Hailing from Cannes in the south of France, funk pop singer/songwriter Hyleen has really caught me by surprise with her soulful new single. ‘Looking At’, the first track from her upcoming second album B-Side, pays homage to everyone from Nile Rodgers to Joss Stone. With all the infectious bass lines you expect from the classic funk sound, some superbly soulful keyboards at work towards the end of the track, and with plenty of polished pop production and accessibility, Hyleen has all bases covered with this latest genre-hopping offering. ‘Looking At’ has that warm vintage sound that is hard not to love. With a sound as good as this I’m more than convinced that Hyleen is the best French musician that you will hear this year, and her new record promises to share her talents with the wider world.
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Top Tracks: Tom Lumley – Dream City
Belwood Spotlight artist Tom Lumley has unveiled the new video for his song ‘Dream City’, the title track from his debut EP. Beginning in broody black and white with footage of Tom and the band performing, spliced with scenes within the city streets, it catches you offguard with it’s occasional kaleidoscopic explosions of colour. Blending together indie and alternative rock, the track boasts a great interplay between uplifting lead lines and heavier rhythm riffs, with some superb bass lurking just beneath the surface. ‘Dream City’ is built around its memorable melodies, and its anthemic chorus is perfect for fans of Catfish and the Bottlemen. Tom has been going from strength to strength this year, and ‘Dream City’ is a great indication of the kind of festival ready hits that he is capable of.
Interview: Evening Darling
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: Continue reading
Top Tracks: TJ Stafford – Crazy
Having performed in various bands over the years, and with his music being featured on such iconic shows as The Walking Dead, Sons of Anarchy and True Blood, LA based songwriter TJ Stafford has struck out on his own with his debut single. ‘Crazy’, taken from his upcoming debut album All My Bad Habits Have Prepared Me For This out 30th June, is a dark and brooding track, a slow burning fuse of volatile alternative rock. With an inescapable air of tension the song drifts along its mesmeric rhythm, the haze pierced only by occasional cathartic bursts of aggression. Like a sleepwalk through a minefield, the contrast at work here is quite striking. TJ has started strong with his solo career and his debut seems sure to have more surprises in store.
Spotlight!: Gozer Goodspeed
Photo by Sandra Vilimaite
Armed with little more than an acoustic guitar and his trusty hat, Plymouth based singer/songwriter Gozer Goodspeed has crafted his own unique blend of classic blues and traditional English folk. Unplugged, understated and under no pressure to follow petty trends, here is a man carving his own path in this busy industry. ‘Every Night, Saturn’s Rings’ sees his guitar work at it’s most light and airy, and the more attentive listener might discern a few hints of Bono in the vocals. ‘What You Got Going On, Lewis?’ throws some piano into the mix to create a sound akin to a blend of the Rolling Stones and some old wild west saloon. The mandolin heavy ‘Barrel Headlong Into The Night’, the title track of Gozer’s forthcoming second EP, brings to mind the pastoral, yet vaguely exotic, soundscapes of Led Zeppelin III. Gozer Goodspeed’s foot-tapping blues and carefree folk are the product of an honest and down-to-Earth musician driven by a love of what he does.
Fans of Dan Owen, Seafret, Scott Lloyd and Jake Bugg should check out his Barrel Headlong Into The Night EP out 19th May
Spotlight!: Miccoli
It’s important within a band to have a strong bond, a deep connection of spirit and a sharing of ideas. It’s always been said that blood is thicker than water and few acts work in such perfect harmony as Miccoli, composed of twin brothers Alex and Adriano, and their sister Francesca. Weaving their voices together to craft a spellbinding display, an angelic chorus so rarely found in indie pop, they have produced one of the most promising EPs of the year. ‘Idle Stranger’ is a late night anthem to lead the way when you find yourself lost in life, while the slow burning ‘Undo’ show Miccoli’s ethereal harmonies at their best. The suitably bright and uplifting ‘Lights’ is a finely crafted hit in the making and the stripped back ‘Devices’ builds an intricate and fragile cathedral of sound from the sparsest of arrangements. This band of siblings have a clear idea of who they want to be, and if they carry on the legacy of their first EP then they are sure to win over new fans everywhere they go.
