An incalculable amount of new music passes through my headphones day in, day out; whether discovered on my own or found awaiting me in my inbox. With that in mind, it’s rare when a song comes along and genuinely blows me away. Such was my reaction when I first heard Ren’s sweeping folk single ‘The Coast’. The affecting melody, the sense of yearning and wanderlust; it’s the kind of song that speaks to a deep and tender part of our souls. His debut EP is just as moving as the track that first won my heart. The soulful little guitar solo that catches you off-guard at the end of ‘All That I Need’, the bittersweet, slow burning blues of ‘Late Night Drive’ and the rich imagery and loving nostalgia of ‘My Heart Belongs To Ireland’. All these achingly beautiful moments come together to create an unforgettable first release. Drawing inspiration from great singer/songwriters both classic and contemporary, Ren carves out his own little pedestal to make him stand out as a genuine artist. Ren is one of the most promising up-and-coming acts in the UK right now, with bigger and better things surely just over the horizon.
Ren’s debut EP A Calling from the Shore is out 24th February and is a must for fans of Foy Vance, The Staves, Seafret and Glen Hansard.
Combining gospel, folk and spoken word, Kara’s debut release is a diverse, yet persistently personal affair. Having founded indie label Orphan No More with her husband Joshua Luke Smith, she has at her disposal the perfect platform to share her honest and heartfelt songwriting. When not making music Kara is a certified counsellor, a fact that is reflected in her lyrics. She has the rare gift of finding just the right words to both perfectly sum up how you feel, and to say exactly what you need to hear. Whether sharing a positive message of self-worth in ‘I Like The Way’, or simply assuring you that you have the strength to weather the storm in the haunting spoken word of ‘Keeping On’, Kara always delivers a sincere and arresting performance. The soothing soul of ‘Walk Slow’ stands as her most powerful performance, it’s simple yet stunning arrangement and Kara’s vocals are simply captivating. Sometimes we all need someone to tell us that our troubles will pass and that happiness is just around the corner, and to that end Kara Ann Marie’s music is always there for whoever should need it.
One of my greatest loves in the world of music is the storytelling at work in a well executed concept album. Considering that these days the EP is the format of choice for up-and-coming artists, it strikes me as odd that more of them don’t work towards a bigger picture in the same way. With his debut release this Australian troubadour has delivered a rare and exceptional example of a concept EP. Over the course of four tracks of wistful folk, Musketeer shares the story of a 19th century convict shipped off to Australia to work away his sentence. With the title track of the Seven Long Years EP, he perfectly captures the mood and creates a tale of lovers so cruelly parted that sounds like it could have been sung for generations. With the gentle orchestral swell of ‘Hollow’ and the mournful brass of ‘Johnny Red’ we are given a sense of the prisoner’s fading hopes of returning to his old life, and a growing acceptance of the world he knew being gone forever. A compelling tale, exquisitely executed, that leaves me longing for more.
The music world generally revolves around the output from the US and UK, so it comes as a pleasant surprise when you stumble across a band from elsewhere in the world; especially when they are at the kind of high standard as Greece’s own Maximum High. Playing around with the classic hard rock formula, all four band members put in a slick and confident performance. ‘Control My Love’ features some fantastic funky bass tones and the guitar work on ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ effortlessly shifts from furious solos to understated atmospheric interludes. The dependable drum work really grabs your attention on ‘Long Ago’ and frontwoman Irene Dimopoulou’s superb soulful vocals really make Maximum High stand out from the crowd. This is a band that blew my expectations out of the water, working together like a well oiled machine to produce a perfect example of what rock is all about. I just hope with the right exposure they can get their message out to the masses and get some rightly earned recognition for their dynamic debut release.
I’m always on the lookout for fresh ideas, a trait that is becoming increasingly rare in modern music. One of the most intriguing new bands of the decade thus far has been Royal Blood thanks to their unique combination of just bass and drums and just a dash of technical wizardry. However this Brooklyn based band have gone one better and have thrown another bassist into the mix to create a fascinating interplay of sounds. The broody atmosphere is as much built around the empty spaces as it is around the dramatic bass tones, hypnotic rhythms and the trance-like vocals. There’s no denying that the end result sounds greater than the sum of its parts and portrays a grand, yet dark vignette. Their labyrinthine post punk is equal parts menacing and mournful as it pierces its way through the dense haze. The band themselves have an air of mystery around them to match their enigmatic gothic horror soundscapes. They have thus far maintained their veil of secrecy so that only the lucky few have been able to delve into their world, a lucky few that you should be a part of.
One of my biggest pet peeves with modern pop is with a lack of ambition and with artists not living up to their full potential. However I have no quarrels whatsoever with the immensely talented pop singer/songwriter Taylor Noelle. Born and raised in Los Angeles before bringing her skills to Nashville, her debut EP is everything that pop acts should aspire to be. Each and every track quite easily deserves a place in the list of top songs of the year, and each for its own unique reasons. The slick and soulful ‘Too Good’ is full of attitude as Taylor slowly wraps you around her finger, whilst on the opposite end of the spectrum the fragile folk of ‘I Fall’ is the kind of beautiful balladry you’d expect from a bona fide Disney princess. ‘Won’t Waste My Time’ features some subtle latin hints and a smooth bluesy breakdown, and the dream pop soundscapes, cascading piano and infectious bass lines of ‘Covers Me’ makes the perfect backdrop for Taylor’s gorgeous vocals. This captivating young artist displays the kind of effortless range and diversity that modern pop is so desperately missing, which makes her music all the more special.
Sometimes the energy of a song can hinder the song itself, things can get too wild and simply ruin the musicality. This problem that plagues far too many alternative acts is no problem at all for Bedfordshire band SEASONS. Operating like a well oiled machine they showcase intricate musicianship and crystal clear melodic vocals while still maintaining a hard grasp on that heavy vibe to get your blood pumping. The dynamic ‘Last Words’ has a great interplay between bright and harsh guitar tones, overlain with engaging vocal harmonies. ‘Fire’ leads a full throttle rhythmic charge, the menacing riff of ‘Empire’ simply seethes with purpose and the anthemic balladry of ‘When We Were Young’ flirts with the band’s more accessible side but still contains enough complex instrumentation to make your head spin. There are plenty of bands on the scene with this level of technical skill, there are plenty that know how to make great song; but there are few bands that have such entrancing vocals at their disposal, and can put all these elements together in the way that SEASONS can. A debut album from this talented quintet simply can’t come around fast enough!
Belwood Music 