Browsing Tag

BBC Introducing

The claws are out in Harmonical’s latest single, Cat on Heat, featuring Élan Noelle

Posted on 5 September 2022

It has been a phenomenal run for the effortlessly distinctive RnB artist Harmonical (AKA songwriter & producer James Stretten) with his cinematically contemporary songs appearing on the credits of Hollyoaks and constantly spun on BBC Introducing.

His latest single, Cat on Heat, featuring the enrapturing robust vocals of Washington RnB soul singer, Élan Noelle, is yet another reason to fall head over heels for his funk-riding euphonic sonic signature.

With a narrative as compelling as the Copacabana, the lyrics in Cat on Heat are almost enough to bring out the popcorn. The dynamic that the lyric “she’s my best friend, but she is like a cat on heat” sets up a scenario that most will be able to relate to.

The music video to Cat on Heat premiered on August 11th. Check it out for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Joshua Woo teaches us to let the light shine free again on, ‘Sunflower Seeds’

Posted on 21 May 2022

After first impressing us with his BBC Introducing featured single ‘Beyond The Glass‘, Joshua Woo returns with a special soundtrack to summer that is hugely welcome with, ‘Sunflower Seeds‘.

Joshua Woo is a UK-based indie singer-songwriter and music producer who puts his whole heart and soul into all of his catchy inventions.

“I wrote Sunflower Seeds as a message of hope for anyone who needs it. The world has been a real crazy place for a while now and instead of just pointing that out I wanted to write something that could bring people some joy. It’s very interpretative though and I’m really happy for anyone to get what they want from the lyrics.” ~ Joshua Woo

Showing us that we may alleviate our stress if we close our tired eyes and find that inner courage to be happy again, Joshua Woo sends our thoughts into a much better world again through his soothing vocal artistry that is certainly mood-altering.

‘Sunflower Seeds‘ from UK-based indie singer-songwriter Joshua Woo is such a calming track that will bring you to a more relaxed place than before. The lyrics presented are rather peaceful and filled with hope, that we can actually be happy again like we deserve. He sings with a joyous exuberance that is rather contagious (in a good way), as we are brought into a better world where the birds are chirping and the flowers are blooming rather beautifully.

Listen to this new track on Spotify and follow his IG for all the news.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Elias Kopp advocates autonomy in his hooky indie synth-pop single, No One Knows

Posted on 15 March 2022
https://soundcloud.com/eliaskopp/no-one-knows

Elias Kopp declared “normal is the dirtiest of words” in his latest breakbeat synth-pop single, No One Knows; we wholeheartedly agree. There’s nothing quite as tragic as the thought of so many minds coming of age while striving for an ideal that isn’t reachable. But the Brighton/Southeast UK-based artist more than played his part in ensuring that fewer souls tarnish by the quest for normalcy that strips autonomy.

No One Knows isn’t the first single from Kopp to thrive upon dark narratives and came to life through his evocative vocals. Since making his debut, his hooky became a firm fixture on BBC Introducing and BBC Radio 6. We would put money on a bright 2022 for Kopp. His tendency to put his emotional intelligence before his ego is addictive. Save a space on your radar.

No One Knows will officially release on March 15th, 2022. You can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud and the artist’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ease the Artist put the West Midlands on the UK hip hop map once again with ‘Go Off’

Posted on 15 February 2022

After 12 years in the industry, the trailblazing West Midlands, UK-based hip hop pioneer, Ease the Artist, has had plenty of time to find his signature sound. Based on the sheer charisma, grit and distinction in his seminal track, Go Off, you couldn’t ask for a brighter luminary.

Rather than solely relying on his rapid cadence – which alone is dizzying – he also finds plenty of space in his dynamic bars to lay down vocal hooks in the chorus and plenty of charismatic personality in the verses.

Go Off finds the perfect balance between convictive Grimey motivation and playful high vibes that allow you to embrace the true talent of Ease the Artist. So far, that talent has seen him featured on BBC Introducing and having one of his tracks selected to become the track of the week.

You can check out the official lyric video for Go Off by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Hip hop and indie-rock go pop-punk in Lewis Shepperd’s latest single, Take My Hand

Posted on 20 December 2021

Lewis Shepperd showed us the true extent of his versatility with the release of his latest single, Take My Hand, which obliterates the boundaries between indie, pop, rock and hip hop. The breaking artist hasn’t idled since we heard his last single, Follow You, which delivered a Kings of Leon style of cool and proved that his soulfully resonant talent should be as revered as Winehouse’s. Since then, he’s performed at the Isle of Wight Festival in 2021, received plenty of BBC airplay and garnered critical acclaim from across the board.

With rap bars mixed with his energised indie-rock vocals atop the instrumentals that continually shift through melodic grooves, tension-fraught build-ups and pop-punk style breaks, Take My Hand is a gift that keeps on giving.

As the garagey distorted rock licks towards the outro prove the value in the perpetual solidarity by depicting the chaotic state of the world, the lyrics remind you how sweet it is to have stunning souls around you. If that doesn’t hit the spot, you may want to check if you’ve still got a pulse.

Take My Hand is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Folk noir soulstress Echo Wants Her Voice Back has released her most evocative single to date, ‘Wife’

Posted on 3 June 2021

‘Wife’ is the latest poetically Avant-Garde single from Cypriot-born, London-based singer-songwriter and actress Echo Wants Her Voice Back. Starting with a minimalist, spiritual intro that any fans of the Cranberries will appreciate, Wife is captivating from the start. The conversationally imploring vocals lead you right into the heart of the track, and that is a trip you’re going to want to take over and over again.

With a touch of Gwen Stefani-Esque attitude to the folk-pop lyrics in the chorus, the seamlessly progressive single is proof of the alchemy that can breathe through a release created without constraint. The baroque pop outro that carries reminiscence to Emilie Autumn’s archaic sound is a haunting way that ensures Wife will stay with you long after the outro

With her second EP in the works, Echo Wants Her Voice back is well worth room on your radar.

Wife released on May 21st; you can hear it for yourselves via SoundCloud and Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Libby Butterworth explores femininity with her indie-pop earworm CHANEL.

Posted on 14 May 2021

CHANEL is the latest single to be released by Cambridge-hailing 21-year-old singer-songwriter Libby Butterworth who has already earned a spot on the BBC Introducing Hotlist in 2020 for her catchy, vulnerable indie-pop sound.

Hit play on CHANEL, and you will immediately see why there is so acclaim amassing around her soft feminine vocals that bring plenty of intimacy to her candid lyrical style. Your archetypal pop track leads you to believe that you are the outlier for not having it all figured out; Libby lets her listeners hear her uncertainty and internal conflict with lines such as, “I want it all and I don’t want anything”.

CHANEL flows perfectly along with the shift in the tide away from demands on pop stars to be less iconic and more humanistic. The single finds a nuanced way of saying that femininity doesn’t always come easily, and the desire to be the embodiment of Audrey Hepburn doesn’t always come from within.

Not only is CHANEL an infectiously moody indie-pop earworm, but it also has the potential to help so many women understand their own identity. Naturally, we look forward to hearing plenty more from Libby and her sultry subversive style.

Libby Butterworth’s latest single, CHANEL, is available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast