I think this week marks the most musically diverse lineup we’ve had on the feature so far. We’ve got alt-rock, fresh hip hop and synths coming out of our ears as well as a bit of german pop thrown in for good measure. Enjoy!
Miri » Just Breathe
The first thing that hits you in this track by MIRI is their astonishing vocals. Deep, rich and soulful they lend a gravitas to the simple, yet profound lyric. This is a song that, had it been released in any other time, would still have measured up as an exceptionally well crafted and melodic pop track. Today, however, the strange times that we live in seem to have embroidered new layers of meaning and emotion into the already beautifully warm and wistful track. The cherry on top is the accompanying music video. How gorgeous is this film? MIRI reaches out to us from the lonely corner of a kitchen, singing reassuring words as we are permitted to leave her and bask in the hopeful beauty of a misty morning on the outside.
White Collar » Alpha Mortal Foxtrott
This track is stuffed to the brim with stunning songwriting, bold, captivating arrangements and stacked, ear-bending harmonies. I am very comfortable exploring music that I wouldn’t naturally gravitate towards, but for me to be swept up in a track that’s not firmly in the singer-songwriter world, it really has to make an impression. ‘White Collar’ takes you on a wild and profound journey through the inner subconscious of the four piece that make up the truly talented Alpha Mortal Foxtrott. It’s an utter treat for the senses as the beautifully honed melodies croon to you for the first part of the track before you’re artfully launched into the dense, percussive, alt-rock orchestra of sounds. With or without the mesmerising music video, alone this track is bound to captivate your imagination.
Cable TV » Sit Back Player
As soon as that growling bassline came in to play, my ears pricked up and remained alert for the remainder of this teasing, sultry offering from Cable TV. The masterful production and gloriously melodic vocals are enough to keep you coming back to this track again and again. Shimmering synth chords and glimmering arpeggios are just the things to compliment the percussive clicks and bass groove. For those of you who are brave enough, there’s a rather controversial (at least amongst our team!) music video to accompany the track. In all honesty, I listened to the song before I saw the full music video and despite my initial shock I’ve kind of embraced it and it adds an almost comedic, tongue in cheek element to the song I hadn’t tuned into before. Click if you’re brave enough (and have a sense of humour?).
Jonathan Levy » Lover Boy
Jonathan Levy has all the signs of being a master craftsman, his attention to detail, gorgeous lyric and melody writing all work in symmetry to make ‘Lover Boy’ somewhat of a classic. ‘Lover Boy’ begins with an indisputably rich and warm guitar part, lulling you into the song before Levy’s soaring and wistful vocal keeps you marvelling at his cascading melodies and lush, thoughtful string parts. Just when you think you’ve got this track figured out, it kicks into second gear as the song becomes awash with the most glorious gospel-like harmonies. It’s a breath-taking moment. There’s a strong indication that this guy’s going to be around for a while and if he continues to write songs of this quality then it’s music that will outlive even its author, à la Nick Drake.
Kid Blue » Broken Bodies
I was totally captivated by this gritty, honest and melodic track by Kid Blue. This kind of music isn’t my natural habitat but as I listened to ‘Broken Bodies’ my imagination ran wild and that’s all I can ask for in a song. Not only does the lyric and melody gently carry you as you navigate your way over the punchy, apocalyptic-sounding beats and synths but the structure and craftsmanship of this track are remarkable. The boldly chanted lyric of ‘we are the broken bodies’ is satisfyingly unsettling and something that will stay with you after listening. Joined by artist, Wifisfuneral, about two thirds of the way through the track adds another dimension to the song and is a welcome addition, taking ‘Broken Bodies’ into even darker territory without the light relief of the vocal melodies of Kid Blue to reassure you. Check out the music video and stay tuned for more from this artist.
LAVARA » When Everything Comes to the End
This song from LAVARA’s debut EP caught my attention for its slow-burning, atmospheric quality and Lavara’s stirring vocal. Simple and delicate for all its wide, expansive synths and percussive atonal melodies; these darker, moodier foundations are enriched with sprinklings of beautiful guitar and finally punctuated with sparse drums to fully initiate you into the track. The transition from the synth-driven, more textured production to the ethereal world of the second half is beautifully done. Layering the ghostly vocals and organic guitar onto the deep bass synth creates a satisfying tension in the track as you fall deeper into this offbeat, otherworldly place LAVARA has built you.
Lori Triplett » Slow Poison
This well-crafted sweet and gentle track by Lori Triplett all but hides its heartbreaking and poignant sentiment. Angelic vocals and deeply warm production, including beautiful guitar and piano parts set to soft, brushed drums only partly disguise the initial sadness and reflection that grow throughout the song. ‘Slow Poison’ offers a warm bed of rich sounds in which you can ease yourself into whilst, along with the artist, you’re capable of reflecting on the more difficult parts of life and relationships and how it is we might move forwards. ‘Shame on me for my cold shoulder’ is a lyric that hits particularly hard for those of us who are familiar with turning away from our emotions when we should really be facing the music. A truly beautiful track.
Tamarind Dream » Grapefruit
Are you ready to swoon under the incritate jazz guitar and lush vocal tones of Tamarind Dream? This is a mesmeric track by the London based duo, luring you in with that melodic, hypnotising guitar part and the soulful vocal that settles over the top of it. This track seems to have written itself with seamless transitions and flawless marriages between vocals and instrumentation meaning that one appears to inform the other. Thank god these two have joined musical forces because the results are impressive to say the least. I’m looking forward to hearing more jazz infused productions from Tamarind Dream, for now though, get your ears into this notable debut. You can’t be late to the party with this one.
way to you » Back For You
There’s no getting away from it, ‘Back For You’ is a bit of a cheesy pop banger and I mean that as the highest compliment. Honestly, it takes a lot for me to get on board with a lot of outwardly pop music, but this track from German based artist way to you has a chart topping chorus that is particularly catchy and well crafted. This song has masterfully crossed over many of the elements that would normally make up a stripped down singer-songwriter track by using breaks in the pop steeped production to create moments of real emotion and depth. It’s two minutes and thirty seconds of pop goodness and I kind of want to get in the car and blast this as I’m driving down the country lanes (off to find my long lost love…or maybe just an ice-cream.)
Make sure to follow our playlist on Spotify as we will be updating it and adding more hidden treasures every Thursday.
