music

Spotlight!: Hidden Charms

/ James Fenney

hidden-charmsThis south London quartet are quite possibly one of the most suave new bands in years. Oozing the kind of effortless cool that most people can only dream of they have tapped in to something that is simultaneously old at heart and invigoratingly refreshing. Tracks such as ‘Dreaming of Another Girl’ harks back to 60s mod legends such as The Who and The Kinks and ‘Long Way Down’ sounds like the curious offspring of The Doors and The Beach Boys. The fuzzy blues stomp of tracks such as ‘Love You ‘Cause You’re There’ fits perfectly alongside garage rock gods The White Stripes and The Black Keys. The fact that Vincent Davies and Ranald MacDonald share vocal duties throws an intriguing dynamic into the mix and thus far the artwork for their singles is nothing short of stunning. An all around feast for the senses Hidden Charms have a fair deal of flair and more than enough talent to back it up. This band are the missing piece of the puzzle that will fill a gap in your life that you never knew existed till now.

Fans of Jack White, Arctic Monkeys and Blossoms should keep an eye out for their debut EP Harder From Here out 21st October

Top Tracks: Gabriel Wolfchild & The Northern Light – Runaways

/ James Fenney

Though he boasts a name that wouldn’t sound amiss in a fantasy epic, Gabriel is better known for turning heads (and chairs) thanks to his arresting vocals and poetic storytelling. Finding himself in the limelight after his successful audition on The Voice US, he soon found like-minded people eager to create who would become his backing band The Northern Light. The ethereal folk that Gabriel creates has a feeling of celebration of all the beauty and inspiration that life brings. His latest track ‘Runaways’ talks of how we are all connected and how even small gifts of love and kindness can change the world. His debut EP Mornings Like These is set for release early next year and is sure to be filled with more masterful moments of hauntingly beautiful reflection.

Top Tracks: Liz Loughrey – Rise Up!

/ James Fenney

This Toronto based singer has worked hard to create something that the world needs more of. The first single from her upcoming EP, ‘Rise Up!’ is a pop hit with plenty of tricks up it’s sleeve. With plenty of soul, an uplifting infusion of reggae, an emotive video and a great deal of heart and passion in her lyrics it’s easy to see why Liz has such a following. What truly sets this song apart however is the movement behind it. It is a call to arms for people to work together to bring some positivity into their lives and make an impact in their community. To that end Liz has been hosting school workshops to encourage young people to make a change for the better and has been inviting people to join in on social media with the #RiseUpMovement hashtag.

Top Tracks: The Only Ocean – So Shy So High

/ James Fenney

Just recently we have been blessed by the return of dream pop to delight our ears with it’s hazy goodness. It’s the kind of music that’s the perfect soundtrack for quiet reflection, for letting your consciousness disappear into the ether, for feeling like you’re part of a whole different wondrous world. It’s also the kind of music that this California four piece have perfected with their latest single. Having released their atmospheric eponymous debut just last year, The Only Ocean are eager to share more of their music with the world with their forthcoming EP TOO. If this first single, which combines airy dream pop with anthemic indie, and the intriguing artwork are anything to go by then it’s definitely something worth checking out.

Top Tracks: Cosmos & Creature – Young

/ James Fenney

Sometimes the hands of fate are kind enough to bring people together who are a perfect match. That seems exactly the case with Cosmos & Creature, the electropop duo consisting of Brandyn Burnette and Molly Moore. They each first made a name for themselves by writing hits for other artists and have since been gathering their own fanbases for their solo careers. Burnette with his latest EP State I’m In and Moore with her debut release Shadow of the Sun have shown the vast songwriting talent they possess, which has now pooled together for this latest adventure. If the pop perfection of their first single ‘Young’ is anything to go by then Cosmos & Creature are greater than the sum of their parts and are truly a creative force to be reckoned with. It looks set to be the first of a long line of hits for the newly formed partnership of these two talented songwriters.

Spotlight!: Jake Davis

/ James Fenney

jake-davis-ep

With his debut EP The Valley, LA native Jake Davis has shown what it takes to find success. Drive and ambition are essential for the music industry and they are two things that Jake has in spades. The Valley showcases a wide range of styles and genres often within the same song. ‘Half Past 9’ combines heavy synths with a top notch bass line to create a slice of gold standard electropop. ‘Saying It Right’ is a sure fire R&B summer anthem and his latest single ‘So Le Me Go’ throws a slick alternative rock riff into the mix, taking a leaf straight out of Lenny Kravitz’s book to really shake things up. His EP boasts a high standard of production, most of which is the result of Jake himself working from his home studio. There are plenty of people out there who can put out finely polished pop hits, and likewise there are many people who are gifted with vast musical talent and the urge to experiment. Rarely do the two schools of thought meet together in such a perfect match.

The Valley is out now for fans of Chvrches, Oh Wonder and M83