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Chris Bannister unleashed the black dog of depression in his latest Americana folk vignette, William, You Lied

Posted on 27 July 2024

The roots-reverent folk singer-songwriter, Chris Bannister, broke the radio silence which followed the successful release of his 2020 album, Truth, with his latest lyrically panoramic single, William, You Lied.

Taken from the UK-residing professional musician’s upcoming sophomore album, The Calling Course, which is due for release in August, William, You Lied is a sonically stripped, tonally paralysing, emotionally charged vignette of how heavy depression weighs on the soul and how it clouds vision with confusion and loss of direction.

The single, which follows the release of seven critically acclaimed LPs, aches with authenticity as Chris Bannister takes influence from folk greats in the vein of Cohen, Nick Drake, and Steve Earl while using his distinctive Americana-tinged acoustic folk signature to scribe a striking account of the all-consuming afflictions imposed by a melancholy mind.

William, You Lied was officially released on July 26th; stream the single on Spotify and discover more about Chris Bannister via his official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Miss Terious exhibited the power and pain of alter-egos in ‘Misty’

Posted on 26 July 2024

Miss Terious’ latest single, Misty, bridges the gap between the tender indie pop magnetism of boygenius, the artful expression of Kate Bush, and the gothic sombre glamour reminiscent of Evanescence. This coalescence is perfectly interwoven in the arcane atmosphere of the indie piano pop ballad, where the sparse instrumentals allow Miss Terious’ emotionally heightened vocals to spectrally overpower the production.

Each verse tightens the heartstrings as you become consumed by the raw emotion conveyed through the confession of how pseudonyms can deliver confidence while concealing the person behind the greatness. The deeply felt pain of being wanted through association rather than true connection resonates throughout Misty; anyone who has experienced this pain will find the ultimate consolation within the candour.

Miss Terious is a British-born alternative musician from the West Midlands, known for her originated mix of electronic and classical instruments. Since debuting with her EP Bleeding Green in 2020, she has tackled topics such as abuse, mental health, and her separation from the ballet industry. In 2022, she was honoured as BBC Introducing’s Artist of the Month for Coventry and Warwickshire and performed at the Backyard Festival in Leamington Spa. Her contribution to the music scene earned her the Local Hero Award for AIM Awards 2022.

After hearing Misty, there isn’t an industry accolade we wouldn’t see her as fit for.

Misty was officially released on July 19; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Diehard Romantics Will Meet Their Match in Kaleb Cohen’s Bluesy Indie-Folk Release, Our Eyes Met on Friday

Posted on 26 July 2024

Kaleb Cohen is set to become the second biggest Cohen in folk after the release of his bluesy indie single, Our Eyes Met on Friday.

After opening with an introspectively tender extended prelude, inviting listeners into a defining moment that captures the essence of a soul finally finding its home the song unfolds through increments of upbeat folk elements reminiscent of the Lumineers and Mumford and Sons which surge through the ingenuity within the genre-bending energy.

This release showcases Kaleb’s profound ability to make loungey piano keys bleed pure raw emotion, complemented by his seraphically timbered vocals that masterfully blend the gruff with the smooth. The continuous sonic reinventions throughout the track play havoc with rhythmic expectations, yet each new arrangement is as euphonic as the last, exhibiting the devilishly playful innovation of an artist who could easily skate by on his larynx of gold but chooses instead to go the extra aural mile to beguile.

Kaleb Cohen, an indie-folk-rock prodigy from Connecticut who writes, records, and self-produces his music is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film & Television Production. As an omen of the illustrious path he is destined to pave, his first-ever show in New Haven was a sell-out with fans coming as far as Pennsylvania to witness one of Indie Folk’s most promising names etch their legacy.

Our Eyes Met on Friday will be officially released on July 26; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Rhine Valley prescribed nostalgia-tinged serenity in their indie summer serenade, Instincts in the Red

Posted on 24 July 2024

If you want respite from the artists driven by delusion and to tune into an artist who grooves to the sound of his own nostalgia-licked mellow melodies, hit play on the latest single, Instincts in the Red, by Rhine Valley and discover one of the most underrated artists on the airwaves.

