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Alternative

AFTERDRIVE buried indie landfill under the immensity in their latest anthem, Gold Dust

Posted on 7 June 2024
AFTERDRIVE

The Ipswitch indie-rock breakthrough band, AFTERDRIVE, hit the wheel and blazed beyond contemporary trends with their latest single, leaving outfits in the vein of the 1975, M83, and The Neighbourhood in the ‘Gold Dust’ of their viscerally textured hit.

Ben Watts’ distinctive vocal inflections relentlessly hit raw nerves with the projections of vulnerability in the bitter-sweet release which embodies the band’s determination to bring small-town boredom blues to an international stage.

The instrumental evocative artillery shows little mercy; after showing melodic restraint within the verses, the choruses cascade into augmented alchemic chaos as the alt-indie-rock guitars construct walls of sounds to encase you within the brooding atmosphere of the intense narrative of affliction as the upbeat synths resonate as the last feign of hope in the outpour of ennui.

After their debut single, Stick Around, met critical acclaim and received regular airplay from BBC Introducing and more success was sealed with every subsequent release, we have no doubt that Gold Dust will seal the artist’s fate as one of the biggest names in the UK indie scene.

Gold Dust will be available to stream on all major platforms from June 7th. Discover ways to listen via the official AFTERDRIVE website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nathalie King – More: A Sensory Trip-Hop Revelation

Posted on 5 June 2024

Toronto’s ethereal electropop enchantress, Nathalie King, has recently unleashed ‘More’; a sense-awakening cinematic score of scintillating trip-hopped electropop and deep house waves of euphoria that pull you right into the gravitational force of this paralysingly lush soundscape.

The track delivers vocal lines that are just as melodiously luxuriant as the pulsating progressions in a style that will never go out of trend. It’s safe to say King has broken the spell of throwaway pop culture with this seminal release The sensory staying power will stand the test of time as a monument to King’s ability to render catharsis into her staunchly accoladed serene productions, which reverberate with arcanely rendered audial bliss. Nathalie King’s music is noted throughout the industry for its cinematic gravitas which envelops her dynamic vocal range which is just as comfortable in a sultry low register as a soft and melodic upper range.

King is currently working on her new EP, PTSD, which is slated for release in 2024 and has become a therapeutic means to overcome childhood trauma and enduring depression. Collaborating with Bristol-born producer Joseph Snook, PTSD promises King’s fans a more electronic and UK-centric sound.  Away from her solo music, King has garnered attention with placements in commercials and TV shows; she also continues to contribute to Universal Production Music UK and perform throughout Toronto and Europe.

Watch the official music video for More on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Prepare for a post-punk power surge when LIINES unleashes their kinetic comeback track, Holding On

Posted on 5 June 2024
LIINES

The emotional underpinnings of longing in Holding On capture exactly how LIINES fans have felt while waiting for the new material to surface. It’s been almost three years since the last fix from Manchester’s post-punk revolutionists, now that it’s here, prepare to be overpowered by propulsively kinetic earworm.

From the first lashing of the seething with distortion guitar strings, you know you’ve hit play on a track capable of tearing your soul in two and stitching it back together with threads of adrenaline, desperation and hope. Intensity reaches every aural atom in the light-handed production that allows Zoe McVeigh (vox, guitar, bass) and Leila O’Sullivan to exhibit the raw magnetism of their creative synergy.

Charged with hauntingly emotional potency and driven by a frenetic rhythmic pulse, Holding On unravels with the same catchy lyrical reprises projected through the signature songwriting structure that has allowed LIINES to be a continuation of Manchester’s post-punk legacy, not just a mere mediocre facsimile.

Yet, notably, there’s a heightened sense of vulnerability within Zoe’s stridently pitched searing vocals, ensuring Holding On hits every feasible raw nerve before tearing you away from the articulated agony through the liberation within the exhilarant progressions.

From the release of their 2018 debut LP, LIINES has pushed post-punk into unchartered waters, With their renewed cultivated edge carved by the Sleater Kinney influence that reverberates through the single until the haunting Pixies-esque middle eight that allows the vox to drift from the basslines as they prowl under the optimism searching harmonies, their distinctive volition met freshly honed prowess.

Holding On will be available to stream on all major platforms from June 7th; pre-save the single here, and follow LIINES on Facebook to stay up to date with news of the upcoming EP, due for release in Autumn 2024.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Candy Rush debuted with her quirky pop revelation, Don’t Even Wanna Know

Posted on 5 June 2024

Don’t Even Wanna Know is the satirically sweet quirky pop debut from the Romanian London-based artist, songwriter and producer, Candy Rush (Elena Ilie). Play it loud and amplify the voice of this generation that is becoming increasingly tired of plastic pop protagonists who shirk autonomy while rattling a begging bowl for commercial success.

