If you are a fan of mellow and mesmerising electropop then I have one hell of a treat for you, as the debut single from new London duo VŌS is right up your street. Crafting a sound somewhere between James Blake and Oh Wonder, ‘Patience’ is a simple and effective first foray for this promising pair. Created around understated electronica, where each note is polished to perfection, everything is in its place, and not one unnecessary element crops up to muddy the waters. It’s a seamless single, so finely formed that it could have been expertly crafted from blown glass. Electropop is very “in” right now, and even so, there are few examples that match ‘Patience’ for sheer class and elegance.
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Top Tracks: Dia – Synchronized Swimming
Trained as an opera singer, songwriter and composer Dia’s latest musical venture sees her exploring a sound that is very different from her origins, but just as beautiful. Danielle Birrittella, under her moniker Dia, has gathered together the necessary elements for an ethereal baroque pop soundscape on her travels throughout the US and Europe. ‘Synchronized Swimming’, taken from her debut EP Tiny Ocean, calls to mind acts such as Lana Del Rey and The Last Shadow Puppets. With its curious rhythms, lush guitar tones and gorgeous melodies, it is a song perfectly matched for bittersweet sunsets and summer daydreams on the beach. The track strikes a peculiar balance between the classic 50s sound and 90s alternative, with the end result surrounding you with its hypnotic haze.
Top Tracks: Julian Fulton – Rosie’s Disposition
Eclectic New Jersey based singer/songwriter Julian Fulton is back with his latest single. ‘Rosie’s Disposition’ is taken from his upcoming EP Battered Receptions out 12th May, and the proceeds from pre-orders going towards the ACLU. This latest offering kick-starts with a frenetic stream of consciousness style lyricism, before delving into a world of bright, upbeat indie riffs and big memorable hooks. Yet again Julian has proven his adeptness for blurring the lines between genres. A brief break within the track features some delicate acoustic guitar and atmospheric choral harmonies, while the closing moments briefly showcase the kind of whimsical psychedelica you’d expect to find on Sgt. Pepper. Like his previous track ‘Howl‘, ‘Rosie’s Disposition’ is the product of a wildly imaginative mind, of someone who loves and revels in all forms of music, and it is perfect for those souls of a similar nature.
Album Review: Loved Ones – Harness
Loved Ones – HarnessTop Tracks: Kim Janssen – Gouldians
Born in the Netherlands, but greatly influenced by his upbringing in South-East Asia, singer/songwriter Kim Janssen has returned with a lush and likeable new single ahead of his appearance at The Great Escape Festival next month. ‘Gouldians’, taken from his forthcoming album Cousins out 12th May, is a warm and welcoming slice of indie folk perfect for fans of Ben Howard, The War On Drugs and early Bon Iver. Starting with just a simple acoustic arrangement, it soon expands into a compelling soundscape of layered dream pop synths, beguiling bass tones and an uplifting and subdued falsetto to pierce through the haze. The song paints a vivid picture of a world that promises peace of mind and unspoilt natural beauty, simply close your eyes and let it carry you away.
Top Tracks: The Big Drops – By The Water
Sometimes we all need a song that we can simply get lost in, and disappear for a while. In that regard you’re unlikely to find a more suitable song than the latest single from New Jersey based band The Big Drops. ‘By The Water’, taken from their upcoming debut album Time, Color out 23rd June, is a hypnotic and tranquil journey through soft psychedelica. It takes you to a place with clear and calm waters, a kaleidoscope sun, and the gentle caress of a summer breeze. The kind of place you can spend hours exploring on your own in peaceful reverie. If you plan on listening to this song I advise you to clear your schedule, you’ll have it on repeat for a good long while!
Top Tracks: The Lunar Year – Backyard Deck
Belwood favourites The Lunar Year are back with their new single ‘Backyard Deck’, taken from their upcoming debut album Herodias out 16th June. While the previously featured ‘Porcelain‘ focussed on the unrelenting pull of love, this new track reflects on long passed memories of youth, but with all the same heartfelt sincerity and enthrallingly passionate delivery. Beginning as an introspective, piano driven track, the song soon builds into a more expansive sound, complete with hazy guitar tones and by far the most compelling, yet understated, drum work I’ve heard all year. ‘Backyard Deck’ shows a new side to the band with its hints of dream pop and indie rock. What makes The Lunar Year so special is the honesty within their music, the sense that the band are revealing to you some fragile and precious part of their souls, making each song feel like a gift.
Album Review: Feist – Pleasure
Feist – PleasureAlbum Review: The Afghan Whigs – In Spades
The Afghan Whigs – In SpadesSpotlight!: Rebecca Raw
Having sang in choirs and learned to play cello from an early age, London-based singer/songwriter Rebecca Raw channels her classical inspirations into a captivating contemporary sound. Her debut EP Deep Within maintains an emotive air of spirituality that persists throughout as she explores ethereal folk and uplifting indie pop. The EP’s signature song ‘Connection’ speaks of longing for deeper and more meaningful relationships rather than the all too often fleeting and emotionless interactions of the modern world. The acapella driven ‘Dust and Ashes’ sees Rebecca’s songwriting at it’s most curious and experimental, while ‘Freefall’ brings together modern indie pop with 80s power ballad vibes. Rebecca’s finest hour however is the aptly titled ‘Whisper Thin’, crafted around little more than a delicate piano and her own angelic vocals to produce one of the most breathtaking musical moments of the year. Rebecca Raw has produced a technically faultless and stylistically interesting first release, but far more important than that she has gifted the world with something that connects with you deep down; a quality all the more rare and precious.
Rebecca’s Deep Within EP is out now and is perfect for fans of The Glass Child, Billie Marten, The Swell Season and Julien Baker
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