The 21st-century answer to the Zombies’ 1965 hit, Summertime, filters through a sepia-tinged lens which captures the heat of the sun-soaked season within the rhythms which ebb and flow beneath the artist’s idyllic vocal register; the harmonies easily reach euphony while injecting soul into the soundscape that is as laidback as Elliott Smith on Xanax.

Rhine Valley, easily one of the most self-effacingly grounded artists in the music industry, used his bedroom-recorded lo-fi number to candidly reflect on life and the embarrassment of his streaming numbers. By using the tribulations of operating as an independent artist sans a trust fund or nepo connections, he spearheaded the indie music movement with unflinching authenticity.

The song’s mellow indie vibe is perfect for fans looking for something genuine and grounded, it is a true reflection of an artist who can capture the beauty in the mundane and the plight of grassroots music with swathes of tongue-in-cheek panache to spare.

Instincts in the Red will be available to stream on all major platforms, including SoundCloud, from July 24.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

80s euphoria grooved back around through Electraverb’s debut LP, NEON

Posted on 23 July 2024

In their debut LP, NEON, the synthpop duo, Electraverb, crafted a euphoric gateway to the 80s dancefloors. I Feel the Music, the standout single, ensnares through delicious grooves, neon-dripping chords, and sensuously magnetic vocal lines; each element ties together not just to revisit an aural era but to fuel it with contemporary fervour.

From the ashes of their previous project, Stoneblue, the founding members, Chris and Mazdak, seamlessly transitioned their synergy, catchy melodies and intricate guitar work which resounded through London’s synthpop scene in the 90s into their new project which marks their maturity as earworm architects.

The addition of esteemed backing vocalists Jo Garland and Shirley Lewis, known for their work with icons like George Michael and Elton John, is a testament to Electraverb’s determination to push their sound to the heights celebrated by their influences.

If you envisioned an aural love child of The Human League, Kraftwerk and George Michael, you’d conjure a reflection of the scintillating soul which oscillates through I Feel the Music which delivers hypnotic rhythms as the harsh snares pierce the lush reverb under the harmonised to the nines vocals.

NEON was officially released on June 14th; stream the LP in full via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Classic songwriting meets contemporary cultivation in Col Gerrard’s debut, Sun & Sky

Posted on 23 July 2024

The heat of 90s Britpop summers shimmer through the debut single, Sun & Sky, by Col Gerrard, who is already well on his way to becoming synonymous with seraphic soul-imbued sonics.

Nostalgia-filtered warmth radiates through the magnetic melodies which cast away shadows to invite a spectrum of sepia-tinged colour into your senses as the guitar-driven rhythms in Sun & Sky reverberate in the middle ground between Springsteen, Bryan Adams and the Manics.

The scintillatingly lush synths perfectly round out and modernise the euphoric atmosphere of the classically written single which was produced by the GRAMMY-nominated producer and Brit Award winner, Chris Potter, best known for his work with Blur, Kean, U2, The Rolling Stones, and The Verve.

Inspired by the way Bowie affected his fans, Gerrard has imbued the same soul-affirming stardust into his own work. Yet, when the tonal bliss of Sun & Sky washes over you and the tenderly compassionate lyricism that consoles the lost and pensive starts to resonate, there’s no mistaking that the alchemy within the promising debut is originated to its core.

Sun & Sky was officially released on July 12th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Melbourne’s Emma Burt gave a fresh take on heartache in her country-pop debut, 10 Years

Posted on 22 July 2024

Emma Burt’s debut single, 10 Years, brought country-pop right up to speed with contemporary trends while preserving the rich legacy by blending timeless musical elements with a cultivated modern twist Hit play, sink into the vibrant pop-rock progressions, and a panorama of heartache will manifest before you. The euphonic guitars and classic pop piano keys introduce a spectrum of colours and emotions, echoing the freedom and spirit reminiscent of Stevie Nicks, which also filters through Emma’s naturally impactful vocal tone.

The melody, rich with the alchemy one might nod to Fleetwood Mac for inspiring, arrests from the first note in the exposition of how time is also lost with love when the door on a relationship closes. Reflecting on a sharp shock to the system when a decade-long relationship diminished, Emma Burt became a vessel of consolation for anyone who has felt a similar sting. Echoes of resilience reverberate through the release, marking it as an anthem for the heartbroken who are ready to move on.

