rescuing musical virtue in distress.
Given the design of the logo on the cover, the artwork itself and even the name Rexide, I was half-expecting to be greeted by a screamo vocal roar and the grunt and grind of a thrash metal tsunami in full flow. And, although there are a few moments when the vocals spill over into that... Continue Reading →
As soon as the almost a capella delivery of the lyrics greet the listener, there is a feeling of freedom writ large across the sonic canvas. On My Own is about the twin feelings of escape and freedom, that sensation of being untethered and breaking free of the shackles of the past mixed with the fear of... Continue Reading →
Lockdown changed everyone's lives, often in taxing and unexpected ways. But if there is a silver lining to be found in any of this, it is that the combination of isolation and spare time that people found themselves dealing with caused many to become creative. It also caused the already creative to become even more... Continue Reading →
Although there were always folk themes running through the solo work of the three individuals that make up The Lost Trades, it was balanced by elements of acoustic pop, blues, even occasionally pushing into more rock and roll sonic territory in some cases. It seems that it is in the coming together of Jamie R... Continue Reading →
As there was no playlist last week, this one is playing catchup, so there is twice as much cool music for you to check out. As always, explore further, support grassroots artists and perhaps buy a track, album or even some merch. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1nSSjVvzqFFr1TMJ330a34?si=Sx7DllK7Rvu6vryGE86SDQ
Mixing the core elements of rap, hip-hop and soul The Kids Turned Out Alright is the debut album from this new(ish) kid on the hip-hop block. The album was sonically prefaced by the great delusion, an opening salvo of deft and dexterous lyricism, incisive and insightful wordplay and melodic flows, all of which run to... Continue Reading →
Blending some country tones into very accessible pop shapes, Suddenly is one of those timeless songs. Timeless in its sentiment, documenting that first kiss, those first tentative steps of love, those memorable moments from which a relationship grows. But timeless in its sonic content too, those perfect melodic tones and easy addictions, the obvious hook... Continue Reading →
If I scan across the blurb for an album and see such luminaries as Sparklehorse and Mercury Rev listed as reference points, how can I not dive right in? Surely anyone who lists such mercurial and marvellous bands as sonic touchstones is going to produce something similarly interesting? There's only one way to find out.... Continue Reading →
This latest release from Natalie K is more than just a song. It is a heartfelt anthem paying tribute to the people of Armenia and the struggles that they have faced, and continue to face. The news of war on the Armenian borders last year reminded Natalie K of where she comes from culturally and,... Continue Reading →
It's been a while since I had a Screens 4 Eyes track waft my way, but as always it has been well worth the wait. And waft is the perfect word to use as their music seems to drift through the listener's consciousness, floats around you and fogs the senses and get absorbed by osmosis... Continue Reading →
As always, I’d like to start with a bit of background. What music path got you to where you are today and what artists influenced and inspired you? Afton Wolfe: Like many I knew, I grew up singing in church, and it’s the earliest memory I have – singing a duet with my Mom in... Continue Reading →
Using allusions to a WWE wrestling bout to talk about the more intimate moments of a relationship, actually not even a relationship maybe just a casual hook-up, Satomaa raps her way through various partners and liaisons. And she does so to a blend of bass booms and skittering percussion, confessional lyrics and unexpected candour. And... Continue Reading →
You can make a fair argument for the fact that rock music has found its perfect form. It is as heavy as it needs to be before we start labelling it metal. It has embraced just the right amount of groove and melody but not so much that it heads off into poppier territory. It... Continue Reading →
We might think that modern music communicates through its lyrics. But music is a language all to itself or at least it can be when wielded by the right artist. And even the most abstract of sounds, the most repetitive of grooves, the most hypnotic beats, have plenty to say. Dance music might not be... Continue Reading →
From the primordial soup or the depths of the ocean, the listener is drawn into a bubbling aquatic world of subsea sounds. Dub, dubstep, house and electronica are all featured on this record. It's a mix that I would normally find annoying listening to in isolation and not in the context of a club or... Continue Reading →
Genres, as I have said many times before, are tricky beasts, often tacked onto a track or an album more because of what an artist aspires to be rather than what they actually sound like. And even when the appropriate label is found it is often so vague or perhaps means so many different things... Continue Reading →
The last few years may have been a taxing time for The Judex, ravaged by the fickle ebbs and flows of human nature, occasionally rudderless and perhaps questioning their future. But when it was time to put new music out, they always seemed to put their own problems behind them and just got on with... Continue Reading →
Those who are aware of Nelson King's musical output rate will find the title of this album somewhat ironic, there are few artists out there today with either a similar work ethic or the ability to deliver consistently great sonic goods. And although we know that he can turn his hand to everything from rock... Continue Reading →
Greg Smith has charmed us with deft and delicate singles for a while now, so a full-length album from him is the perfect way to spend more time appreciating his skills. And Redemption Road is a very skillful offering indeed. He cuts his songs from just the right amount of sonic material, lush acoustic guitars... Continue Reading →
Although Meghan Pulles has used the term emo-positive in the past to describe her music, with this latest single she wanders into territory which might be better termed cosmic country cool. But if it is country then it is wrapped up in a whole host of interesting indie traits and purposeful pop poise. The cosmic... Continue Reading →
I'm in a corridor in an experimental situationist arts centre somewhere in Northern Europe and Blurt are playing in a room to my left and Gong are playing in a room to my right. What should I do? Easy. Stay right where I am and listen to Paar Linien. This is the happiest I've ever... Continue Reading →
I have never been one for surprises, my skin practically tingles like Spiderman when somebody suggests they have a surprise for me. I do not want to arrive home evening to find the lights off and my friends hunkered behind the sofa and doorways ready to shout “surprise!” on my birthday. Yet, in music, I... Continue Reading →
As much as music has to look forward, embrace new inspirations and ideas, potential and points-of-view, it always pays to acknowledge what has gone before too. The past has much to teach us. So making music that is inspired by the sounds of the past, which is pitched at a contemporary audience but which also... Continue Reading →
At least someone is looking forward, even if the "new normal" is as yet an unclear and fluid notion. KyD Kahlil kicks things off musing on what the future might bring rather than dwelling on the difficulties of the past, which is something that we all need to start doing. The future is unwritten…isn't that... Continue Reading →
Opting for more beguiling elements than the straight-forward punch, the hypnotic rather than the more obvious sonic tricks, the understated and hazy rather than the clean lines of mainstream pop, Running is a track that seems to invade your sense using a form of musical osmosis rather than the usual sensory methods. It is a... Continue Reading →
The term R&B has come to mean something new in the last few decades, the term perhaps conjuring images of girl groups, lip-synching to rootsy pop songs, more concerned with dance routines than music. But it used to mean something else. The clue is in the name. Rhythm. And. Blues. And it is that more... Continue Reading →
As long as you don't concern yourself too long with where Eat My Cult fits into the scheme of things generically or stylistically speaking, you are going to really enjoy this latest release from Let There Be Darkness. It's a dark sonic trip, a blend of voodoo vibes and twisted alt-pop, shamanic electronica and real... Continue Reading →
Let’s start with a bit of background, how did The Two Man Travelling Medicine Show come about, and what paths brought you together? Mark Lyons: We all meet in the sleepy village Witchampton in NE Dorset, England. There are not many people living there anyway so to find 7 like-minded musicians was definitely fate. There are three people involved with... Continue Reading →
It doesn't take long to get to the heart of what this latest ep from Comatose Red Ivy is all about. Smoking. Weed, Pot, Mary-Jane. Being high, stoned, baked, blazed. And why not? Worse things are being championed through mainstream music. Much worse. And although we hear the word freestyle much overused these days, a... Continue Reading →
Well, that's a great way to start the working day. A funky, dance-fueled blend of shuffling beats and chiming electronica, a bundle of hypnotic grooves and beguiling rhythms. Is it breakbeat, is it dance, is it electro-funk? Who really cares? All that matters is that it is the sort of music which immediately makes you... Continue Reading →