Photo by Alexandra Cameron
Regardless of what the rest of the year offers, to me The Nothing is the essential album of 2017. This cathartic creation composed about the loss of a childhood friend rivals Nick Cave’s Skeleton Tree as the most powerful and personal record of the decade. With its uplifting atmosphere, poignant lyrics and deftly moving instrumental passages, it’s the kind of record you simply want to fade away into and never leave. I spoke to gifted songwriter Jamie Cameron about his new masterpiece: Continue reading
2017 is turning out to be a spectacular year for music, and it’s getting to the point where it’s hard to pick out favourites. I have no doubt in my mind however that Brighton band Common Tongues have released one of the strongest debuts of the year. Their eclectic album Divisions shifts with the greatest of ease between genres, providing a whistle-stop tour of everything from folk to electronica, indie to prog. Naturally I just had to chat to them about their fantastic new record: 
Philadelphia band The Lunar Year has easily been one of my favourite new discoveries of 2017. Combining pensive and poignant piano ballads with raw indie rock, they made one hell of a first impression with their debut album Herodias. Having offered some of my personal highlights of the year, naturally I just had to find out more about the album. With her unique vocals and affecting lyricism, I was overjoyed to be able to chat with frontwoman Katie Burke about the new record: 
There is a lot of new music to be excited about this year, but one of my favourite new discoveries of 2017 has been Dublin based singer/songwriter Ailbhe Reddy. Her latest release Attach To Memory has been one of the best EPs of the year thus far, shifting seamlessly between indie, folk and electropop, all interconnected by her unique and memorable vocal style. I was lucky enough to chat to her about her new EP: 
Hailing from Asbury Park, New Jersey, Levy & The Oaks bring together classic, homegrown folk and Americana, with nuanced pop production and accessibility to create a sound that is entirely their own. After releasing their eponymous debut just last year, the band have wasted no time in releasing their new unplugged EP Out Of The Blue. The sparse arrangements on offer within have breathed new life into the tracks. I chatted to Lou Panico about Levy & The Oaks’ latest acoustic adventures ahead of the upcoming EP: 
Few things stir the soul as much as that lust for adventure, that longing for the open road that lives inside all of us, and few bands capture that feeling as well as New York’s Evening Darling. The endearing Americana of their debut record has made them one of the most promising new acts to emerge in 2017, with their song ‘Another Long Drive’ leading the way as an early favourite for Belwood’s song of the year. I was lucky enough to chat to the band about their new self-titled album: 
I must confess that whenever I’m not listening to one of the numerous and wonderful submissions that the site receives, I’m often busy exploring the world of prog rock and prog metal. With the incomparable complexity of the music and the grandiose concepts, there is simply nothing else to rival it in terms of ambition and technical skill. Chronologist, a new band on the scene from Austin, Texas, are proving to be a promising up-and-coming addition to the genre. I spoke with their drummer Zach Sacco about their debut album Cartographer: 
Every so often an artist comes along that completely takes your breath away. That was the reaction I had upon first hearing Swedish singer/songwriter Charlotte Eriksson, better known as The Glass Child. Her music is both hauntingly beautiful and heart-wrenchingly raw and vulnerable, like the songs of some lost angel, with broken wings and a longing to fly. I was lucky enough to speak to Charlotte about her two new singles, her most recent album, and her upcoming EP: 
With their debut EP The Line, Cornish quartet Haunt The Woods made it immediately apparent that they are one of the most exciting new acts in the country. Combining rustic folk, imposing prog proficiency, and the raw, unbridled passion of artists such as Jeff Buckley, I’d struggle to conceive of a better combination of sounds if I tried! With a panache for pastoral vibes, an ear for detail, and a simply spine-tingling delivery, naturally I just had to chat with them about their new release: 
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