The debut is stylistically saccharine enough to implant a voracious sweet tooth in anyone who swims in its honeyed tides of the single which allows idiosyncrasy and autonomy to ebb and flow throughout the avant-garde mix of alt-pop, neo-jazz, funk and soul.

“It feels like an infection to deal with your perfection” is just one of the introspectively enlightening lyrics which embody the lyricist’s ability to move far past the tired tropes and deliver lines that catch you off-guard with the resonant obscurity. Her playful approach to vocal arrangement and unorthodox grooves resulted in a ground-breaking debut which embodied her desire to exhibit the quirks and contradictions of modern life.

With the accessibility of the proverbial girl next door and a talent that could rival HONEYMOAN, Candy Rush will prove to be a force to be reckoned with as she rises up from the alt-pop underground.

Don’t Even Wanna Know was officially released on May 24; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Vashaun set the alt-rap scene ablaze with ‘Lit Matches’, ft VHC

Posted on 4 June 2024

Few artists defy genre constraints with as much fire and fervour as Vashaun. At this stage in his career, his unflinchingly expressive discography, which focuses on visualising emotion, exploring phenomena, and welcoming listeners into his worldview and the streets that raised him, almost spans the entirety of the sonic spectrum.

From rock to emo to rap to Afrobeat to acoustic pop, it’s anyone’s guess where he will take his fans next. With his latest single, Lit Matches, the Chicago-born-and-raised artist collaborated with VHC to deliver one of his most expansively affecting singles to date.

Lit matches ignites with the grungy discordance of alt-90s indie before the first verse drifts into an organically melodic acoustic pop verse. But Vashaun doesn’t settle there; in the next progression, fans of Lil Peep and Juice Wrld will be able to get their emo rap fix, but Vashaun makes the style his own with the overdriven guitars, melodic Latin infusions and dualling rap verses that could rival ICP.

It’s a rarity to find a hit that gets better with every listen, but discernibly, we’ve stumbled on sonic gold with Lit Matches. Vashaun is a firebrand that will leave the alt-rap scene ablaze.

Lit Matches was officially released on May 24; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Spotlight Feature: ELZON broadened the alt-RnB hip-hop horizon with his psychedelic trip of a hit, ‘expensive dreams’

Posted on 4 June 2024

ELZON redefined the boundaries of alt-RnB and hip-hop with his latest single, expensive dreams. The London-based artist, known for his rich cultural background and boundary-pushing music, delivered a scintillatingly serene installation of hypnotic innovation which begins with a visionary overture that lures listeners into transcendence, where dreamy 8-bit tones meld seamlessly with cloud rap influences.

The track is a kaleidoscope of cultivation, opening a portal to unrestrained artistic expression. As the song progresses, it builds towards a mesmerising mid-section, characterised by ethereal falsettos reminiscent of The Weeknd’s early work. This shift in tone, akin to a record player hitting play on a fresh LP, elevates the track into a crescendo that injects subtle intensity and speaks of ELZON’s status as a revered pioneer who is well on his way to becoming a viral sensation.

Produced between London and Manchester, with the signature touches of Elliot Taylor and Blamebrazy, expensive dreams is a testament to ELZON’s relentless pursuit of pushing leftfield sounds into the mainstream.

ELZON describes the track as a “psychedelically experimental rap/RnB track inspired by Frank Ocean and Lucki, featuring cloud rap-influenced instrumentals and Blond-esque pitched vocals”. This fusion creates a lush soundscape of surreal serenity that speaks to the senses louder with every listen.

ELZON’s journey from his early days making music in his bedroom to collaborating with Grammy-nominated producers attests to his talent and dedication, which the airwaves will see more of later this year when he unleashes his art PUNK mixtape.

Stream expensive dreams on Spotify, and follow ELZON on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Matching Drapes reinvented Riot Grrrl with the infectious indie rock single, all my friends are (snakes)

Posted on 3 June 2024

If you attempted to temper your teenage angst by cranking up Jack of Jill, Bikini Kill, and Babes in Toyland, tune into the latest single, all my friends are (snakes), from the bratty resistance against misogyny, Matching Drapes.

Taken from the manslaughter EP, all my friends are (snakes) injects the modern reverberations of infectious indie rock into a 90s Riot Grrrl aesthetic, moving far past the mediocrity of uninspired pastiche.

