by her powers for observation, making for an incredibly infectious, lush and beautiful song. A phenomenally catchy slice of swooning, bittersweet indie-pop, it will be bobbing around your head all day, and you will be all the better for it.

Listen to ‘Kennedy Hair’ below and find you more about PostMap Club here.

Martha Ffion also appeared on the latest episode of NPR’s ‘World Cafe’ for music and a chat, you listen to that here too.

Laughed The Boy – ‘Leave Me Here’

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Laughed The Boy are Toronto-based indie trio – comprised of brothers Chris and Sean Panacci and Brennan Hrehoruk – whose speciality is exploring a genuine love of unpretentious 90’s nostalgia.

The trio’s output thus far has been impressive – the high point of their early endeavours is undoubtedly their resplendent debut LP Here is Fine, released last year, it is littered with easy going tunes filled with catchy melodies and fuzzy guitars. What draws our attention today is new single ‘Leave Me Here’ – which originally appeared as a b-side to ‘Late Afternoon’ in 2017 – and it is a doozy. It is laid-back, blissful and slumbering song with warm, mildly fuzzy guitar, sweet melodies, soft vocals and dreamy synth that twinkles beautifully, like stars in the might sky. ‘Leave Me Here’ takes the band’s signature blend of catchy melodies and fuzzy guitar, swirls it together with jangly guitar hooks, breezy vocal harmonies and dreamy synth for an infectious blend of loose, laidback, dreamy pop delight.

Listen to ‘Leave Me Here’ below – their debut album is here too. Laughed the Boy are currently busying themselves with a new record.

Fred und Luna – ‘Nichtmusikalische Stadt Unter Schritten’

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Fred und Luna is the curious project of German musician, lector, poet and photo/video maker Rainer Buchmüller.

“Fred und Luna” are two mannequins residing in a fashion boutique in Karlsruhe, Germany, and they serve as Buchmüller’s muse – an usual backstory, yes but a fruitful one for his self-style “elektrokraut” sounds.

Having previously released the EP ‘Glück Auf’ and debut album ‘Im Klanggarten’ in 2017, Buchmüller is primed to release the project’s second album ‘Im Tiefenrausch’. Ahead of the album, we’ve been presented with taster track ‘Nichtmusikalische Stadt Unter Schritten’ – a perfect exhibition of his “elektrokraut” taking parts electronica and Krautrock, to fashion them together. Shifting along a steady, transfixing winding groove, it is overlaid with cool, chiming chords, laid-back vocals and a funky sense of melody. With its combination of repetitive rhythms, beautiful melodies, electronic soundscapes, irresistible rhythms and dreamy atmospheres, the dusky vibed ‘Nichtmusikalische Stadt Unter Schritten’ wields a rather seductive, spellbinding charm.

Listen to ‘Nichtmusikalische Stadt Unter Schritten’ below now and keep an eye out for the new record coming on February 1st.

Heavy Heart – ‘Bed Bug’

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What started as a lo-fi, bedroom project in a tiny flat above the main road in New Cross, south London, Heavy Heart comprised of Anna Vincent (lead vocals, guitar), Patrick Fitzroy (guitar, backing vocals), James Vincent (guitar, backing vocals) and Craig Brown (drums), has grown and flourished to yield some marvellous results.

Heavy Heart spent 2016 writing, recording and releasing a new song each month that year, and then collaborated with vinyl-only label I Can & I Will to re-release all twelve tracks as a limited-edition LP entitled Keepsake. With a new EP out this Spring, the London four-piece have shared sublime new single, ‘Bed Bug’, the first of three mixed and co-produced by Gabe Wax (The War On Drugs, Fleet Foxes and Soccer Mommy).

A bright, shimmering tune from the get go, Heavy Heart proceed to explore the worlds of ‘90s indie rock, shoegaze and dream pop over the course of four-and-a-half minutes sprinkled with yearning, melancholy, hope and glistening guitar lines and a massive sound. Opening with an burst of drums and guitars, it grabs your attention through jangling guitar riffs and crisp but haunted vocals that plunges into a soaring bittersweet chorus full of lamenting heartache with a lush backdrop of shimmering strings as ‘Bed Bug’ goes huge on the hooks and choruses. It also showcases a prowess for crafting brilliant melodies and tight harmonies, interspersed with crashing drums that are matched by taut, twisting chords and we’ve got a MASSIVE sound. Delicate but powerful, layers of guitars, fuzz, distortion and whirring are moulded into something beautiful, transfixing you as it ekes out a perfect space between light and shade.

Tune in below.

Freedom Fry – ‘The Seasons’

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LA-based indie-pop duo Freedom Fry regularly interrupt our lives, welcome it must be said, with a seemingly never-ending supply charming, catchy, bright and lovable songs, culminating in their delightful debut LP, Classic last year.

The duo, Marie Seyrat and Bruce Driscoll, are back with their first new material since the 2018 debut and have opened their 2019 account early with new single ‘The Seasons’, and it is a treasure. An infectious affair filled with a buoyant energy, oozing with a colourful spirit, a heavy dose of funk and irresistible trademark harmonies. ‘The Seasons’ grooves along with a swagger through funk-fuelled hooks and an increased attention to an insatiable poppy danceablility, delivering an ode to the way people’s moods change with the weather. A sparkling and supremely infectious jam filled with their trademark ear for a melody, divine harmonies, charm and shimmering sonic delights.

Listen to ‘The Seasons’ below and the EP of the same name is out today – accompanied by two other brand new tracks – listen to it here.

The Innocent Bystander – ‘Neon Lights’

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The Innocent Bystander is a new project from Dublin-based producer/songwriter Mark Healy, which grew from an ambition to “make guitar music that takes nothing from the Blues” – and the result is an interesting and personal take on a classic indie sound.

Towards the end of 2018, we were introduced to the latest in a string of well received singles – ‘Waster’, ‘Electrocute’ and ‘The Complacency League’ – with latest offering ‘Neon Lights’. Shifting along a powerfully danceable groove, ‘Neon Lights’ is spiky slice of irresistible guitar-based electro-pop, complete with seductive synth-work and a ridiculously catchy, sing-a-long chorus that will worm its way into your psyche and tumble around your head all day. This sparkling delight of irresistible neon-bright sounds has been perfectly paired with a visual companion; namely an excellent, decidedly urban, neon-bright and retro-futurist video which you can watch below.

The Innocent Bystander play a headline show in Whelan’s Upstairs, Dublin tonight (as in January 25). Doors @ 8 pm / tickets €14 – more info here.

The Innocent Bystander are currently working on a debut album, There’s Music Still Left in These Streets, expected in 2019.