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Alternative

Sylvie’s Songs & Bryon Harris stir the soul with strings and sympathy in their affecting folk symphony, Heart Break Like Mine

Posted on 25 November 2024

‘Heart Break Like Mine’ by Sylvie’s Songs feat. Bryon Harris enmeshes animal activism with affecting artistry. Dedicated to the 1.7 billion animals confined in factory farms each year, the single urges listeners to become more ethical consumers, and to part with their dollars through empathy.

From the first pull of the classical strings and the opening lyric, “I want your heart to break like mine,” the track makes no bones about pulling all the evocative punches. In the same vein as The Smiths’ ‘Meat is Murder’, this classical folk ballad grounds you in the atrocities we often turn a blind eye to; it’s an aching reminder of the suffering we perpetuate.

Sylvie, a highly accomplished musician and songwriter with a deep passion for folk and Americana music, brings her wealth of experience and accolades—including Gold Medals for Best Lyrics and Best Songwriting from the Global Music Awards—to this powerful piece. Her classical guitar training from the prestigious Hartt School of Music and the New England Conservatory shines through her intricate playing. Having performed at esteemed venues and festivals throughout New England, Sylvie’s dedication to her craft is unmistakable.

Bryon Harris complements the track with his emotive depth, exemplifying his commitment to using music as a medium for awareness and change. With a background in classical music, Harris adds a rich authenticity to the song. Now based in Austin, Texas, he is at the forefront of a new wave of protest music addressing issues like factory farming and climate change.

Together, they have crafted a fervent call to action and catapulted a catalyst for change onto the airwaves which demands your conscience.

The official lyric video for Heart Break Like Mine is now available to stream on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Head Wound annihilated the airwaves with their electro-punk hit, D.B.V.T.Y

Posted on 24 November 2024

On November 15th, Head Wound stormed the alt-punk scene with their joint EP with the local act Soft Exit. Head Wound’s contribution to the Split EP will undoubtedly cause plenty of people to check if Mike Patton has spawned another moniker.

The frenetically electric opening track, D.B.V.T.Y, is a rollercoaster of transgressions, from the seductive electronic opening salvo which throws back to the salacious appeal of Alec Empire to the prowling basslines that echo Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster to the Fantomas-esque outburst of sheer insanity which chews up typical time signatures and spits them out as relentless attacks of glitchy garage punk.

As the ferocious synthesis of punk, post-hardcore and math rock veers to its outro, you realise you never knew the true definition of aural intensity until you witnessed the juggernautical power of Head Wound. The Kuwait-based powerhouse isn’t just pushing boundaries, they’re launching an all-out assault on them until they’re bruised, broken and barely distinguishable.

Stream D.B.V.T.Y as part of Head Wound’s debut LP on all major platforms, including Spotify, Bandcamp and Apple Music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

FHMY – my blue heaven, featuring AQL; a shoegaze invitation to tonal nirvana

Posted on 23 November 2024

The Cairo-born artist, FHMY’s latest single ‘my blue heaven’, featuring AQL, fuses the tonal sublimity of shoegaze with the rhythmic intricacy of math rock, giving listeners a double dose of melancholic alchemy.

The undercurrents surge with an immense force of gravity, dragging you under the progressions as the vocal outpours of emotion oscillate and bleed into the production, allowing the evocative edge of the single to belie the abstract nature of the lyricism. Tumultuous yet as mellifluous as waves crashing onto the shore, ‘my blue heaven’ is the definition of a juxtaposing masterpiece.

FHMY could easily have entered the Hall of Fame pantheon alongside Smashing Pumpkins and My Bloody Valentine if he had entered the scene in the epoch when indie luminaries capable of tearing down the barriers to the soul while building immense walls of sound reigned supreme.

my blue heaven was officially released on November 15; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Saint Senara are harbingers of chaos in their Southern Gothic Blues Folk vignette,  There’s a Storm Coming

Posted on 23 November 2024

Saint Senara invoked a tempest in their latest single, ‘There’s a Storm Coming’. Following a hauntingly hymnal opening, this slice of American Gothic Folk Blues allows a surge of melody to break through the sonic overcast.

