Songs tell stories, sometimes these stories have the power to change perspectives, or maybe even inspire change to happen, or at the very least, they can inform and entertain. Opening our eyes to other ways of thinking, other ways of being, enlightening alternate paths to the ones we might currently be taking, but then again, […]
At this point in late October, in 2021, the Deaf Institute has been reopen for a number of months after a grueling year of uncertainty. Standing resilient after a near closure, not just due to a global pandemic, but a change of hands in ownership. The venue, more than ever, stands as a beacon of […]
My first encounter with Jessica Winter’s solo work was at a day festival in London, shortly after the lifting of Covid measures, which turned out, by the way, to be somewhat plagued by organisational woes. In the rather palpable frustration that accompanied said issues, then, it was even more remarkable that her set stood out […]
Partly because of the later relaxation of COVID rules in Wales, partly because of a series of personal circumstances, this early-October serving of alternative rock was my very first live music event in Cardiff in nearly two years; it felt odd, comforting, and slightly tense to be back queuing outside the familiar door of Clwb […]
Rosie Alena’s current single, ‘God’s Garden,’ is a rich and innovative track, as florid and baroque as her previous release, ‘The Light.’ This song clearly outlines her expectations and plans for romance, focusing on herself without ever sounding narcissistic, staying cautious without being overly so. Rosie Alena simply wants someone who will help her to […]
Hailing from Manchester and now South London-based, The Early Mornings are an up-and-coming band with very clear ideas which they’re keen to put into practice. We got a first taste of that with their recent self-released EP, Unnecessary Creation, a record with a provocative title and enough ambition to bounce between different genres and suggestions, […]
Our memories are built on shifting sands. They’re not images in our mind conjured by time-travelling back to the original events we’re remembering. We rarely recall an event direct from the source. More often than not, our brains remember instead the last time we remembered it. And each time it’s filtered from a new perspective, a […]
Brimming with limitless innovation and confidence, Liverpool’s Natalie McCool lands a great artistic leap forward with her latest LP, Memory Girl. The singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has become an admired figure of the alt-pop scene, putting in the years constantly developing and honing her sound. Here, five years on since her last full length release, The […]
RUNAH has always been an impossible artist to pigeonhole, swerving clear of convention at every turn whilst concocting her own unique blend of indie-pop. On this latest double release, featuring A-side ‘Ghost Light‘ and supporting single ‘Let’s Do It All Again,’ she shifts in tone and style once again, paving the way for her eagerly […]
Even before you hear a note of Spud Cannon’s third album, Good Kids Make Bad Apples, the band already have a couple of things in their favour.
Even from its very first beats, Awake and Hungry, the debut EP by London-based collective Folly Group, sets out to challenge its listeners. Out this June for So Young Records, this is a hugely ambitious work by a group of artists who have a very clear idea of where they’re going and what they want to […]
Folk singer-songwriter Chloe Foy has been building up a steady momentum for several years now, and here she truly delivers with a dazzling set of versatile, emotionally reflective work on the wonderfully titled, Where Shall We Begin, her debut LP out this Friday, 11th June.
If you want a song to puncture the pressure, to soften the stress or assuage the anxiety, lilo deliver it here in less than three minutes of feather-light beauty.
Gabrielle Sey’s new single, ‘White Noise,’ released on 7 May, is a powerful anthem for the most fundamental form of self-care—listening to yourself and no one else. Described by Sey as inspired by unwanted opinions from her loved ones—“All I hear is white noise,” she sings—it holds a message that many of us could do […]
Southampton five-piece BASH! are obviously masters of timing.
Squid are one of those bands whose output has been steadily growing in quality through the last couple of years, which makes their debut album Bright Green Field one of the 2021 records I was awaiting most eagerly. It contains some familiar tunes and a good number of bold new ideas, packaged together in an […]
Displaying a remarkable level of creative confidence and dexterity on his debut release, alt-folk singer-songwriter Luca Firth presents ‘Wings,’ out now on Bad Influence. It’s a charming DIY affair, recorded with just a couple of guitars, alongside pieces of furniture that were adopted as makeshift instruments to conjure up percussive soundscapes.
Time has felt pretty weird over the last 12 months. Days last forever while months spin by in the blink of an eye. Yesterday can feel like a decade ago.
There is something undeniably frenetic about the razor sharp songwriting of Sydney based indie-punk outfit Human Noise. With strong ties to both punk rock and singer-songwriter roots, the songs of Eddie Boyd and the band (formerly known as Boydos) are agitated, witty, and above all else, incredibly clever.
Collaboration is something kindred, a bond of connection akin to nothing else in this world. When musicians join together, distant or close, the result can be invigorating and regenerative. Since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, approaches have had to shift and renegotiate—and live performance has been especially affected. Collaboration has become that much harder but equally […]