Sometimes you just hear the perfect song for a particular time and place and it’s as though the planets have aligned. Being snuggled up warm in bed as I write these words, whilst the wind and rain batters against my window, somehow feels like the ideal setting for Henry Nozuka’s ‘Into The Wild’. With a contemplative autumnal folk sound drawing influence from Nick Drake, this first single from the Canadian singer/songwriter’s forthcoming debut album Ember of the Night offers an enchantingly idyllic refuge. It’s the kind of song you listen to as a form of escapism, a role it fulfills so well that you’ll lose count of how many times you’ve had it on repeat and time itself will feel as though it’s lost all meaning. Each time you press play and truly listen, closing your eyes and opening your heart, you’re gifted with one of two different escapes. Either you allow the vivid imagery to whisk you away to a serene and surreal dream world, or the intimate arrangement will have you feeling that Henry is right there in the room with you. I can’t tell you how long I’ve been laid here listening to this song, how many times I’ve indulged in each escape it offers, but I can tell you that it was worth every second.
top tracks
Top Tracks: Kane Miller – Kings and Queens
Life in lockdown has resulted in a new-found appreciation for so many things that I’d have otherwise taken for granted, chief among them being the great outdoors. Growing up in the countryside has often left me feeling detached from the world, stuck in a quiet forgotten corner, and subsequently drawn in by the allure of action and excitement offered by the big city. But with so many friends trapped in cramped apartments on dreary grey streets, I’ve seen the rolling fields around me in a new light. It doesn’t always take something as drastic as a pandemic however to come to such a realisation, sometimes all it takes is some time away to realise what you’re missing. That’s the exact epiphany Canadian singer/songwriter Kane Miller describes in his new single ‘Kings and Queens’. Going from small town life to living and working in the hustle and bustle of Toronto left Miller longing to escape the rat race and experience the open air again. The buoyant folk pop of ‘Kings and Queens’ perfectly captures the overlooked charm of country life. The dreamy harmonies drifting by like leaves in the breeze, the warm melodies like sunlight shimmering upon the lake, and it’s jaunty joyful arrangement and carefree atmosphere a million miles removed from the stresses and struggles of city life.
Top Tracks: Simon Alexander – Heading Nowhere
We all feel a little lost sometimes, now more than ever. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the uncertainty that surrounds us. To be kept awake by the endless string of unanswered questions, to have no idea what kind of world awaits you tomorrow, and to be left directionless and just sleepwalking from one day to the next. Rather than search harder for meaning and stability, sometimes the best course of action is not to fight the current. Sometimes the only respite when feeling lost is choosing where to lose yourself; being able to shut out the world and dream of something better. That’s exactly the kind of escape offered by ‘Heading Nowhere’, the latest single from Swedish singer/songwriter Simon Alexander. Taken from his forthcoming debut album A Place Called Home, the airy folk arrangement, hazy ambient soundscapes and haunting harmonies transports you to idyllic dream world. The perfect blissful sanctuary from a world gone mad, a calm and comforting respite from the storms that rage both without and within all of us. Having already wowed us with his In The Rust EP at the beginning of the year, and now with this serene slice of his debut album, Simon is far from “heading nowhere”, instead he keeps on proving to be one of the most consistently brilliant songwriters in 2020.
Top Tracks: Callum Pitt – Fault Lines
There is far more that unites us than divides us, though sadly it seems there are plenty of people who would have you believe otherwise. People who get off on stoking division and inciting rampant ignorance. Politicians and tabloids demonising immigrants and the less fortunate, letting the foul plague of prejudice sweep society, either to serve their own agendas or simply as there’s a cold festering void where their heart should be. At times the hateful clamouring rings so loud that basic human empathy is made to seem completely alien, and you begin to wonder if there’s any compassion and understanding left in the world. Thankfully tracks like the indie folk splendour of ‘Fault Lines’ serve as a reminder that there are other frustrated people out there, with open hearts and open minds, who are more inclined to build bridges than throw up walls. With lines like “We rise and fall under the weight of words that fan the flames of hatred, When we demonise we form a mind that will not be persuaded”, Callum Pitt perfectly captures the uphill battle we face in order to erode years of discrimination and division through discourse and education. With Callum’s discerning lyricism delivered alongside infectious melodies, a driven rhythm section and fantastic guitar work reminiscent of The War On Drugs, it’s just the track to turn to when you need convincing that a better world is waiting just over the horizon.
Top Tracks: Bestfriend – Last Bus in the A.M.
If there’s one heartwarming upside to be drawn from this crazy year it’s been how connected we have remained despite being stuck at home and unable to meet in person. How friendships have thrived in spite of the distance, and how new ones have formed against all the odds. With this in mind ‘Last Bus in the A.M.’ very much captures the zeitgeist of 2020. Unconventional pop duo Bestfriend composed their latest stunning synthpop single from complete opposite ends of the country – with Stacy Kim on the West Coast, Kaelan Geoffrey on the East, and thousands of miles and several time zones in between. Not that you would know that by listening, as every exquisitely crafted element falls seamlessly into place. The nostalgic synths offering an intoxicating hit of familiarity, while the soft vocals and understated harmonies feed into the beautifully bittersweet and dreamy tone. The rich storytelling in the lyrics bringing every shambolic party you’ve ever been to right to the forefront of your mind, making even hectic nights full of angst, anxiety and awkwardness shimmer through rose tinted glasses. To hear two people so far apart sound so in sync is such a life-affirming experience. A welcome reminder of the power that music has to bring us together.