After setting the bar so high with the catchy refrain and lyrical depth in 10 Years, Burt’s trajectory through the industry is one to watch closely.

10 Years was officially released on June 21; stream the single on Spotify now and follow Emma Burt on Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sydney’s annelise. is poised with sensuous power in her latest RnB single, Rearrangement

Posted on 21 July 2024

Since unveiling her 2019 debut EP, NO Feelings, the Western Sydney singer-songwriter annelise. has emerged as an indomitable force in the RnB scene who is showing no signs of slowing down on her trajectory to the top of the charts. Having been lauded by Rolling Stone Magazine and several other national tastemakers, she’s one of the few artists in the modern era who lives up to her hype.

Her latest sensuous with style and soul single, Rearrangement, is the latest installation in an onslaught of euphoric earworms which exhibit her seraphic grace and elevated approach to sound design which any fans of Aaliyah will want to inject into their playlists.

The downtempo track reverberates with honed emotional intelligence as she reflects on the downfall of a relationship after holding her partner to account. Rearrangement softly speaks volumes of how easy it is to become a pacifist in a toxic dynamic while attesting to how vital it is to trust your instinct and be your own advocate in a relationship.

The poised-with-power release will undoubtedly become a source of empowerment for anyone who sinks into the slow-burning serenade of the senses.

Rearrangement was officially released on July 18; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jayne Sugg – Belief is Hard: A Soulful 60s Sojourn Through Secular Spirituality

Posted on 21 July 2024

With her standout single, Belief is Hard, the NYC Indie singer-songwriter, Jayne Sugg, unveiled a strikingly soulful testament to the tribulations that transpire from spiritual metamorphosis. The title track of her forthcoming LP unspools a rich kaleidoscope of introspection, filtered through the soulful echoes of the ‘60s, creating a profound space for Sugg to narrate her wrestle with the ethereal and material reality.

The refraining lyric, “Why should I bring myself to pray if I can’t even find faith”, speaks volumes of her transformation following a deeply religious upbringing in which she was constantly brushing against the billboard legends of her parent’s generation.

Initially confined within the walls of religious music, Sugg deconstructed the constraints to unleash herself from creative stagnation. This transformation is the soul of her crowdfunded album, Belief is Hard, a collection that traverses her shifting perspectives, resonating with a love for soulful, nostalgic sounds that nod respectfully towards icons like Bonnie Raitt and Joni Mitchell. The instrumental backdrop in the title single, a subtle homage to the 60s soul, envelops her lyrics in a cocoon of warmth and organic richness, ensuring the listener feels every vibration of her vocal tremors.

The Good Shepherd Music Collective, a sanctuary for artists exploring deconstructed spiritual themes, finds its spirit woven into the album’s fabric. This collective, and by extension the album, sings of peace, love, and acceptance, echoing Sugg’s liberated spiritual and creative stance.

Recorded in the hallowed halls of Sonic Ranch and Dreamland Studios, featuring the performances of musicians like Tim Lefebvre and Terrence Clark, the lush and layered single is a gateway to catharsis.

Stream Belief is Hard on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Indie synths drive the soul in ‘Our Story’, the latest chapter in the organically originated artistry of iinz

Posted on 19 July 2024

‘Our Story’ is yet another chapter in the organically originated chronicle of the Alt-RnB trailblazer, iinz. With an innate ability to traverse the lesser-explored corners of RnB and the human experience alike, iinz introduces a fresh, experimental approach to her euphoniously stylised narratives.

Born from a visceral moment of heartbreak, Our Story is a profoundly personal vignette which epitomises the authentic and introspective essence of the independent artist. The single touches on how even if you share the most intimate parts of yourself, that doesn’t guarantee that you’ll share the same reality.

The loungey, pseudo-jazzy rhythms interspersed with indie synthwave touches create a lush, immersive soundscape which testifies to the nuanced sophistication within the artistry of iinz. Her collaboration with producer Taiina elevated the sonic complexity and evocative resonance to the nth degree.

With iinz on your playlists, you’re never short of a refuge of solace and understanding. The LA-hailing Israeli-American soulstress’ ability to find the alchemic intersections between old-school soul and alt-pop is beyond compare. Yet, there’s an aching sense that when it comes to iinz, expression will always be prioritised over competition.

Our Story will be officially released on July 19; stream the single on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast