The spectacular new single from Brighton based rockers Opia Bloom (fka YOUTH) is an indie fan’s dream come true. ‘Side by Side’ boasts bombastic drums, soaring riffs, the nostalgic fuzz of super 8 film, and the kind of anthemic chorus that you’ll spend half the summer belting out at the top of your lungs. Even though this track veers pretty close to perfection, the same isn’t true of lot of things in life, like the kind of rollercoaster relationship that the song describes. When you both seem to find yourselves clashing with each other, a constant push and pull where you’re as much enemies as lovers, but despite it all you’d be lost without them by your side. Even in the depths of winter I can say with some confidence that this will be the soundtrack of my summer next year.
top tracks
Top Tracks: Janet Devlin – I Lied To You
It feels like such a long time since we last heard new music from Janet Devlin, but this new single is worth the wait. With its breathy vocals, elegant strings and confessional lyrics, ‘I Lied To You’ is perhaps her most intimate and heartfelt work to date. In this image centred world we find ourselves in, where we constantly try to maintain the illusion that our lives are perfect, it’s hard to admit when things are wrong or when you’ve made a mistake. Doubly so when you find yourself in the spotlight. It’s an admirably open and honest track, though it’s the kind of song that people can attach their own meaning and importance to. With this taste of her upcoming album, I’m excited to see what else Janet has in store for 2019.
Top Tracks: Michael Jablonka – Papier-mâché
It’s not often that we get to gush about guitar solos anymore. Whether they’ve fallen out of favour, or it’s just harder to play a solo that really stands out as exceptional, whatever the reason it’s become an increasingly overlooked art form. Artists need look no further than the latest single from London’s Michael Jablonka for an example of how to truly shine. Equal parts Michael Kiwanuka and The Black Keys, ‘Papier-mâché’ features one of the best solos I’ve heard since starting Belwood. It caterwauls through the centre of the track, whirling at an unrelenting pace towards its eventual crash into the calm interlude that follows. It’s the musical equivalent of being strapped to fireworks and sent spiralling into the stratosphere at breakneck speed. Then, just as you feel like you can’t take the g-forces tearing at you any longer, you emerge above the clouds and become transfixed by the empyrean scene before you.
Top Tracks: Finn Andrews – A Shot Through The Heart (Then Down In Flames)
When you think of The Veils your mind probably goes to the bewitchingly dark and gritty sound that they’re best known for. The kind of songs that feel like they should be the soundtrack to all the devil’s future deals at the crossroads. It’s odd then that this live offering from frontman Finn Andrews draws you in for being just the opposite. ‘A Shot Through The Heart’, taken from his forthcoming debut solo album One Piece At A Time out 22nd March, is wonderfully refined and elegant with its lush piano and heartwarming swell of strings. Despite its less than cheerful lyrics, the simply sublime score that accompanies them, along with Finn’s smooth and soothing vocals, feels supremely uplifting. All it takes is one listen and you’ll be humming the tune as you waltz about your day.
Top Tracks: Dylan Aiello – Better Life With Me
Starting with a stripped back 70s singer/songwriter style deeply reminiscent of James Taylor, before lush American instrumentation sweeps in to offer a more contemporary spin, ‘Better Life With You’ simply radiates charm in everything it does. This latest track from songwriter and artist Dylan Aiello is a timeless break-up ballad, that is kept from being bogged down by the dejected nostalgia that comes with the collapse of a relationship, thanks to its heartwarming melodies. The accompanying video really adds to the storytelling and is so beautifully shot, albeit in an understated way. The way each section is lit and framed is impeccable and the gorgeous stop-motion animation interwoven into the middle is a great touch. ‘Better Life With Me’ displays a dash of that slick pop sheen while still showing plenty of heart and authenticity, getting that ever elusive balance just right.
