Originality and organic inspiration unite brilliantly for this release, a producer making fine use of both professionalism and playfulness at the creative helm. Mario Tha Great (MTG) connects with artistic flair and consistency combined, for the quickly recognisable tone and tempo of Ascend.
Singles
Old school simplicity brings back the mellow pace of Hip Hop – the sort that first let storytelling and lyricism guide the way. OC Threat keeps things focused on groove and intention, with the low-key party single Tonight.
If you’ve ever loved the knees-up appeal and unrivalled embrace of rock and roll and southern rock captured perfectly in the studio setting, We’re all gonna get it is exactly what you should be listening to right now.
Organic electronic rhythms both consistent and perfectly compressed for that tribal-hypnotic escapism of a timeless genre. D.J.NATHAN.FRIBERG captures the essence of old school house music, with the simplicity and slick appreciative style of Speaker Movement.
Inspired by their self-penned initiative of ‘Harmonizing Hearts, Elevating Souls’, Lynn and Jimmy Wolling create from a shared passion for songwriting and musicianship that stirs up deeply rooted emotions. The duo travel annually to India, to expand upon their classical instrumental abilities – the tabla and the sitar – and these experiences have played a huge role in shaping the sound of their act Strings of the Heart.
Taking things back to the bare essentials now – a refreshing moment of quiet acoustic reflection. American songwriter Tommy Curtis delivers the intimacy of finger-picked guitar and a softly raspy, evocative voice, to guide us into the poetic and personal gratitude and contemplation of Steady Now.
Australian duo My Inner Hyde keep things simple but striking, with the old-school distortion and anthemic, evocative writing of Eliminate.
Noting over 30,000 monthly listeners on Spotify alone, Tessa Dalton has gone from strength to strength in the past twelve months, her honest writing and vocal fluidity promising a level of authenticity and heart that modern pop has perhaps not seen in quite a while.
Originally an acoustic guitar stomp of a track with a Taylor Swift-esque story and tone, That’s So True is completely reinvented under this light. Jon has taken the vocal in full, slowed things down, and injected a heavy dose of distorted synth chords and a mellow slap of a rhythm, to give the song a deeply consuming and ethereal style.
Classic indie rock, a contemporary instrumental lightness but with short lines and two-vocals combined for that snappy, anthemic rise. messier bring unrivalled energy and pace to the scene, with the dreamy hook and up-tempo guitar-work and drums of Baskervilles.
Imagine an old-school RnB to soul-pop performance, call and response backing vocals and a long-form, meandering verse both delicate and impassioned in equal parts. Then weave in a uniquely rhythmic, almost gentle industrial backdrop, and some nostalgic synths but from a slightly different era, all leading towards a catchy and uplifting question of a hook.
Hungarian producer and artist OIEE, whose single Marathon recently debuted on BBC Radio One, has gone from strength to strength as a composer and an expressive, heartfelt modern creative. Seamlessly uniting styles in a subtle but enchanting fashion, his music proves both hypnotic and quite bold by nature, and Callous offers a sublime example of precisely that kind of masterful balance.