Imagine a soundtrack to a gritty southern drama, where each note and lyric wrestles rhythmically with the heavy, discordance-spilling guitars that pour over bluesy percussion, and you’ll get an idea of what Saint Senara delivered here as a departure from their celebrated debut and the well-received ‘Under My Skin EP’,

Teaming up with the innovative producer Lex Raymond at White Noise Studios in Weston-super-Mare, the band ventured into darker, moodier territories with There’s a Storm Coming, which repurposes whips and chains as percussion and projects spectral vocal lines which oscillate through the mix, underpinned by Andrew Bate’s Gretschy guitar alchemy.

This neo-noir blues release is a declaration of the band’s readiness to take on higher echelons of the music industry. Be a part of their ascent by immersing yourself in the panorama of tempestuous yet melodious chaos.

There’s a Storm Coming was officially released on November 15; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Shadows and Light: Sarah Shafey’s Grunge Resurgence in ‘Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark’

Posted on 22 November 2024

In her standout single, ‘Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark,’ the award-winning Canadian-Egyptian artist Sarah Shafey conjured a maelstrom of emotion and sound, marking a bold new chapter in the legacy alt-rock.

Infused with a hypnotic etherealism seamlessly married to the raw, sludgy aesthetics of grunge, Shafey’s latest single finished what Wolf Alice started. Her singular sonic footprint blazes a trail for a stylised resurgence, one that sinks swathes of substance into style and is layered with sonic transitions from the ferocious growl of grunge to the futuristic shimmer of synth-driven indie rock.

Her latest album ‘The Paper Bag Princess’, from which Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark was taken, draws from the empowering narrative of Robert Munsch’s children’s book, infusing her music with a feminist ethos that puts her in Kathleen Hanna’s lyrical league while vocally allowing her harmonies to drip Shirley Manson-esque seduction.

Shafey’s approach to this album—an eight-song manifesto melding personal revelation with a ’90s grunge backdrop—signals a defiant overturning of outdated norms. As she navigates through a soundscape crafted with chugging guitars and ethereal synths, Shafey not only redefines her musical identity but also challenges the listener to embrace a narrative of strength and self-discovery.

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark was officially released on November 15th; stream the single on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Circuit Symphony: The Electrified Emotions of Bruce Cohen’s ‘Dance of the Siren’

Posted on 22 November 2024

With ‘Dance of the Siren,’ the virtuosic composer Bruce Cohen unveiled a composition that is as intricate as it is profound, drawn from his latest album, ‘8 BC.’ By blending the ornate richness of neo-classical elements with the pulsating depths of sci-fi intrigue, each note seems to decide whether to comfort or challenge the listener.

Cohen’s mastery in synthesising disparate musical traditions is evident, as ‘Dance of the Siren’ embarks on a voyage through lush, theatrical gravitas and bursts into scintillating sci-fi phases. This duality in tone and texture transforms the listening experience into an exploration of emotions, leaving one oscillating between catharsis and disturbance—a true testament to his unique position in the electronic music sphere.

Cohen’s journey in music has been a kaleidoscope of genre-defying ventures. From scoring plays like ‘Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde‘ at Philadelphia’s Walnut Theatre to forming the heavy, psychedelic jazz trio Big Fun 3, his creative bandwidth stretches far and wide.

His solo projects resonate with a penchant for German electronic minimalism and ambient soundscapes reminiscent of luminaries like Brian Eno and Klaus Schulze. With each album from ‘1 BC’ to ‘8 BC,’ Cohen has progressively dipped deeper into his own experimental ethos, melding ambient, funk, and trance elements to forge a distinct sonic signature.

Dance of the Siren was officially released on November 11th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Elegant Chasers is set to deliver a kaleidoscope of hope with their politically-charged Britpop-Grunge mash-up sophomore LP, To Live in Colour

Posted on 22 November 2024
The Elegant Chasers

The title track of To Live in Colour, the sophomore LP from The Elegant Chasers, is a vestige of sanctuary for those still searching for hope and resilience amid chaos.

As we sink ever deeper into a textbook definition of dystopia, the visceral fusion of grunge and Britpop, which rages with hook-rife rancour, is a livewire lifeline from an artist who has always sought solace in sound. With the hypersonically grungy hooks injecting adrenalised vindication into the mix, the one-man powerhouse beckons listeners into a tumult of nostalgia. Not to morosely reminisce on what is missed but to dare to fight against the backdrop of a disillusioned world after being reminded of the volition and connection we historically sourced from sonic redemption and calls to action.

