Interestingly pairing dramatic rhythmic soundscapes with intimate, nearly-whispered folk songwriting, long-time musician and former-band-mate ryan john clary gets vulnerable and creative, for the new album LIFE, LOVE & YOU.
Rebecca Cullen
From Nairobi to the UK, mau’s cultural influence and commitment to creative music shines beautifully throughout this original and organic new album SOFT STEPS.
India-born and currently based in LA, Kiwiani presents an immersive, ethereal approach to production, which at first feels perfectly in tune with the abstract artistic implications of the accompanying image.
close is ultimately an industrial, rhythmic ode to heavy beats and fragmented production, but it also features intermittent hints of soulful vocal melody; playfully incorporated amidst a fitting and consistently distinct presentation.
As we shift into the conceptual mystique of (Cactus), and the subsequent tribal dance flavours and vocal warping of BoysBoysBoys, the playful nature and limitless artistic expression of the project becomes all the more clear.
Nostalgia is the word of the moment lately – a fact encapsulated by this old school ode to cinematic history that is ASTRA’s single and video Pulp Fiction.
Seamlessly intertwining the familiar and the original, Shannon Burchett collaborates with artist and performer Beatriz Villar, for this bold and evocative ode to Giacomo Puccini’s Nessun Dorma.
Chicago dance-pop legend Irene Michaels, standing tall on the back of seven decades of entertainment and connection to the scene, returns this season with an unexpected EDM and House-fusion drop that’s as likable as it is fearlessly confident.
Instantly an indie-nostalgic gem for those with strong connections to a simpler era – Soft Yes bring back the quiet and canned vocals, quickly-picked guitar notes, and hyper-active rhythms, with the upbeat but delicate and surprisingly brief Odd Numbers.
This sense of being immersed in the inescapable ache of separation is universally relatable, and as the track gathers passionate momentum, that shared experience effortlessly transcends language barriers.
Ukrainian artist and multi-instrumentalist Kondo wa Kondo, having relocated to America, found creative inspiration in the depths of nostalgia and missing something like home. In searching for the right word to explain these feelings, this struggle to adapt and accept such new surroundings, appeared to fit well under the Welsh word ‘Hiraeth’. The idea is a deep sense of longing for a place that no longer exists or can no longer be reached.
“Creating this song helped me discover and shape who “Symba J” could be as a solo artist—someone who can turn life’s wide spectrum of experiences into art in interesting and thought-provoking ways.”
“The world can be so scary, lonely, and almost discouraging, but I think when you show the world you can be yourself and fearless…it creates a bond between strangers.”