DATE ARCHIVES : November 2019

Lauran Hibberd – ‘Sweat Patch’

When Lauran Hibberd released her debut EP in September, I can’t have been alone in thinking that was that for 2019, expecting something of a protracted wait for new material.

This assumption has proven false – and gratefully so – as the Isle of Wight native delivers a super new single in the shape of ‘Sweat Patch’. Hibberd has built a well earned rep for irresistible, fuzz-filled indie pop and even with a cursory glance at her recent output, it is easy to see why. ‘Sweat Patch’ is a delight and comes with all the traits we’ve come to expect from Hibberd. It is full of fuzzed up heavy guitar riffs, sarcastic lyrics, slacker vibes and that gloriously hooky pop allure. We knew it already but ‘Sweat Patch’ adds more weight to her burgeoning reputation as a talent to pay attention to.

Listen to ‘Sweat Patch’ below now – hopefully Lauran Hibberd will take s trip back over to this side of the Irish Sea sometime in the near future.


JLA – ‘No Strangers ft. JustJames’

JLA is a rapper born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, heavily influenced by ‘90s-‘00s music growing up – something born out on his debut single ‘No Strangers’.

Teaming up with JustJames, ‘No Strangers’ is a feelgood, super infectious and sunny hip hop tune. It is a seductive Boom-Bap tune, with JLA’s flair for storytelling and vivid lyricisms destined to whisk you away to formative days of youth. It is filled with joyous sense of nostalgia as bop along a gently swaggering groove amid flutters of bright keys and soulful vibes. In short, this is just a great tune and one you should get acquainted with asap.

Listen to ‘No Strangers ft. JustJames’ below now: 

Oddnesse – ‘Lover’s Calling’

Oddnesse is the fruitful collaboration between musician Rebeca Arango and producer Grey Goon, two east-coast expats based in Los Angeles with a shared affinity for catchy hooks, heavy grooves and apocalyptic hypotheticals.

The pair have drip feeding us lush, lovable singles for the past while and Oddnesse have returned with another beauty in ‘Lover’s Calling’. It is laidback and dreamy as it slowly unfurls along a seductive groove and drips with a lush melody as bright riff and shimmering synth entangle themselves with the mellifluous vocals Arango. It is a beautiful single – a rich, melodic and lush pop treat – and one that will be spinning around your head all week.

Listen to ‘Lover’s Calling’ below – it is sure to warm your heart in this cold weather.

Night Hikes – ‘Belltown’

Night Hikes is the Seattle-based duo of Olivia Godby and Matthew Farrell who’s preference for lush and fuzz-flavoured dream-pop is utterly beguiling.

The latest fruit from this dynamic partnership comes in the shape of brand new single ‘Belltown’. Sparse to begin with, it is a gentle and dreamy affair built around Godby’s lush vocals that float over a woozy wash of shimmering synth, glimmering guitar, seductive undulating groove and purrs with a rich melodic allure. It is a magical, timeless and stirring as the veil of melancholy and swell of emotion really pulls heavy on the heartstrings. A hazy, late-night lullaby that will transfix your mind and melt your heart.

Listen to ‘Belltown’ below:

O Future – ‘Control The Rain’

O Future have cultivated something of a niche for themselves, fusing electronic, orchestral and art-pop music to create a captivating brand of colourful, imaginative and danceable sounds.

Comprised of Katherine Mills Rymer from South Africa and Jens Bjornkjaer originally from Denmark, who both now reside in Los Angeles, O Future have served up a steady feast of seductive sounds and the pair’s latest single ‘Control The Rain’ is no different. It is a tantalizing array of lush atmospheric synths, seductive beats, elegant breezy vocals and sweeping symphonic sounds. ‘Control The Rain’ is a stunning single that is beautiful and ethereal, as flourishes of orchestral strings adding a final alluring layer of cinematic class and sweeping grandeur.

Listen to ‘Control The Rain’ below – and there is more here.

Seazoo – ‘Heading Out’

Welsh indie maestros Seazoo never cease to amaze with their effervescent indie-pop sounds.