Top Tracks: AJIMAL – I’ve Known Your Heart
It’s songs like this that really make my job difficult. As someone who spends an inordinate amount of time weaving my thoughts about music into a verbose tapestry of flowery language, the rare gift of a song that leaves me lost for words is the most delightfully vexatious experience imaginable. Doctor by day and musical maestro by night, Fran O’Hanlon’s latest single under his moniker AJIMAL is an absolute must-hear track. To say that his soulful and tender vocals evoke Jeff Buckley, and that the opulent orchestration reminds me of the softer side of Talk Talk and Belwood favourites The Last Dinosaur, would only be scratching the surface. The loving intimacy and devotion of this track is so hard to describe, but it’s a feeling that anyone who has given their heart to someone completely will know all too well. Anyone who has known a love so absolute will be left breathless by the line “I’ve loved your heart as long as it’s been beating”. And I doubt even Wordsworth himself could compose a poem to describe the sensation which this gorgeous arrangement offers. How this blissful baroque pop ballad makes your spirit soar, how it lifts you up to pirouette upon a pillowy canopy of clouds. The only way to truly understand is to hear it for yourself.
Top Tracks: Family of Things – YKB
We’re not born with hate in our hearts, it’s something that’s taught to us. When you’re young you don’t see creed, colour or class. Likewise we don’t become fixated on our own faults and perceived imperfections until later in life. We all start out with open hearts and open minds, full of love for ourselves and others, until the world tells us otherwise. But we don’t have to accept this culture of division and insecurity that is thrust upon us. As Canadian duo Family of Things so deftly tell us with the hook of their infectious new single: “you know better”. We can reject the drive to throw up walls and embrace the open and loving state of mind that we were born with. Full of vibrant carefree energy, ‘YKB’ is the perfect anthem for the better world that it preaches. With a hefty helping of Jungle, a kaleidoscopic dash of Tame Impala, and a striking video that wouldn’t look out of place projected on a skyscraper in Blade Runner, this fabulously funky slice of electropop is one of the most feel-good tracks I’ve heard this year. Packed with memorable hooks, slinky bass lines, shimmering synths and seductive splashes of sax, it’s the kind of song that makes you want to rush to the dancefloor and drag the nearest person along with you.
Top Tracks: Jacob Westfall – Burn Me Down
There is so much that is woven into the intricate fabric that is you and I. All the little daily rituals, all the cherished memories, a network of feelings and morals. We’re all little more than a jumbled mess of quirks and idiosyncrasies manning a trenchcoat and playing at being a person. It’s often difficult to separate ourselves from the pieces that make up who we are; pull too hard at one thread and the whole thing may unravel. All this can make for a daunting prospect however when it comes to the parts of ourselves that we long to change. ‘Burn Me Down’ deals with the inner turmoil that stems from addiction. Whether it’s a substance, a sensation or a person, the end result is the same – it becomes a crutch that you lean too heavily upon. The only option is to let it keep corrupting its way deeper into your spirit, or to take a torch to your darker side in the hope of building a better you from the ashes. This sublime slow-burning track from Portland based artist Jacob Westfall explores this journey in spectacular fashion. Opening with a soft and melancholic folk arrangement, with Jacob’s gritty vocals at its heart, before kicking up a gear with a lush and enrapturing Americana vibe. At its climax an emphatic drum fill launches us into a tempestuous bluesy solo to offer the release that the song has been so perfectly building towards right from the very first note.
Top Tracks: Dizzy – Roman Candles
If there’s one adage I’ve seen proven true time and again in recent years it’s that the grass is always greener on the other side. When you’re looking at someone and wishing you had what they have, odds are they are looking at you in just the same way. People working a 9-to-5 office job will look at musicians living a creative and adventurous life and envy their freedom. It’s something we see romanticised all the time, but rarely do we see the other side of the story acknowledged. ‘Roman Candles’ flips the narrative to show that following your dreams isn’t always smooth sailing. This new single from Canadian indie pop outfit Dizzy shares the insecurity that comes from being surrounded by friends that have stability in their lives. Spending time with people who have houses and families, and generally have their shit together by the commonly accepted social standards, and fearing that you’ll never have the same on your current path. The latest cut from their new album The Sun And Her Scorch out 31st July, Dizzy’s delightful new track is packed to the brim with gorgeous melodies and boasts one of the most addictive hooks of the year. The nostalgia it evokes with its understated and bittersweet synth arrangement is every bit as warm and endearing as the golden hour glow of its charming music video. This is the first time Dizzy have crossed my radar, but if the rest of the new record is as good as this then that’s the soundtrack of my summer all sorted.
Top Tracks: Katherine Abbott – Wayward
We all feel a little lost sometimes. Those niggling feelings of doubt that make us wonder who we are, where we’re headed, and what really matters. They come and go all the time, a little moment of introspection before returning to normal. If life in lockdown has taught us anything however it’s that maybe normal isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Maybe that wayward sensation should be seen as a spur towards self-discovery, a message from the universe saying that there’s a better you and a better life out there waiting to be found. Having started out her career as a busker, singer/songwriter Katherine Abbott knows all about the transformative power of cutting the ties that hold you down and following your heart. Her new single ‘Wayward’ is a track that you can get suitably lost in; her voice like the warm glow of a new dawn, the soft and airy folk arrangement washing over you like a cool breeze, and the sublime acoustic solo at its centre feels the perfect reminder to slow down and appreciate the little things in life.
Belwood Music 