Miccoli’s debut EP 1/2 is out 12th May and is a must for fans of The Staves, Ben Howard, Amber Run and early Bon Iver
Top Tracks: The Afghan Whigs – Arabian Heights
Cult 90s legends The Afghan Whigs are back, with the latest cut from their forthcoming album In Spades, out 5th May. ‘Arabian Heights’ is nothing short of a rock masterclass; with a riff reminiscent of Led Zeppelin’s ‘The Rover’, a myriad of mystifying effects that could have come straight from Rush’s ‘Clockwork Angels’ and a stellar rhythm section that sounds like The Stone Roses possessed by the devil incarnate. There’s simply so much going on here; otherworldly elements, exotic expression and all the classic alt rock sounds in a way you’ve not heard before. ‘Arabian Heights’ takes every interesting aspect of every rock album you’re likely to hear this year and fuses them into something simply spectacular. If the rest of In Spades can match this then we may have an absolute classic on our hands.
Top Tracks: Duncan Lloyd – Heads Of The Bastille
Lead guitarist and primary songwriter for Maximo Park, Duncan Lloyd, has shared his latest single ‘Heads Of The Bastille’. The first single from his upcoming solo album I O U O M E, released 26th May, it juxtaposes a sad tale of waning love in a failing relationship with gloriously bright and cheerful indie melodies. The track gives the impression of a “C’est La Vie” attitude, trying not to get bogged down in life’s pitfalls and simply acknowledging that they are a part of the journey. Lloyd’s pensive and personal, albeit glass-half-full, songwriting on this track is delightfully refreshing. Music is meant to speak to people, and sometimes we all need to hear that when things get tough, we just need to accept the world as it is and try to look towards the future. This warm and honest song is the reassuring voice of reason you need.
Spotlight!: In My Disguise
Ipswich born alternative rockers In My Disguise are more than they appear. If you’re looking for straight shooting, no-nonsense riffs then you’re in luck, but if you’re also one to dig deeper for those little subtleties then there is plenty here for you to enjoy. Either way, they can provide exactly what you’re looking for. With their debut EP Achromatic the band have picked up the mantle left by post-grunge bands of the late nineties and early noughties. ‘Alive’ boasts a heavy groove and a wondrous melodic bass interlude, while ‘Fear’ is at times reminiscent of Tool’s ‘Sober’ and shows the band at their lyrical peak. ‘Scattered Memories’ features some blistering guitar work to bring the EP to a close and the stripped back ‘Story’, the band’s best work thus far, shows a different side to In My Disguise. It makes a great change of pace and shows the kind of range the band have to offer. In My Disguise have made an assured start to their career with their first release and have secured a place as one of the most promising new bands on the scene.
Fans of Alter Bridge, Shinedown, Audioslave and Stone Temple Pilots keep an eye out for In My Disguise’s Achromatic EP out 19th May.
Top Tracks: Naomi Wachira – Beautifully Human
There are many memorable lyrics that stay with us, but one of the most powerful to my mind is “war is not the answer, only love can conquer hate” from Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’. It’s a message that all too often gets forgotten in today’s divided world, but has been captured perfectly in the latest single from Kenyan born singer/songwriter Naomi Wachira. ‘Beautifully Human’, taken from her upcoming album Song of Lament, speaks out about human equality and celebrating our differences rather than fearing them. Combining folky acoustic guitar, warm reggae rhythms and soulful, uplifting vocals, the track plays as a bright anthem of hope, but deep down within lies a firm resolve not to give in to the darkness that surrounds us. This a ray of sun to be cherished in this bleak landscape.
Belwood Music 