Browsing Tag

tom odell

Henry Charles reached the epitome of vulnerable intimacy with his debut, Just One More Time

Posted on 5 February 2024

Henry Charles’ debut single, Just One More Time, is a marker of his ability to construct emotional connections with his audience. Soulful, intimate, and a testament to his patience and vulnerability as a songwriter, Just One More Time is a promising start to what is sure to be an illustrious career.

With a folk timbre reminiscent of Jacko Hooper, the sting of Tom Odell, and the profoundness of Bill Ryder-Jones, Charles carved out his own niche in the British singer-songwriter landscape. From the first strike of the minor piano keys, Just One More Time envelops you in its world. The ripples of reverb set the stage for Charles’ light yet evocative harmonies. Each progression in the song is a revelation, a bittersweet exploration of torment and longing.

The gentle orchestral strings with moody, turbulent electronic synthetics create a stunning auditory contrast. This juxtaposition mirrors the emotional turmoil at the heart of the song – a yearning for connection in a world that often feels vacuous and cold.

The refrain ‘just one more time’ echoes throughout the track, a quiescent plea for reconnection to something visceral and sanctifying. It’s a testament to Charles’ ability to tap into a tender pool of expression, making every note and lyric resonate with the listener’s own experiences of loss and desire.

Just One More Time was officially released on January 31st; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Keli Woods illuminated the keys with enlightenment in his latest piano composition, Skies

Posted on 18 October 2023

Fans of Tom Odell, James Bay and Birdy won’t fail to be consumed by the latest piano composition, Skies, from the UK multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer, Keli Woods.

If his voice accompanied this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert, I wouldn’t be coloured surprised, and that is only the start of the crossover appeal of this sombrely intimate yet juxtaposing strident release, which seamlessly amasses evocative momentum and flair with every intricately laid progression in the epic 6-minute progressive ballad.

Keli Woods’ experience as a monk lent itself effortlessly well to the powerfully metaphorical introspection within Skies. His ability to conjure vivid pictures in the mind with his deeply affecting lyrical prose is second to none. He may have missed out on West End stardom at the age of 11, but all paths, which included performing jazz band in a decommissioned ambulance in Swansea and living the late-night rock ‘n’ roll life, have led him to this point of proving the transformative force of music.

Listen to the live recording of Skies from Real World Studios via YouTube from October 18.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

In the wake of trajedy, Alexander Joseph found the beauty in his piano score, Waiting for You

Posted on 11 November 2022

The UK-based singer-songwriter, Alexander Joseph, created an intricately ornate balance of faith, regret and grief in the piano version of his single, Waiting For You, which captured the complexity of the emotions following his grandmother’s passing.

If you know how it feels to know that someone is at peace while they endured the opposite amongst us and for those torrid emotions to be confounded by guilt for not being more supportive while we had the opportunity, Waiting for You will weigh down on you like a tonne of bricks.

Yet, there’s ample solace within the pure soul of the vocals, which anticipate reconnection while the lyrics vow to go on in a way that will minimise regret when our time comes. By blending striking minor keys with major keys in the progressions to brighten the score, Waiting for You unravels to sonically amplify the message that even in the wake of tragedy, life can never be black and white.

Alexander Joseph’s commitment to orchestrating uplifting heartfelt messages is seen throughout his body of work, plenty of which has been lauded by BBC Introducing. When he’s not enriching our musical culture, he coaches the British Wheelchair Tennis Programme. My faith in humanity is officially restored.

Waiting for You will officially release across all major platforms on November 11th. Hear it here.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Orlando indie-folk singer-songwriter Faae spoke for us all in her Anthropocene-conscious single, summer song

Posted on 2 July 2022

Ahead of the release of their debut EP themed around derealization and identity in this smouldering Anthropocene, the Orlando indie-folk artist, Faae, has shared her gracefully haunting single, summer song.

In their own words, summer song is “shining a light at the end of the world”, and heartbreakingly, the lyricism gets even more profound as it explores the mental ties that get taut and tormenting when we try to make positive moves. “it is hard to be better when there is no one to account for you” is a lyric not easily forgotten.

In the style of Phoebe Bridgers, Mitski and Daughter, the instrumentals confound the expressive and vulnerable nature of single with the raw, ragged and still sublime acoustic textures that anyone with a pulse will want to surrender to. I haven’t felt this excited about Indie folk since I discovered Big Thief. And I’m pretty sure I won’t be the only one utterly captivated by Faae.

summer song will officially release on July 2nd as part of the artist’s debut EP, rudolph. Check it out on SoundCloud and follow Faae on Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Audrey Scout turns visceral emotion into ethereally hazy vibes in her indie single Sunday.