As the basslines prowl, the overdriven guitars augment the single with a level of volition fitting for the tongue-in-cheek articulation of outrage as the vocals spit out the venom of fake friends. We all have them, yet, when the single was organically conceived from a jam session, Matching Drapes intended for the track to be an invitation to shed inhibition and imbibe in rhythmic hedonism.

The project by Berlin/Reykjavik band, comprising the two frontwomen Arndís Rán and Jacquie Hirt, started in 2023.  To record their debut EP, they were joined by Liam Harrison (lead guitar), Toby Savill (rhythm guitar), Niclas Liebling (Bass) and Adrian Lizarraga (drums). As a fully-fledged unreckonable force, they’re not a band you want to leave off your radar.

all my friends are (snakes) will be available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify and Soundcloud, from May 31.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The future of alt-rock arrived with Zegovia’s grungy punk-pierced protest, (It’s All Just) Noise

Posted on 3 June 2024

Imagine an immensely volatile lovechild of Dinosaur Jr and Pavement with punk proclivities, and you’ll get an idea of what Zegovia birthed with their latest single, (It’s All Just) Noise.

After the warm overdriven guitar chords swathe the pulsative drum rhythms with discordance in the intro, the rancour strips back as angular notes deliver intricately off-kilter melodies, creating a raw edgy aesthetic that speaks to how sharp Zegovia cut their teeth before they delivered the hook-rife controlled chaos in (It’s All Just) Noise.

So much more than your assimilative bubble of alt-90s nostalgia, Houston’s most inventively authentic alt-rock outfit rose up from the sludgy ennui of grunge, driven by the punk rock ferocity that is clearly running in their veins.

After feeling the full force of the visceralism in their latest release, it is evident that the four-piece’s determination to keep the pulse of rock beating in their rhythm won’t be in vain. Sleeping on a bed of nails would be easier than sleeping on Zegovia.

(It’s All Just) Noise arrived on the airwaves on May 24; stream the single on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Tarantino Tango: The Rhythmic Revolution of INÉSNation’s Heart of Glass

Posted on 1 June 2024

If music is a cure, the Mexican collective of world-class musicians INÉSNation is the ultimate healer. Their latest remedy, Heart of Glass, filters indie flamenco rhythms through a Tarantino-esque lens, bringing in elements of bluegrass to smash through the monocultural mould and leave fans of Tele Novella, Black Honey, and Superfood weak at the rhythmic pulses.

Singer-songwriter, INÉS, is the April March of her generation with her hauntingly timeless vocal timbre that allows you to effortlessly fall into the vignette which captures the turbulence within a mind attempting to piece together a fragmented heart.

It was a bold move using the same title as the Blondie classic single, yet after hearing Heart of Glass, it’s clear that no move can be too audacious for the genre-fluid collective which frequently experiments with jazz, blues, and folk while amplifying their scintillating syntheses through the raw power of rock and immersing their listeners in lyrical lore with country-esque storytelling.

Heart of Glass is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Grief transmuted into ground-breaking dance-pop in Tori BLK’s anthem of fortitude A-Okay

Posted on 31 May 2024
Tori BLK

Ignited by fiery pop-punk energy, Tori BLK’s latest dance-pop track, A-Okay, is an act of intense sonic fortitude. Written in the months following losing her mother to liver cirrhosis in February 2024, the single delivers mantras and sonics of solace as it sarcastically scathes at the internal and external expectations to be okay in the wake of a tragedy so colossal you lose your sense of gravity in an alien orbit of reality.

With so many layers to the single, consuming it completely requires digging deep into the emotional and thematic mantles of the single in addition to acknowledging how the instrumentation and stylistic touches amplify the heart-wrenching yet juxtaposing soul-enriching essence of the single.

As the hard-hitting beats thrash against the grief, the upbeat synth-carved melodies deliver the consolation in synergy with Tori BLK’s ascendingly ethereal vocal lines until the chorus hits and she fervently delivers the refrain “tell me that I’m okay, tell me that I’m a-okay”. The heterogeneous hit is inexplicably affecting; it transcends music to exhibit an unfiltered manifestation of a grief-torn soul. As someone who has also experienced the loss of their mother, I can attest first-hand to how raw and real the resonance is.

If this is your first introduction to Tori BLK (AKA Victoria Islas) and her ability to alchemise, transmute and transform broken hearts, it will be an unforgettable acquainting with the singer-songwriter, music producer, poet and spiritual intuitive.

A-Okay will be available to stream on all major platforms from May 31; find your preferred way to listen and connect with Tori BLK through her official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast