Browsing Tag

Oxford

AMOSA has released her ethereally dark electronic pop debut, ‘WALKAWAY’.

Posted on 19 June 2021

Oxford, UK-based singer-songwriter AMOSA has released her debut indie-pop single, WALKAWAY, which runs in the same moody vein as Billie Eilish and King Princess.

The stylishly arranged single flows through downtempo, reflective synth-led grooves in the captivating soundscape that delivers an ethereal atmosphere, direct lyricism, and swathes of emotion that captures the vulnerability in the admission that you want someone to stay who has already started to walk away.

It’s a stunning extension of compassion to anyone who has ever experienced holding onto toxic people, knowing that they’re bad, but feeling the physical addiction all the same.

At the age of 21, AMOSA is already proving that she’s got the contemporary sound and the matured talent to climb the indie-pop charts. We’re stoked to watch her ascent.

WALKAWAY is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

If You Missing Me: Ash Adams wants her to say yes on the sensual ‘Tell Me’

Posted on 5 June 2021

Taken off his just-dropped ‘Me, But Different’ EP, Ash Adams is happily back with an absorbing new single all about finding out if she really has true feeling for him or not on ‘Tell Me‘.

Ash Adams is an rising indie-pop artist from Oxford in England. He has a rather compellingly unique style that is freshly stimulating and is totally enrapturing on our perked up ears, that are looking for spiritual guidance during these lost times.

As he started recording this wonderful piece of work from his cozy hotel room in sunny Australia in late 2019 – this exciting project has taken on a life of its own – as you feel this quality time has really morphed the riveting release into something special.

This is a catchy track with steamy hot production, that has smoothly tipped vocals that breeze glowingly into your mind so willingly. His voice is full of life and has you on the edge of your seat, as you wonder where this love story shall go.

‘Tell Me’ from the well-respected Oxford, UK-based indie-pop musician Ash Adams, is the story of hoping that they are keen to be in your life as you feel so much love for them. You have been hurt before and don’t want that heartbreak to knock down your good vibes again, that have been putting you in a good space lately. The ball is in her court now, as you get the tennis rackets ready to play, if she indeed feels the same way as you do.

Stream this new track via Spotify and see more of his adventures on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Emma Hunter – Nightingale: A Lynchian Exploration of Desire.

Posted on 17 April 2021

Oxford-based alternative singer-songwriter and instrumentalist Emma Hunter has followed on from her sobering single, Here I Go, with her nefariously indulgent single, Nightingale; it’s a stunning Lynchian exploration of desire.

The multifaceted account of passion captures the highs, lows and intensities of chasing love, showcasing the strength needed to take a chance. It is singles like Nightingale which put the archetypal love song to shame. Because underneath the ‘look at me, I’m so happy, I wish this would last forever’ choruses is the pain that resides beneath the façade; that’s exactly what resonates here.

By capturing the creeping tones of the Cramps, Empress of Furs and Lydia Lunch and contorting them in loops and layers that will pull your rhythmic pulses with them and complimenting the eerie textures with ethereal classical strings, Emma Hunter’s vocals that carry the class of a 1930’s Parisian chanteuse have the perfect  atmosphere to fall into.

Emma Hunter is undoubtedly one of the most mesmerising rising artists around in 2021. When venues are open, you’ll want to be present when she takes to the stage with her elegantly haunting presence.

Nightingale officially released on April 16th; you can watch the official video on YouTube. For more info and other ways to listen, head over to Emma Hunter’s official website or Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Das Ghoul bring a flash of spectacular pomp and ceremony to horror punk with ‘Twisted’

Posted on 19 March 2021
Trip the Light Phantasmic by das Ghoul

Take a healthy dose of old-school ‘Damned’-style gothic punk, a large helping of horror-tinged shock-rock, add a spattering of ‘Phantom of the Opera’ eerie piano, a decent dash of proper punk-edged rock n’ roll, and some sprinklings of ghostly psychedelia, and you’ve got a pretty good recipe for something special. That’s firmly where Oxford-based Das Ghoul sit; there’s touches of the aforementioned Damned, bits of Nick Marsh guitar and Flesh For Lulu atmosphere, even little mixes of opera, ska, and moody Interpol-style alt-rock at times in between the more obvious rushing punk guitar and shock-rock lyrics.

