Tag Archives: Bastille

Weekly Gems 67

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YAKUL – Blossoming

Yakul

At the forefront of the neo-jazz revolution is Brighton-based fourpiece Yakul.

Echoes of Stevie Wonder courtesy of frontman James’ indulgent vocals, the unexpectedly cohesive new single ‘Blossoming’ offers playful percussion and razor-sharp fills to create a complex yet vibrant song.

Sounds like: Stevie Wonder, Easy Life, Nico Cara

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Lila Drew – take it back

Lila Drew

Lila Drew‘s vocal capacity will instantly melt your heart and that’s why she’s on our ones to watch 2019 list.

The dreamy urban pop single ‘take it back’ is featured on her EP, ‘locket (side one)’ – a musical scrapbook of her life to date.

Sounds like: Ariana Grande, Caswell, Billie Eilish

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ORIION – Ayodele

ORIION

We are intrigued by ORIION‘s genre-bending take on “nostalgic pop”. The musical nomad has lived off a diet of pop icons which has fuelled his cutting edge sound.

His new single ‘Ayodele’ straddles the retro past and the euphoria future. Listen below.

Sounds like: Zayn

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Will & The People – Gigantic

Will & The People

Brighton-based band Will & The People is comprised of Will Rendle, brother Jamie, Jim Ralphs and Charlie Harman.

The new single ‘Gigantic’ is an alt-pop number offering a raw seaside vibe. The video – which you can watch below – showcases their creative side, and features both their hometown and friends and family of the band.

Sounds like: Alt-J

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State Lights – Open Your Arms

State Lights

One of Ireland’s best new acts, State Lights, is destined for big arenas across international gazes.

The catchy indie pop single ‘Open Your Arms’ makes a statement about empowerment and ends this week’s gems on a hugely positive note.

Sounds like: Kodaline, Coldplay, Kygo, Bastille

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Weekly Gems 45

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Anthony Lazaro – Neon Soul

Anthony Lazaro - Neon Soul

Italian singer-songwriter Anthony Lazaro is a new kid on the block of chilled, retro-modernist, electronic music.

His new single ‘Neon Soul’ channels some sweet and dreamy Jungle and Chic vibes, livening up those boring sepia colors from the autumn days

Sounds like: Jungle, Roosevelt, Chic

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Dady – Failing

Dady by Chad Griffith

NYC-based Dady is comprised of singer/songwriter Rachel Dady and songwriter/producer Jesse O’Connor.

Born from enemies, these two have somehow put their differences apart and now create delicate dream pop for the masses. ‘Failing’ effortlessly switches between tender moments and an anthemic hook.

Sounds like: Carly Rae Jepsen, Paperwhite, Taylor Swift, Haim

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Hanne Leland – Underdogs

Hanne Leland

Ever feel like an outsider? If so, then Norwegian artist Hanna Leland has your back with her new single ‘Underdogs’.

Fluid, Scandi electro-pop at its finest, ‘Underdogs’ is a call to arms for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider.

Listen below.

Sounds like: The Magnettes, Robyn

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Born Stranger – Last Night on Earth

Born Stranger

With it’s deceiving upbeat melody, Born Stranger‘s new single ‘Last Night on Earth’ is surprisingly about the sad topic of suicide.

An ode to those who have left our planet too soon, this track urges you to celebrate, live in the moment and be compassionate with each other.

Listen below.

Sounds like: Prinze George, Sia, The Wombats, Bastille, Major Lazer, Years & Years, M83, Foals, KAPTAN, The Brocks, Tears for Fears, Depeche Mode, Myzica

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Sleep Thieves – Sea of Shadows

Sleep Thieves

Dublin disco-noir trio Sleep Thieves shares new single ‘Sea of Shadows’.

With the song’s minimal lyrical attitude and looping darkly ethereal synths full of nostalgia that completely immerse your mind, it’s hard to believe the threesome met on Twitter.

Sounds like: Vök, Kate Boy, Poliça

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Whethan – Superlove Feat. OH Wonder

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Whethan

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

Whethan
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OH Wonder
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Weekly Gems 20

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Mafalda – Goodbyes

Mafalda

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.

Sounds like: FOXES, Birdy, Emma McGrath

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Alexx Mack -Your Car Feat. EXES

Alexx Mack - Your Car

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

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Wooshay – Alone Feat. Deanna

Wooshay

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

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Matt Wills – Lights Out

Matt Wills

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

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Low Island – The Lines

Low Island

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

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Florda Well – High Love

Florda Well

Meet Canada-based psych-pop band Florda Well.

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.

Sounds like: Tame Impala, MGMT, Goldroom

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Billie Eilish – bitches broken hearts

Billie Eilish

Good ol’ Billie Eilish really does love her fans, so to say thank you, she has uploaded a surprise new track called ‘bitches broken hearts’.

It’s a stripped back, minimalist number that lets Billie’s delicate vocals shine.

Sounds like: Dua Lipa, Astronomyy, Ella Vos, Tempers, Charlotte Cardin

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IDA – 1111

IDA

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.

Sounds like: Kaleida, Kllo, Kudu Blue

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The New Coast – Sleeptalk

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The New Coast

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

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Jagara – Real Love

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Jagara

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

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Written by Pat Dooner

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Apsley – Fear

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Apsley - Fear

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

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Heir – I’ll Pick You Up

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Heir

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.

Sounds like: The Levity, Bastille

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Born Stranger – Cheating Love (Feat Caitlyn Scarlett)

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Born Strangers

Nothing beats a beautiful electro-pop duet.

UK-based Born Stranger (aka Maddox-Jones and Raife Hacking) invited emerging vocalist, Caitlyn Scarlett, 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, Pet Shop Boys, Goldfrapp).

Sounds like: Prinze George, Sia, The Wombats, Bastille, Major Lazer, Years & Years, M83, Foals, KAPTAN, The Brocks, Tears for Fears, Depeche Mode, Myzica

Born Stranger
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Caitlyn Scarlett
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Apsley – Sold

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Apsley - Sold

Apsley – Sold

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

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