Posted on 21 January 2022

SoCal-born and raised artist, Audrey Scout, is here with her recently released single, Sunday. It’s the perfect introduction to the indie singer-songwriter’s indulgent ability to turn visceral emotion into ethereally smooth soundscapes.

Any fans of Tom Odell, Daughter, and Phoebe Bridgers will find themselves equally as enamoured by the quiescence in this stunningly poised release that lets the emotion flow as though the Hoover Dam has just burst. Audrey Scout may still be finding her feet in the industry but on the basis of her stellar songwriting skills, ability to spin a soul-wrenching bitter-sweet melody and create a captivating atmosphere with her vocal timbre alone, she’s definitely one to watch. We can’t wait to hear what follows.

Sunday is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Holly George – Alaska: A chill worth acclimatising to.

Posted on 1 October 2021

The seasons have finally turned, which means we can move away from the euphoria of summer and into eloquent conversations with tragedy, such as the one found in up and coming pop artist Holly George’s latest cinematically raw release, Alaska.

Any fans of Neighbourhood’s iconic track, Sweater Weather, or any soundscape from Warpaint or Tom Odell will definitely want to acclimatise to the climate in this chillingly ardent single. The comforting dark and cold tones are the perfect contrast to Holly George’s endlessly imploring vocals which have a poignant way of stripping hubris away when the lyrics grip you.

The official music video for Holly George’s seminal single premiered on September 8th. You can stream it for yourselves via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lesse has released the most powerful ballad of the year with Runaway.

Posted on 14 September 2021

After racking up over 110k streams with his folky dark pop debut single, The Ghost, breaking pop artist Lesse is here with his latest deeply melancholic single, Runaway.

If Hozier carried the same pensive edge of Tom Odell, the sonic result wouldn’t be worlds away from this captivating ballad which uses minimalist minor-key piano notes and plenty of spatial effects to allow Lesse’s evocative vocal harmonies to resound in the atmosphere of the neo-classically inclined soundscape

The artist’s songwriting ability, paired with his vocal talent and lyrical vulnerability, make Runaway one of the most powerful ballads to have hit the airwaves this year.

Runaway is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Take a hit on pop singer-songwriter Veronika Utri’s ‘Cigarette’

Posted on 8 February 2021
https://soundcloud.com/veronika-utri/veronika-utri-cigarette

With a style heavily influenced by Tom Odell, Taylor Swift and Avril Lavigne, Austria-born, London-based singer songwriter, Veronika Utri’s, sound offers tender intimacy, cinematic imagery and a magnetic spike of attitude.

The warm embracing tones in the standout single ‘Cigarette’ will undoubtedly be of appeal to anyone else dealing with the emotional fallout from unsated romantic cravings. The soul in the vocals is just as addictive as the substance which shares the name of the dreamy single.

With her accessible ‘girl next door’ vibe and evocatively brave lyricism, it’s hard not to anticipate big things in the immediate future for Veronika Utri.

Cigarette is available to stream via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

A&R Factory Present: Patrick Joseph

Posted on 15 March 2017

For years, Patrick Joseph has forged a prolific career as a songwriter on the rise. You may have heard his music on such television shows as Gossip Girl, The Office, Chicago Fire, MTV’s Friendzone, or Happy Endings, to name a few. You might have caught him at festivals around North America such as SXSW in Austin, NXNE in Toronto, or CMJ in New York. Or maybe you’re just discovering his music for the first time. Regardless of how you’ve gotten to know him, you’ve already discovered quickly why Joseph’s had a steady rise to success over the past few years from the Los Angeles music scene to the international stage. With two releases and a few years of touring under his belt, singer/songwriter Patrick Joseph is no stranger to the craft, and 2015 shows no signs of slowing down for the young songsmith who hails from Los Angeles, CA.

Originally from Pittsburgh, PA, Joseph forges a mixture of pretty & gritty vocals, lush production and timeless songwriting, creating a presence that NOW Magazine describes as “A Gifted LA adult-contemporarist with a world-weary Waitsian voice and a Spoon meets Beatles soft-rock vibe.”

Patrick is largely independent, producing, recording, mixing, and until recently, performing all of his recordings on his own. A resident of the neighborhood of Silverlake in Los Angeles, Joseph has established himself as one of the rising stars in the buzzing songwriting scene of Southern California.

His latest release Hindsight brought Patrick Joseph on a US Tour, steady airplay around North America, several features in film & television and the honor of Producer Of The Year in the 2015 Independent Music Awards, as well as recently being named Best Male Pop/Rock Artist in the 2016 LA Music Critic Awards.

https://www.facebook.com/patrickjosephmusic/