From detailed and imaginative works of genius, to simple yet spirited vignettes, to memorable viral hits that transcend far beyond the songs they are attached to. It has been a strong year for music videos all across the spectrum. So before we dive into the music proper, join us first for one last visual extravaganza as we shine a light on some of our favourite videos of the past twelve months. Continue reading
Another year draws to a close, and what a jam-packed twelve months it’s been. 2023 may well be the most exciting year of new releases since Belwood began. Delights, surprises and new discoveries at every turn. I’ve never been more thrilled to celebrate and share some of the best new music around with you all. This year’s edition of Listmas has been a delight to assemble, and as tradition dictates we begin as ever with my favourite end of year collection; a deep delve into the year’s most memorable and arresting artwork. Continue reading
There’s more music in the world than ever before; more than we could ever hope to listen to in one lifetime. Most of it will inevitably pass us by. Part of the trade off in always chasing new releases for the blog is that I have less opportunity to look back at everything I missed. For this reason I tend to avoid covering established acts that I’m unfamiliar with as I feel unable to do them justice. Knowing the path a band has taken often feels like necessary context for where they are now. But rules are meant to be broken. I’m a music writer second and a music enjoyer first. There’s no final call for boarding a band’s hype train, you can join the ride at any time. For established fans of indie folk outfit The Crane Wives, I’m sure ‘The Well’ represents a triumphant return as their first new music in 7 years. For me, it’s a peek through the keyhole at a whole new world just waiting to be explored. From its arresting opening lines (“All the words I couldn’t say to you, Fill up the spaces in my chest, Like spare coins poised on the tip of my tongue, I make a wish and hold my breath“) and distinctive harmonies, to the way that its closing guitar solo unwinds, ‘The Well’ has been a stunning discovery to end the year on – don’t let it pass you by.
We’re all guilty of trying to hide from our own thoughts sometimes. It’s often our first instinct when times are hard. When thoughts we’d rather not deal with keep echoing in our heads, we resort to drowning them out; headphones on, music loud, blocking out the whole world, our own thoughts included. Yet in doing so we risk drowning out the good as well as the bad. The reassuring words of those that love and care for us can be blocked out just as easily. As hard as it is for someone’s kind words to resonate louder than your own dark thoughts, it’s even harder for them to register when they’re having to compete with the metal blaring out your headphones too. The new single from Norwich based singer/songwriter Kitty Perrin captures the frustrating feeling of trying to love someone through the walls they’ve built. What starts as a tender plaintive folk ballad soon builds in scope and intensity, with the overdriven guitar and emphatic percussion of its closing moments feeling like a last ditch attempt to be heard through the noise.
Whenever someone says “I don’t believe in fairies” there’s a fairy somewhere that dies; so the story goes. I like to think we’re all born with a bit of the fae inside of us. Adventurous, mischievous, able to see the beauty and wonder in all things, possessing a boundless imagination. Yet as we grow older, the rude awakening of adulthood delights in telling us that there’s no such thing as fairies, and extinguishing every spark of magic that remains. Piece by piece the world is made to feel like a far harsher, smaller place. ‘Lullaby Please Don’t Lie’ plays like the last desperate plea of your inner child, urging you to look beyond your mundane surroundings and see the world as the magical place that some part of your heart still holds it to be. Dune Moss’ haunting and ethereal vocals hold a childlike vulnerability to them, so delicate you hold your breath as to not disturb the moment. But fae are known for their deceptive nature, and by the time the songs builds to a colossal roaring climax, it is already too late, you have already fallen under Dune’s spell.
“…only love can conquer hate” is a touching sentiment whose practical application often seems to get lost. After all, there’s so much callous and misguided hate out there, always trying to shout loud enough to be the only voice heard. It feels like it should be every decent person’s duty to shout back in the face of injustice, right? While there’s always a time and a need for that, you don’t build a better world simply by tearing down what’s wrong, you need to fill the void left behind with something better. Offering a compassionate helping hand does more good in the moment than shaking a fist in anger. In order for divisions to disappear people need a reminder that there’s more than unites us than divides. ‘Somebody’s Daughter’ is a refreshing oasis of empathy in the bitter, dehumanising discourse surrounding asylum seekers. Against a backdrop of expressive jazzy percussion and warm soulful harmonies, Manchester quartet The Deep Blue paint a moving portrait of a child in need. Showing that sometimes the greatest act of rebellion is having enough love in your heart to not let stories of real human beings be forgotten as mere statistics.
One of the most important lessons in growing up is coming to terms with the fact that no one has a clue what they’re doing; it’s a lesson we seem doomed to learn slowly, with many doubts and missteps along the way. We all convince ourselves that we haven’t accomplished as much as our peers. We all have days where it feels like we missed an important lesson one day on “how to be a functional adult” and have been playing catch-up every since. Australian singer/songwriter Riley Pearce details that all too familiar reverse God complex feeling in his lush new single ‘How Will I Know’. It captures the spirit of just barely getting by, treading water day after day praying for solid ground under your feet. The fear of not living up to the person you hoped you’d be, the person you feel those around you deserve. Yet beneath this track’s doubtful reflection we find a breezy arrangement, swimming in comforting melodies, that seems to carry a promise of brighter days ahead – and somehow part of me can’t help but believe it.
There’s a myriad of things wrong with the state of the music industry today, but credit where it’s due, as in a sense music has never been more accessible. A laptop can turn any bedroom, in any quiet little neighbourhood, into a recording studio. A song on the internet could reach and resonate with people in the most forgotten far flung corners of the world. Making music, like all art, is an act of expression. Telling your story and letting your voice be heard. In another time, a voice like Rosie H Sullivan’s might never have been heard outside of a few small rooms in the Outer Hebrides. Her story, her perspective, the artistic lens through which she sees the world, might have been lost to the wider world. Yet we live in a time when the intimacy of those cosy rooms can be shared with the masses, where the isolated islands she calls home can welcome a wealth of new visitors simply by closing their eyes and being swept away by her words. Continue reading
The sun will rise tomorrow; that’s just the way of things. The dawn doesn’t care if you believe in it or not, it just is. No matter how long and dark the night may seem, the light is creeping ever closer as sure as clockwork. What that new day holds – who knows? So much is uncertain in our lives, but at least we can place our trust in one constant, one source of light and warmth that never strays too far. Whether you choose to seize it, savour it, or simply let it pass by like so many others, life is a constant stream of new days and new beginnings. A fitting sentiment then for the debut single from Fieldlily, the latest project from Beth and Emillie Key from Wildwood Kin. Forging a fresh path forward as a duo under a new name brings both tantalising possibility and daunting uncertainty, and ‘Sunrise’ is a hopeful reminder to have faith that there’s always light ahead. With its subtle airy atmosphere, an interlude full of expressive drum work, and comforting melodies elevated by the sisters’ heart-warming harmonies, it’s a stunning start to this new chapter. I have faith Fieldlily will have plenty more delightful creations to share in the days ahead, just as sure as the sun rises.
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