It’s the dawning of a new decade, and as such we have a chance to look back not just on the past year of music, but the past ten years! Compiling the 50 most defining, moving, engaging, singular, exhilarating, influential and inspirational albums of the 2010s has been Belwood’s most challenging endeavour ever, not least because we limited it to one album per act. At long last however, we have our list: Continue reading
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Top Tracks: Woods End – Waves
This Swedish band never fails to impress with their superb ability to craft a compelling atmosphere and conjure up evocative imagery. Their dark gothic folk styling particularly excels at creating a mood akin to some isolated wintery cabin, the kind where you gather round the crackling fire and tell tales of great adventures, of heroes and monsters, stories passed down through the generations. Their new single ‘Waves’ changes up this formula however, offering a more energised and progressive spin on their sound. Rather that a story shared on a quiet winter’s night, ‘Waves’ feels far more like the adventure itself. The riffs like the icy grip of the wind tearing at your skin, the brilliant percussion crashing like the waves upon the shore. This song feels like an epic tale in the making, the soundtrack of a titanic battle or the start of a grand voyage across a raging sea.
Top Tracks: Flo – Between The Lines
A new year and a new decade now lay at our feet. While it’s been fun to look back on the highlights and successes of 2019, and the growth and progress made across the 2010s, it can be a daunting prospect to now acknowledge the vast unknown future that lies before us. Endings and new beginnings can be difficult, especially for us creatures of habit, and it can be hard to move forward without seeing where the road ahead leads. Thankfully Belwood favourite Flo has the perfect song to reassure and inspire as we head into 2020, offering up another simply spellbinding performance. With its calls of “there’s always something better on the other side”, ‘Between The Lines’ feels like the comforting hand on your shoulder that lifts the weight of the world, or the words of encouragement that we long to hear but are too scared or proud to ask for. The dreamy arrangement, the reassuring and hopeful message, and Flo’s ever gorgeous vocals are the perfect guiding light to lead us into the year ahead.
Belwood Music Awards 2019
It’s New Year’s Eve! 2019 is finally coming to a close, a new decade is soon upon us, and most importantly today is Belwood Music’s 5th birthday. (Okay, so we had our birthday gig just over a month ago, but if the Queen can have two birthdays then so can we!). What better way to celebrate than by looking back at all the music that earned a place in our hearts over the past 12 months. Continue reading
Top Ten Albums of 2019
As the last days of 2019 begin to tick away, it’s time to delve into our final (and arguably most important) list of the year. While there are a few impressive debut albums that really shone this year, the most common theme within this year’s top ten is that of bands and artists really stepping up their game and producing their best work yet. So without further ado, here are the ten albums that most defined our 2019. Continue reading
Top Ten Songs of 2019
This year’s list of songs didn’t turn out how I envisioned it even just a few short weeks ago. There were plenty of tracks off the top of my head that I thought would be certain to make an appearance, but when it came down to putting pen to paper and narrowing the list down they ended up not making the cut. Just goes to show how many amazing tracks we’ve been treated to in 2019. Continue reading
Top Ten EPs of 2019
Every year when list season comes around it’s always the EP list that proves to be the most difficult. It’s a hotly contested category, with plenty of worthy releases in contention for a place in the top ten, and 2019 was no exception. After much deliberation however, we have our winners! Continue reading
Top Ten Videos of 2019
Our list season continues with one more foray into visuals before we get on to… y’know, the actual music. While 2019 has not really been a year for big spectacles, there have been plenty of great videos to tug at your heartstrings and make you think, to pour over and analyse, and some to just put a great big smile on your face. Here are the ten videos that made the biggest impression in the past twelve months. Continue reading
Top Ten Album Covers of 2019
Merry Listmas one and all! It’s the end of the year, a time to look back on all that the past twelve months had to offer. For us, that means reflecting on the music that most defined our 2019. Before we get into the sounds of the year however, we want to take a moment to appreciate the sights. There have been some stunning album covers this year, from the simple and understated to the wild and imaginative, so here are our favourites. Continue reading
Top Tracks: LUVRS – Lady
This is the time of year when everyone is winding down for the holidays. This is especially true when it comes to the music industry. Most folks have already shared their highlights of the year, and so releasing new music in December is a bit of a kiss of death unless you pull out all the stops and deliver something to rouse people from their advent autopilot. ‘Lady’ is just the track to not only make you sit up and pay attention, but also dispel your winter blues with its irresistible feel-good energy. With a fiercely funky groove, stacks of electronic flourishes, more than enough psychedelic splashes of wah pedal to constitute a rigorous ankle workout, and one of the best guitar solos of the year, Brooklyn duo LUVRS have really thrown everything they’ve got at their debut single. A real gem to end 2019 on a high.
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