Das Ghoul bring a flash of spectacular pomp and ceremony to goth-horror-punk (is that a thing? It’s a thing), the evil looking masks and pseudonyms adding to a solid musical background. ‘Twisted’ is taken from their new, six-track EP ‘Trip The Light Phantasmic’, the addition of keyboard-player Octavia Von Wakeman filling a coffin-shaped hole and adding the ghastly final piece to the already impressive (presumably red-velvet) backdrop of previous album ‘Noise Das Noire’ and their debut ‘Video Nasty’ EP.

‘Trip The Light Phantasmic’ is … well, fantastic; sinister, punky, and filled with edgy, Edgar Allen Poe-esque gothic horror references and dark, tongue-in-cheek humour. ‘Twisted’ is a perfect introduction to the ghost train.

Check out ‘Twisted’, and the rest of ‘Trip The Light Phantasmic, on BandCamp; Follow Das Ghoul on Facebook.

Review by Alex Holmes

Oxford singer-songwriter Danny Mellin remembers the good times on ‘Easy’

Posted on 18 September 2020

Danny Mellin sings of life’s journey and reminisces about the good times on ‘Easy‘.

Danny Mellin hails from Oxfordshire and starting writing music at a very young age, releasing his first song ‘Without You’ at just 14 years old. This young artist is a true sing-songwriter in the true form, his peaceful nature shines through the doom and gloom of 2020.
September 2018 saw a launch event for his EP, ‘Holding On’ at the Rapture music store. Since then, Danny has played Oxford’s South Park for JACK FM, and continues to be a regular festival performer and support act, supporting the likes of Jake Clemons, Little Brother Eli and friends The White Lakes. He has also been played on BBC Introducing multiple times, as well as playing live sessions on air for BBC Oxford.

I love the energy here and the old soul simmers by a fireplace with his warm lyrics and stories of when life was easier. You didn’t have to worry about rent, food and life in general. Life was so much easier and what happen since then.

The indie-folk artist from Oxford sings with such poise and his authentic style makes this such a terrific listen. ‘Easy‘ is a listen that will make you smile and Danny Mellin is an artist we all need to see live.

Click here for the Spotify link.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Daisy – ‘My Baby’s Blood’ Mind-twisting Lyrics

Posted on 27 December 2017
Baby by Daisy

This song is the first standalone EP from Daisy; it’s also mastered and mixed by Luke Allmond and Daisy. When you first get to listen to this song you’re definitely going to have a lot of thoughts in your mind. You’d sincerely have many reasons as to why you should stay put and wait till you hear the last lyrics that comes off from this song.

While this might be a very slow song, it’s actually at the same time the type of song that will make you think too deep in a bid to unravel the factual meaning in what the singer is trying to say in the song.

There is to some reasonable extent an infusion of the artist’s personal sex, love and relationship tale which he’s had or probably still having with his lover. It’s more like a roleplay kind of relationship, perhaps, because you’ll get to a point where the artist mentioned in one of his music lines that “He is her baby’s baby girl and her baby also is his baby boy at least when she’s bored of her other toys”. It’s even really more of a mind twister when you read just the lyrics.

Yeah, the lyrics are somewhat intricately placed and also it’s also skillfully written. So I challenge you to check out the song and be the judge here.

The soothing vocals, and the melody that emanates from the steady percussion string and other set of musical instruments that strums each moment to keep the slow tempo of this song in unison till the very last minute its play time is also not very hard to be noticed.

Other than the part in the middle of the song where there are a lot of pitfalls in the sound/vocal range of the artist, I think this song is a very nice one. I’d be willing to see other works from this artist so I can understand if he’s intentionally good at writing very deep and mystical lyrics just like he so perfectly did in this song.

-LILIAN-DEBRAH

Art Theefe Release Power-Pop Rock Track “Lovers Lane”

Posted on 24 October 2017
https://youtu.be/D-7SuWBkp5w

Anyone described as “seriously gorgeous sounds” by such as a songwriter as The Waterboys head honcho Mike Scott has to be someone you need to check out. When you do you will see that he has a valid point. Art Theefe blends so many classic sounds but does so deftly and delicately that gorgeous is certainly the word for it. As the band themselves have always pointed out good artists copy, great artists steal, I guess the clue is in the name! But even though you can see what is under the musical hood, they still fashion a musical vehicle that is unique and a brilliant sonic ride.

A dash of Kink’s kitchen sink drama and wry, quintessentially English humour, a touch of classic singer songwriter such as Dylan and the aforementioned Mr Scott, a smooth Steely Dan vibe and even some Van Morrison Celtic rock mystique and you have a fantastic slice of power-pop, slightly Paisley psych and bluesy-rock all rolled into one. And as much as you can detect these hints of the past it feels nothing less than the way forward.