The North Walian outfit are back with a new single as they gear up to release the follow up to their sublime 2018 debut TRUNKS, in Spring 2020. ‘Heading Out’ is vintage Seazoo. Bursting with all that recognisable exuberance and fizzy with energy, lively guitars whizz around addictive melodies and splashes of spurting, colourful synths. It is sweet, charming and bright, and such is its earworm powers, it will compel you  to hum, whistle, sing-along from the off. An utterly addictive and contagious ball of fizzy joy, ‘Heading Out’ will be spinning around your head for days.

Listen to ‘Heading Out’ below, and previous single ‘Throw It Up’ for full new album seduction.

Seatbelts – ‘Black Spring’

Liverpool outfit Seatbelts introduced their joyful brand of guitar pop with singles ‘Hey, Hey Tiger!’, ‘Content Crush’ and more recently ‘Capitalist Confession’

Comprised from James Madden and Ryan Murphy of Hooton Tennis Club, and Abigail Woods and Alex Quinn, Seatbelts are back with new single ‘Black Spring’. Inspired by the writings of Henry Miller, there is a subtle undercurrent of unease and tension amid the overwhelming charming, mellow and melodic vibe. Familiar yet fresh, ‘Black Spring’ touches on Brexit fears against a melancholic, twangy acoustic strum. There is an almost haunting air to it at times, especially with the mixing of vocals but their is light in the twinkling keys / synth and warm glow from (what I think is) organ hum. The dusky feel is brightened further by the instrumental bridges, coincidentally when that the song is at its most vibrant, colourful and experimental. ‘Black Spring’ is yet another wonderful track in an ever growing an impressive catalog. 

Tune in to ‘Black Spring’ below, and if it is to your liking, there is plenty more of the same over here.

Magdalena Bay – ‘Killshot’

Magdalena Bay is an LA-based duo comprised of Mica Tenenbaum (songwriting, vocals) and Matthew Lewin (songwriting, vocals, production), who have a flair for lush and infectious electro-pop. 

Drawing inspiration from retro pop songwriting and contemporary production, the pair began writing together in high school and started making music under the Magdalena Bay moniker in 2016. The result has been a stellar streak of upbeat and synth-driven singles, none more so than latest single ‘Killshot’. A flawless, lovesick electro-pop anthem, Tenenbaum’s lush and alluring vocals glide above a seductive slinking synth line, slick beats, colourful bursts electronics and flourishes of sumptuous strings. ‘Killshot’ is as close to perfection as pop can get, by the time the chorus blooms you are utterly powerless to the persuasive allure of the rich melody, seductive groove and delightful harmonies; it is quite mellow, yet with one foot firmly on the dance floor – soothing yet energised.

Listen to ‘Killshot’ below – it does not disappoint:

The JUNGLES!!! – ‘Roller Coaster’

The JUNGLES!!! are Japanese noisemaking outfit comprised from members of Red Bacteria Vacuum.

Together this trio make one hell of a noise as evidenced by furious new single ‘Roller Coaster’. Released as part of a new Japanese compilation called Tokyo Chikatetsu Vol 2, ‘Roller Coaster’ is wild! It is just under four minutes of furious, unrelenting energy and thunderous noise as pounding drums fearlessly keep a frantic tempo as scintillating riffs, meaty guitars and screeching vocals wield a furious and powerful spell. The potency and pace never lets up, it is an absolute riot, and all cloaked in layers of fuzz and distortion. 

Listen to ‘Roller Coaster’ below – and turn it up loud!

Mayfly – ‘Selfish Girl’

London’s Mayfly (aka Elena Garcia) captivates and transfixes with deceptively sad but spellbinding electronic pop songs.

Debut track ‘Losing You’ and follow up ‘Breathe’ served as a breathtaking introduction to what the 22-year-old Londoner has to offer – and with ‘Selfish Girl’, conjures up another truly glorious single. Written and produced by Garcia, ‘Selfish Girl’ ratchets things up a gear or two. While retaining the icy, steeliness of her previous work, this glacial excursion is anchored by a propulsive groove and steady beats that drive the track forward as simmering synths and pulsing electronics illuminate a path for Garcia’s exquisite and steely vocals to mesmerise. Mayfly has already proven a reliable source of spellbinding sounds but this is her finest yet, and demonstrates a knack for crafting infectious alt-pop but with bite.

Check out the stunning new single below: