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.
top tracks
Top Tracks: The Deep Blue – Somebody’s Daughter
“…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.
Top Tracks: Riley Pearce – How Will I Know
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.
Top Tracks: Fieldlily – Sunrise
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.
Top Tracks: Dog Door – Cover Up Contest
Photographers the world over have the ability to take crisp, clear digital photos, and yet many still gravitate to the look and feel of vintage film. It’s faded, grainy, full of the orange glare of light leak, far from the perfect way to capture a subject; but therein lies the charm. Something about those flaws, the dust, the scratches, that warm glow, just gives pictures an otherworldly shimmer. Photos like that feel like a window into a memory, as the nostalgia filter in our brain warps our recollection of the past in much the same way. The tender lo-fi arrangement of ‘Cover Up Contest’ is a prime example of that same principle in music. Dog Door, a collaboration between Jamie Cameron of Belwood favourites The Last Dinosaur and Oakland, California based creative Oliver Girdler, draw from the lighter side of bands like Sparklehorse and Talk Talk to imbue their debut single with that same wistful shimmer. ‘Cover Up Contest’ is a grainy vignette of a long forgotten summer, full of the same warm uncanny glow we afford all cherished memories.
Top Tracks: Natalie Shay – Figure of 8
Indie pop powerhouse Natalie Shay sure has remarkable knack for turning drama into euphoria. I don’t know how she does it; taking all of her anger, pain and frustration and using it to fuel some of the most upbeat and effervescent bops around. Her latest display of emotional alchemy, ‘Figure of 8’, details the vicious circle of being stuck in an addictive toxic relationship. How no matter how many times they hurt you and let you down, they keep finding a way to reel you back in. Each time they try and convince you that things will change, that this time will be different, some part of you believes them despite all evidence to the contrary. ‘Figure of 8’s relentless energy turns that downward spiral into a rollercoaster; that stomach drop moment may be inevitable, but may as well enjoy the adrenaline rush while it lasts. The cathartic singalong chorus compels you to channel all your hurt into it and let it all get lost in the joyous whirlwind. Replace that lead weight holding you down for something shimmering and golden.
Top Tracks: Manpreet Kundi – Something
Often the heaviest burden to bear after a break-up is the sheer weight of all the unknowns and uncertainties. We’re perhaps the most sure of ourselves when we’re in love. We know what’s in our heart, we know the life that we want to build and share, and so it’s understandable to assume that the other person in the relationship would share the same level of conviction and devotion. We’re so focused on the path our own heart leads that we take for granted our faith that the other person is following two steps behind. But when the day comes when we turn around and they’re not there, we have no way of knowing how long they walked that same path with us before their heart wandered elsewhere or turned back, or even if they were ever on the same path at all. The gorgeous new single from singer/songwriter Manpreet Kundi captures that feeling of retracting your steps in search for answers. With the wistful elegance of Lizzy McAlpine, and the haunting melancholy of Lana Del Rey, the tender piano balladry of ‘Something’ is an affecting reflection on what you truly meant to someone who once meant the world to you.
Top Tracks: Sophia Alexa – Stones
A great song deserves to have an equally great story behind it, and this latest track from rising singer/songwriter Sophia Alexa does just that. We all have our own burdens to bear, our own emotional baggage to carry. All the doubts and fears, insecurities and regrets, that drag us down like stones in our pockets. Sophia’s uplifting new single ‘Stones’ was born from an interaction with her father that provided a fresh perspective. A moment when she was given a stone and told that it represents the love that others have for her, and that it’s the only stone she need carry. A beautiful exchange, whose sentiment is now immortalised in song. I adore how the frail, delicate folk of ‘Stones’ opening moments gives way to a subtle swell of guitars, Sophia’s most strong and assured melodies, and a propulsive driving drum beat. That surge in energy truly captures the sensation of a weight being lifted, of a helping hand lifting you out of the darkness and pushing you forward towards a brighter tomorrow.
Top Tracks: The Kindest People – The Valley
A little perspective can make a world of difference. I know from experience that taking a step back from writer’s block, putting a little distance between you and the problem, is often the best way to reignite a creative spark. For me ‘The Valley’ represents the same idea on a larger scale. When a style or scene becomes stagnant, rehashing old ideas like an ouroboros eating its own tail, sometimes it takes an outsider’s perspective to inject fresh ideas. I feel like I’ve been hearing uninspired photocopies of 90s Britpop for half my life, and yet it took until hearing Tennessee band The Kindest People’s take on the sound to truly rekindle my interest. The hallmarks are there, plenty of hints of Supergrass especially, intentional or otherwise, but the band also brings so much of their own energy and enthusiasm to the table. The effervescent arrangement has such depth to it, the rhythm section always having something worthwhile of their own to say even when the breezy riffs are in the spotlight. The earnestness of the vocals, and the fabulous way they’re layered, delivers such a larger-than life feeling. Given some of the best Americana comes from far outside the US, I suppose having one of their own make some of the best Britpop I’ve heard in years is only fair!
Top Tracks: Sleep Walking Animals – Rossignol
I tend to shy away from covering established acts that I’m not familiar with. Context is important, and the time it takes to delve into a band’s back catalogue could be better spent covering up-and-coming talent. I nearly passed on covering this track from Manchester band Sleep Walking Animals for that very reason – everything about it told me this had to be a band several albums into their career. The music video, with its stunning cinematography and imaginative watercolour animation. The faultless precision of its elegant baroque pop, the Bon Iver-esque falsetto backed by an intricate choral arrangement, the climactic soaring guitar solo that could have been plucked straight from The Bends era Radiohead. Even down to the way it integrates snippets of lyrics in Sri Lankan Sinhala. Everything about ‘Rossignol (සිප ගන්නා විට)’ feels like a band at a creative peak that they’ve been working towards for years, yet the story of Sleep Walking Animals is still very much in its infancy. To hear an up-and-coming band so polished, so inventive, so assured in their identity, and at times even surpassing their influences, is a truly thrilling prospect.
Belwood Music 