Top Tracks: Ritzy Park – Spinning Head of Mine
The opening to this track from Berlin based outfit Ritzy Park has got to be one of my favourite musical moments of 2018. ‘Spinning Head of Mine (The Stress Song)’, taken from their debut EP What We Know, begins with a quiet and refined piano intro that shifts into maximum overdrive at the drop of a hat with a mighty roar of 70s guitar. I can’t remember the last time I heard a song go from 0 to 60 so fast. With a driving bassline and vocals reminiscent of Debbie Harry, this pressure cooker of a song details the struggles and stresses of modern life, whirling closer and closer to chaos until the dam breaks and a tempestuous torrent of pent-up frustrations break loose. If you’re having the kind of day where you feel like tearing the room apart like a human tornado, this is the song to tip you over the edge.
Top Tracks: HARMS – Aquarium
I do love a bit of rich imagery in a song, and Brooklyn based artist Jake Harms offers just that in his latest track ‘Aquarium’. Comparing life in New York to a life behind glass, the pressure weighing down on you as you stare out into another world so cut off from your own, ‘Aquarium’ offers a unique and interesting point of view. It’s such a great metaphor, not only for the city as a whole, but for all the people trapped in their own little bubble as they go about their daily life. Musically it blends the serene haze of dream pop with bouts of dark and gothic post punk. With an enveloping feel, like the underwater life it depicts, it’s perfectly suited for those days when you’re lost in a fog of thoughts, trying to make sense of it all.
Top Tracks: Cristina Hart – No Regrets
Though Cristina’s first single ‘House Of Tears’ became one of my favourite songs of the year thanks to its lush and expansive sound, I find myself loving ‘No Regrets’ for doing just the opposite. One of the biggest pitfalls of pop music is overproduction. It doesn’t matter how pretty the veneer is unless it has a strong foundation first and foremost. Often, with a truly great song, you can strip everything away down to the bare essentials and it still works. While the instrumentation on ‘No Regrets’ is superb, with its driving acoustic rhythm and bright synths, it knows when to hold back. Instead what carries the song is its infectious hooks, Cristina’s golden vocals, and its empowering message, about taking the brave step to leave a toxic relationship and holding your head up high. Whether she’s building up her songs layer by layer like an oil painting, or remaining restrained and purposeful like a sketch drawing, Cristina’s music is always a work of art to be admired.
Top Tracks: Mr. Goshness – The Big Ego
Truth be told “Gosh” isn’t really in my vernacular, but if it was it would do a great job of summing up my feelings towards ‘The Big Ego’. Taken from their forthcoming album Beyond The Blue, Mr. Goshness have delivered a stone cold stunner with this new single. There are flashes of Rush and The Dear Hunter (my two favourite bands) in the song’s impeccable production, impressive percussion and riffs so slick and intricate they can turn on a sixpence. What sets it apart however is the dash of pop punk thrown into the mix. Not too much as to steal the spotlight, rather just enough to offer the track some youthful exuberance, vibrant colour and heaps of confidence. This progressive pop powerhouse leaves me wondering: do I love it because of the parts that feel familiar, or the parts that feel unique and refreshing? I suppose I’ll just have to listen to it on repeat until I figure out the answer.
Top Tracks: Hayes & Y – Blue
Thirty seconds. That’s all you need to fall in love with this track. In that time you have an opening beat that just screams ‘Billie Jean’, riffs reminiscent of The Black Keys, and plenty of that irresistible funk feel. If you’re a fan of Nile Rodgers (like any sane individual with functioning ears) then this track is right up your street. This Manchester based international outfit have drawn on every trick in the book to make ‘Blue’ an inescapable earworm. There is however an interesting juxtaposition at work between the infectious groove and the dispirited lyricism that weaves a tale of loneliness. You’d think the two would clash, that “getting down” and “feeling down” are two very different things. Instead it helps it stand out from the crowd by tugging at your heartstrings as well as relentlessly luring you to the dancefloor.
Belwood Music 