Baritone vocals and acoustic, expressive design – an old-school performative charm reimagined with modern production tools. Dean James is the elusive artist at work, and This Is Dean presents six immersive original songs to introduce his sound.
Rebecca Cullen
Unique melodic twists and deeply moving, relatable but fresh stories and sounds – a classic rock set-up with an unpredictable sense of humanity and heart. At a time when music seems to have lost its realness and originality, Vinyl Floor keep the essence of interaction and artistry alive, with the evocative anthems and grooves of their brand new album Balancing Act.
“I remember very clearly the first day being in a studio and when you’re that young, they can’t have you in and out or working all hours. So, I was in the vocal booth (being yelled at for flat notes) for 7 tracks in one day.”
Explosive political artistry of a post-punk vocal energy, scathing lyrical pairing, live vocals and assisted production – Gregory Lioi holds nothing back performatively, with the high-energy weight and theatrics of Uncomfortably Numb.
Hosted by Natalia Petukhova, Rolling Waves Podcast is perfectly in tune with its own title and intentions, making these intimate conversations a profound and powerful way to remind yourself of the beauty and wonder of life and the world.
Knflct returns, the organic chaos of an elusive artist with a level of creative freedom and intention that stops you in your tracks. This two-track release entitled Oh… is as stylistically raw and carefree as its title implies, but it also employs both a colourful and distorted production, to elevate a simple, descending melody, and self-reflective sentiments that feel scornful but empowering.
From the EP of the same name, SOMETIMES I FEEL introduces the melodic and introspective artistry of Sollars in a way that’s both evocative and catchy.
You have to hear it to know how it feels – words can’t really convey. This song has the alt-folk beauty and pop warmth of some of history’s classic, unpredictable hits. Something like Ben Howard’s Keep Your Head Up, an alt-folk legend lifting the mood; this time somehow both catchy and not. Calling For Change is soulful, to repeat that truth again. It’s yearning, mellow then emotionally desperate in its outcry, and the set-up furthers this, with modest guitar solo moments and a huge crescendo at the end.
US rocker and lifelong musician DownTown Mystic pays tribute this season to the legendary Bruce Springsteen E Street Band, with this collaborative two-side single release Hard Enough (Remix) – from the upcoming full-length album.
Taking inspiration perhaps from the more evocative and low-tempo hits from Bryan Adams and Bruce Springsteen, Bob Berdanier keeps the authenticity of great songwriting and natural performance alive and well, and December is, in my view, one of his most engaging and memorable singles yet.
Great songwriting and lush vocals meet with an electric guitar groove and stripped-back performative realness, as Harry Lines rather masterfully delivers his catchy and romantic single Waiting For June.
Taking the time to actually feel the music, to feel something real, absorb it, and begin playing only when the mood intends. Alasdair Hames Dodds is refreshingly genuine when it comes to piano composition, and Disillusionment is an initially simple but ultimately striking ode to that truth.