A&R Factory

Mike Blue gazed into the twilight of the soul in his jazzy feat of soulful folk, Saphire

Posted on 24 February 2023

The soulful rhythmicality of the folk singer-songwriter, Mike Blue’s latest single, Saphire, will tattoo itself to your memory from the first euphonically melodic meeting. As a departure from his previous sound, along with his band, Blue melded elements of blues, jazz, prog and rock to construct a track visceral in authenticity and sticky sweet in emotionally balanced sentimentality.

The first single taken from his forthcoming album, The Unbearable Weight of All Things Considered, stands as a soul-stirring testament to his ability to envelop you in the stories he eloquently weaves atop his acoustic guitar strings. The sax solos, which soar as high in the mix as the electric guitar riffs, amplify the intimacy of the lyrical expression while never compromising the resonant impact.

If the singer-songwriter was born decades ago when folk raconteurs were celebrated in modern culture, there would be few names as revered as Mike Blue. After the release of Saphire, the luminary artist will take his full band on tour across the UK, which also featured on the accordantly-bodied release that has the capacity to captivate a stadium.

Saphire will officially release on February 24th. Hear it via Mike Blue’s website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mike Blue and The Ghosts of Santa Monica help us find that mending genuine love on ‘Battles We Have Won’

Posted on 16 April 2022

With a full album on the way and an unassuming style that has earnt them authentic respect from the UK underground, Mike Blue and The Ghosts of Santa Monica have made 6 minutes and 19 seconds of pristine excellence on ‘Battles We Have Won‘.

Mike Blue is a Liverpool, UK-based indie folk singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who is joined by The Ghosts of Santa Monica on this soul-healing effort.

”He started playing professionally at 16 years of age in various bands and has since toured his own music around the U.K, completing his debut solo tour in late 2021.” ~ Mike Blue

With stunning vocals, intricately performed guitar brilliance, that sweet violin sound and well-made lyrics that might have you stop whatever you were up to before, Mike Blue and The Ghosts of Santa Monica join together as one to show unity when there is so much butchery brewing all over the planet. With a peaceful single that seems to glow so beautifully and take your tired heart into a better place, this is that rare track that will change your mood and bring a ray of sunshine to make everything okay again.

”He is currently embarking on his next full-length studio album with the help of his backing and touring band ‘The Ghosts of Santa Monica” which should be completed in early 2023.” ~ Mike Blue

‘Battles We Have Won‘ from Liverpool, UK-based indie-folk singer-songwriter Mike Blue and The Ghosts of Santa Monica, drops one of the most peacefully intelligent singles you might ever hear. There is nothing flashy here, no tricks and no big egos, only a single assembled by a tight-knit group who are clearly in sync with what the intentions are. The message here? To remind us that finding your tribe is absolutely vital, as you wish for a day when you can feel that true peace in your heart when you meet that special human who somehow takes all your worries away.

You’ll only know when you feel it deep inside your bones.

See this superb track come to life on YouTube and follow Mike’s voyage on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen