Following his awesome collab with Broods and still buzzing from a second Coachella appearance, Whethan shares news single ‘Superlove’ featuring London-based alt-pop duo Oh Wonder.
It is essentially an extremely happy love song with delicate tropical rhythms. Expect no sullen vocals and sultry tones here!
It’s out now on Big Beat Records.
Sounds like: Fickle Friends, Bastille, Kid Astray, Banks, Paperwhite, Years & Years, Bipolar Sunshine, Broods, Draper
We are loving the husky vocal tones of London-native Mafalda and brisk piano keys in her current single ‘Goodbyes’.
The beautifully constructed ballad is easily something you’d hear in the charts, possibly as a result of Mafalda’s recent work with UK and US based producers.
After a brief hiatus, Alexx Mack returns to our stereos with her latest release ‘Your Car’, featuring EXES.
Alexx took the year long break to rediscover herself and her music, and the break has done her good. The reformed sound is ruminating and lustrous, everything a modern, dark synth-pop song should be.
Sounds like: Julia Michaels, Halsey, Kate Boy, The 1975, The Magnettes
It will feel like summer is still here if you take a listen to Wooshay‘s new single ‘Alone’.
A stripped-back and easy house melody bounces throughout the song, as the Californian duo blend Middle Eastern production with the warm and commercial vocals of Deanna.
Sounds like: The Him, Shift K3y, Karen Harding, Le Youth
Matt Wills has backing from all walks of musical life, so who are we to disagree?
Although Matt seeks collaborations from those in electronic music and grime scenes, ‘Lights Out’ is right up Indietronica’s street.
The video has been directed by Chris Parton and firmly showcases Matt’s knack for putting together an incredibly hook with romantic vocals and on point production.
Sounds like: Ed Sheeran, Aquilo, Bastille, The Kooks
Oxford quartet Low Island share the cleverly choreographed and colourful video for ‘The Lines’, which has a distinct 90’s vibe to it.
It features young dancer Olly Bell and focuses “on the current states of anger, protectionism, division and paranoia that have become so prevalent in today’s society.”
Sounds like: Four Tet, Alt-J, Glass Animals, Shy Luv, Hot Chip, Caribou, Aquilo
Despite the deliciously boozy bass-lines and woozy vocals in ‘High’ that conjure up feelings of warm stoner summers, the song was written and recorded during the coldest and darkest part of the year, which is only a testament to Florda Well for their positive outlook.
We are expecting great things from Sydney-based artist IDA based on the sound of her latest single ‘1111’.
Also the vocalist in Little Deed, IDA is well practised in recording and performing. ‘1111’ offers a great second solo single – delicate synths slow-burning beats and yearning vocals.
Expect her debut EP, ‘i’ to be out before the end of the year.
Tunbridge Wells (UK) locals The New Coast share ‘Sleeptalk’.
The addictive indie pop number swirls with heavy synths and echoey riffs, adding to The New Coast’s collection of distinct Southern sounds.
Speaking about the track the guys say,
“Writing ‘Sleeptalk’ felt massively cathartic for us and allowed us to explore a really personal moment in a cinematic, 3 minute pop song. Lyrically, for me, it pin points a delicate moment between two people, people who are just starting to get to know each other, but also notice these colourful and intense emotions in a very short period of time.
Even though the song is reliving a specific moment from last summer, I love the way that someone can take whatever personal vision and meaning they like from the lyrics. It almost feels necessary. I don’t think anyone is going to have the exact same sentiment sonically and lyrically, but thats the best part, its so expressive to create your own idealistic story from thewords. However, we like to make everything in our music feel cinematic and infectious, so we want to set the scene in peoples minds and hopefully it’ll take you to that place. Like you’re watching a cool movie with a soundtrack that sounds like your life.”
Sounds like: Bastille, To Kill A King, Imagine Dragons, Kodaline, KYKO, Draper
Jagara are three sisters from London making genre-bending mature pop music, or so their press release says.
When reviewing music, we usually enjoy having a good listen through what we get sent before we even cast our eyes on what we’re supposed to think about it, so putting the press release out of mind is a good starting point.
On first listen nothing about their new single ‘Real Love’ drags us in, then nothing is making us switch off either. Musically it is quite simple with an under-produced feel (in a good way), good arrangements with a strange and interesting appeal. There is a vague but pleasing sense of familiarity and that coupled with that by the third and fourth listens the vocals begin to become really catchy means that we can see how this three piece are building up a great reputation.
Jagara have recently been on tour supporting Bastille on their sold out arena tour and we can see and hear the link to a group like Bastille, and fans of Bastille will definitely be on board, even though we feel ‘Real Love’ displays a more pleasant subtlety to it than most of what we’ve heard from Bastille.
There are definite elements of past pop triumphs with plenty of influences rooted in the 80’s but Jagara have used only hints of these to give a sense of something you might know and their abilities as writers and musicians carry these through to make a good, albeit slightly uninspiring piece of music. On the whole ‘Real Love’ will no doubt push Jagara further to where they need to be, it’s catchy, it’s poppy, it’s familiar but it isn’t pushing the boundaries of their abilities let alone the boundaries of music. We feel there is much more to come from Jagara and we’re really looking forward to hearing how the next single or two develops from here.
Sounds like: Shura, Bastille, New Order, Grimes, Blondie
We wrote about Idaho-based Apsley (aka Jacob Apsley) earlier this year and we’re excited to share his latest release, ‘Fear’.
The track has more of an demanding tone than Sold, reminding us of an early The 1975 with its muted guitar riffs and echoey, falsetto vocals.
Sounds like: Fenech-Soler, SOHN, Aquilo, The 1975, Friendly Fires, Delphic, The Chain Gang of 1974, The Naked and Famous, H A R T E B E E S T, Tourist, Bastille, Great Good Fine Ok, Hurts, X&Y, Young Empires
Five-piece, Heir, share their new track, ‘I’ll Pick You Up’.
It’s modest and understated with echoes of warm and rainy 80’s nights.
Heir have pretty impressive stats, having already played sold out shows in their hometown of Leeds and supporting Honne and The Dunwells. We are looking forward to hearing some more from these guys.
UK-based Born Stranger (aka Maddox-Jones and Raife Hacking) invited emerging vocalist, CaitlynScarlett, to join them in the studio. Just 15 minutes later, the verse and lyrics to ‘Cheating Love’ were created.
Caitlyn explains, “The phrase ‘cheating love’ can be perceived as infidelity, but the undertone I wanted to convey was that of cheating love the same way someone might cheat death, a close shave but ultimately avoided.”
The track is co-produced by Yoad Nevo (Sia, PetShopBoys, Goldfrapp).
Sounds like: Prinze George, Sia, The Wombats, Bastille, Major Lazer, Years & Years, M83, Foals, KAPTAN, The Brocks, Tears for Fears, Depeche Mode, Myzica
Idaho-based Apsley (aka Jacob Apsley) releases his debut track, ‘Sold’, and it’s a stunner.
Originally a drummer (he started at the tender age of six), Jacob later picked up the piano, guitar and singing skills that we today witness on ‘Sold’.
‘Sold’ is about seeing life as it really is, and not being shackled to the conforms of society. With that in mind, we recommend you whack this song on your headphones and go for a walk outside.
Sounds like: Fenech-Soler, SOHN, Aquilo, Friendly Fires, Delphic, The Chain Gang of 1974, The Naked and Famous, H A R T E B E E S T, Tourist, Bastille, Great Good Fine Ok, Hurts, X&Y, Young Empires
Nottingham based Amber Run are a four piece who like to whip up indie anthems.
As many bands will know, keeping this type of spontaneity can be tough, especially if you let the music industry exhaust you.
‘Fickle Game’ is about just that, and features on their upcoming album, ‘For A Moment I Was Lost’, which, you’ll be pleased to read, was written during an impromptu moment of creativity in Pembrokeshire.
February Headline Tour Dates
8th – Waterfront Studio, Norwich
10th – Rock City, Nottingham
11th – The Institute, Birmingham
13th – Phoenix, Exeter
14th – Engine Rooms, Southampton
16th – O2 Academy, Newcastle
17th – QMU, Glasgow
18th – Plug, Sheffield
19th – Welly, Hull
22nd – Stylus, Leeds
23rd – Academy 2, Manchester
24th – SWX, Bristol
25th – Forum, London
Pre-order the album on iTunes here. It’s out on 10 February.
Sounds like: Ten Fe, Young Kato, Two Door Cinema Club, Bastille, The 1975, Foals
Hurray GIRL FRIEND are back with another killer floor filler!
‘Call Me If You’re Lonely’ is taken from their box of tales of nights out, chance romantic adventures and walking the hazy line between wasted-chic glamour and spectacular chaos.
