I love a video that tells a story, and in the case of ‘Quoting Sagan’ the visuals offer a glimpse into how the song itself came to life and into the people behind it. The band’s river cruising imbues a sense of wanderlust; but instead of a journey for the journey’s sake we get a slow and serene voyage through still waters and picturesque scenes, taking the time to bask in the surrounding beauty. The very act itself of cruising down the river, and the shots of the old-school keyboards with their walls of switches and dials, gives the feeling of being rooted in another time. It fits perfectly with the warm vintage glow of the song itself. Charming visuals aside, this heartwarming Americana track offers some sublime splashes of soul, a gorgeous rise and fall, and easily some of the best percussion I’ve heard all year. A real gem on all fronts, this Glaswegian outfit share such a feast for the senses with their latest single.
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Top Tracks: Fractal Cypher – From The Above And To The Stars
If you’re a fan of intricate musicianship and immaculate production then do I have a treat for you. Canadian prog metal outfit Fractal Cypher are truly firing on all cylinders with this dynamic new djent inspired track, perfect for fans of TesseracT and Periphery. ‘From The Above And To The Stars’ is taken from their upcoming EP Prelude To An Impending Outcome, out 8th November, which features four tracks that each explore a different facet of progressive metal. This taste of what’s to come boasts soaring melodic vocals, complex rhythms, snarling riffs and stunning futuristic visuals. Fractal Cypher have taken the most prominent sound of modern progressive metal and have condensed it down to capture exactly what the style excels best at in a single epic track. Just imagine three more songs with the same drive and purpose as they explore three vastly varying, but no less impressive, styles and you start to see what makes their new release so compelling.
A Blogger’s Life
Photo by Negative Space on Pexels.com
A month ago I found myself meeting the artists behind some of my favourite music that I’ve written about over the past couple of years. When I was writing about their music it never really registered that my words might actually make a difference. Even when writing about music that you love and feel a deep connection to there’s still a real disconnect at work. So to have artists tell you in person how much your comments mean to them, and even quote them back to you word for word, was such a moving and gratifying encounter. It’s one of the many reasons that night was the highlight of my year. However, to then sink back into the daily grind, I found myself dwelling on the ordinary, everyday struggles. Continue reading
Top Tracks: Equador – Treble Oh
Sometimes a song has so much going on that you’re not quite sure what part of it finally tipped the scale and made you start loving it. Take ‘Treble Oh’, taken from Equador’s new EP Tribal War out 17th November. What was it that won me over? Was it the haunting vocals, the sharp punchy percussion, the tasteful electronic flourishes, the spectacular bass tone or the delicate piano notes that fall like raindrops. I don’t know what the tipping point is, but trust me when I say it is inevitable. It’s much the same story with the music video. From its setting in an abandoned building and the stunning cinematography, to the colourful camera effects and flashes of sketch art. Each element explored in greater depth could have made a great video in their own right, but on this track they instead all come together to create some of the best visuals I’ve seen all year.
Top Tracks: Cathedral Bells – A Passing Phase
I can’t remember the last time I heard a song that was so calming and yet so chaotic at the same time. With this new track from Orlando based project Cathedral Bells you have hazy dream pop soundscapes and airy vocal melodies, as well as an animated post punk bass line driving the song forward alongside a frantic tortured guitar tone. Each side is simultaneously vying for your attention, while somehow blending together perfectly. Even if you were to dissect this track into its constituent parts you would still be left with a couple of great songs, but as a whole it just connects with you on so many levels. Hypnotic and hard-hitting, ‘A Passing Phase’ is far more than its namesake, making a real lasting impression, ready to rise to the occasion no matter what mood strikes you.
Top Tracks: Flo – Set In Stone
One of the few things that is certain in life is that almost nothing is certain. We seem to spend more of our lives worrying about what’s to come than appreciating what is going on around us right now. Today is a gift – it is called the present after all – and it’s only here once, so why not make the most of it? ‘Set In Stone’, the new single from Belwood favourite Flo, is all about trying to live in the moment as you can’t count on the future to live up to all your expectations. The track boasts a delightfully dreamy vibe as though each note has been drawn-out to give you chance to truly savour it. The bittersweet music video also explores the song’s message beautifully, as two friends spend their final night together. I particularly love how scarcely a word passes between them; there’s no sharing of past regrets or fears for the future, just silent reverie as they cherish each other’s presence.
Top Tracks: Arctic Lake – Sight Of You
After making such an affecting impression when I caught them at Barn on the Farm this summer, obviously I jumped on the chance to hear more from them when this track appeared in my inbox. Taken from the London trio’s new EP What You May Find, ‘Sight Of You’ showcases that had me so enraptured when I saw them live. Emma Foster’s crystal clear vocals are simply faultless, and the understated instrumentation makes the empty space as much a part of the song as the notes themselves, creating an almost tangible atmosphere. The whole track is like a figure bathed in white light emerging from the fog, somehow both hazy and refined all at once. This ambient indie pop outfit are definitely one to watch!
Top Tracks: Carmen Brandy – Good Enough
One of the biggest pitfalls of modern life is the propensity to compare ourselves to others. It’s something that we all do; we all dwell on what we lack rather than what we have, overthink our flaws and care too much about those that don’t care about us, rather than appreciating those that love us and love ourselves in turn. The funny things is you can look at someone and ponder on all the ways their life is better, and odds are they are looking back thinking the exact same thing. Nashville based singer/songwriter Carmen Brandy has summed up this universal feeling wonderfully in her new song ‘Good Enough’. The hazy Americana vibes are overlain with gorgeous mesmeric melodies and the accompanying video boasts a warm vintage glow and some stunning cinematography. As much as other people can bring us down, we’re often our own harshest critics, and ‘Good Enough’ reminds us that we are more than worthy if we just have a little faith in ourselves.
Top Tracks: Blonde Roses – Hush Now
I think we can all agree the world is in a sorry state of affairs right now. While a large part of that is down to very real and scary problems, part of it is down to how we view the world. Innocence and naivety fades and we no longer see the world through rose-tinted lenses. We start seeing the injustices, we begin to realise that common decency isn’t all that common after all, and it dawns on us we’re all just as lost and confused as each other, no one really knows what they’re doing. That heavy feeling of realisation is summed up brilliantly in this new single from New Orleans outfit Blonde Roses. As well as boasting a visually stunning video, ‘Hush Now’ builds from a gentle start to a cacophonous crescendo that wonderfully captures how we’re dropped into world far darker than it first appears.
Temple Sessions: Joe Russell-Brown
We have another awesome acoustic session to share with you! The brilliant Joe Russell-Brown joined us for a special stripped back version of his new song ‘Black Lung’. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more from Joe, and plenty more live music to come.
Belwood Music 