Influenced by his own struggles, the track wrestles with darkness but refuses to succumb. The juxtaposition of anguish and upbeat, infectious melodies mirror the internal battle Maz faced growing up—bullying, trauma, and later, the hangover of rock ‘n’ roll’s recklessness.

With backing vocals from his daughters Penny and Phoebe and drums from the ever-present Lloyd “Keith Moon” Pritchard, the track taps into familial warmth and raw, gritty sound. Maz’s gift is to prove that while the world may be descending into madness, we can still choose to live in colour. The firestorm of sound that is To Live in Colour demands your attention and ensures you’ll never feel isolated in your apathy again.

The To Live in Colour LP will be available to stream on all major platforms, including Bandcamp, from December 6th. Connect with The Elegant Chasers on Instagram to stay up to date with news of the release.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Avant-Garde Alt-Pop Sensation Mitchell Zia Struck Again with His Jekyll and Hyde Hit, ‘accelerating’

Posted on 21 November 2024

With almost 80k monthly listeners behind him on Spotify and 157.4k followers on TikTok, the Avant-Garde Dark Electronic Pop sensation Mitchell Zia’s trajectory through the industry since his official debut in 2019 is the definition of a modern success story.

His standout single, accelerating, uses a baroque cabaret pop prelude as an opening salvo before introducing his vocals, which send tremors of deep, dark reverberations throughout the entire mix, easily overpowering the thrum of the basslines and the trappy beat. Weaving light back into the mix, the swanky piano keys ephemerally reintroduce themselves as Zia’s vocal lines chameleonically transform into an infectious pop timbre.

The way the single continues to switch in tone is enough to whip up a schizophrenic frenzy in the single which never allows you to feel complacent within the helter-skelter production. It’s enough to leave you with no room to wonder why Mitchell Zia is dominating the contemporary pop scene.

Accelerating is available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The New Old Became This Generation’s Answer to the Cramps With ‘Ain’t Dead Yet’

Posted on 19 November 2024

Detroit rock n roll heavyweights The New Old delivered one of the raunchily reverent hits of 2024 with their macabrely infectious single, Ain’t Dead Yet. Accompanied by a cinematically shot Day of the Dead-themed music video, which has racked up over 115k streams to date, Ain’t Dead Yet injects swaggering rock n roll nostalgia into a modernised and stylised production.

If you can imagine what the Cramps would sound like if they spawned in this generation, you’ll get an idea of what the devilishly debauched prodigal sons delivered with this radio-ready anthem that retaliates with resilience as a form of resistance, offering vindication to anyone who has been counted out prematurely.

However The New Old follow this scintillatingly serpentine earworm, it’s clear that they’re a band on the brink of a stratospheric ascent. If any band can stop Stonesy rock n roll from fading into obscurity, it’s them.

Stream the official music video for Ain’t Dead Yet on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Folk meets prog-punk in Whate’s orchestrally cinematic composition By Torchietto

Posted on 18 November 2024

Where fire meets finesse, whate’s composition ‘By Torchietto’ ignites a fervent blaze that’s set to endure. At its core, the UK-based progressive alt-punk outfit harnesses a storm of eclectic influences, melding the raw energy of punk with the intricate layers of orchestral folk and progressive music. From the stings of violins reminiscent of classical giants like Hans Zimmer and Ennio Morricone to riotous chords, the band’s standout single, ‘By Torchietto’, is an incendiary declaration.

Founded in Italy by Dave Dreamer—lead singer, guitarist, composer, and violinist—whate crafts sound-transcending spectacles. With each member’s diverse background, ranging from blues to prog rock, the band forges a style baptised as “progressive punk”. This sophisticated, new sound is a cocktail of revolutionary ideas, blending Dreamer’s love for classical with punk’s unapologetic rebellion.

‘By Torchietto’ itself is a profound alchemy, balancing tender orchestration against striking, fiery energy, pulling listeners into a cinematic sweep of emotion and rhythm. Much like the rest of the artist’s discography, the single embodies the band’s unflinchingly urgent cry for societal transformation and personal awakening, all while demonstrating their ability to channel their inner tumult into a coherent call to action.

whate’s trajectory, from their debut ‘Can’t Breathe Anymore’ to their current partnership with Rexius Records, signifies a band soaring on their own terms. With ‘By Torchietto’, whate stands poised on a pedestal of their own crafting, unlikely to ever cascade from the pinnacle they’ve reached.

By Torchietto was officially released on November 8th and is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast