Treated strings swoon along like squeezeboxes, guitars work together with a comforting stereo spread. Bass quietly thrums and underpins. The harmonising to the lead vocal is effortless but vital. The harmonies chosen warm the song through to the core. It’s a delicate and thoughtful piece that showcases a tremendous, characterful vocal.
Singles
As emotional songs go, this one digs right into the heart – dog lovers be warned. The tears may flood, but the song also reminds you to appreciate those still with you. An absolute recommend.
Stephen Babcock’s brand new single is an easy hit that ticks a whole lot of different boxes. Pouring through with the simple rhythm of an MGMT piece but the vocal swagger and clarity of a blues-rock classic, Fight I Need goes on to become conceptually accessible yet presented in a refreshing and somewhat quirky manner.
The contrast between these spoken word moments and the uplifting brightness of the hook lets the whole thing really hit with impact.
The song begins with a clean riff stylistically similar to The Cult, coupled with a laid-back groove. Both elements are drenched in reverb, and provide a moodier aesthetic. The sheer size of this track is certainly as the name would suggest – biblical.
Essex-based singer-songwriter Georgia Box’s sex positive anthem Coco is a well-produced pop song that could comfortably fit within the mainstream.
The last nod to the Baby Shark phenomenon is the post-chorus part, which harks back to 50s doo-wop, with its nonsense rhythmic lyrics. Altogether now: ‘Bam-a-lam-a-lam-a-ding-dong…’
With some decent exposure, I could imagine Let Me Know appealing to a very broad demographic: it’s a confident slice of hip-hop that ticks all the lifestyle-centric tropes of current on-trend bangers. It feels mature and authentically honest without being too knowing or too cynical, and deserves to be shared around.
Instead of falling victim to genre or industry expectations, Brown has let his own inner desire to let go, to free himself of yesterday’s turmoil, guide the way with the release. You can hear a genuine breath of progression and peace as you turn the track up loud, and that feeling passes over perfectly well.
Not My World makes for a rather stunning introduction to the band, their sound is immediately powerful, melodic yet hard-hitting, and musically masterful in every way. Delicate synth riffs meet with heavy distortion and a series of captivating performances that prove increasingly impressive as things progress.
The lyrical content is congruous to the title’s suggested themes, with mentions of the stars, the dark, and the sky. This is furthered by a driving, but atmospheric production featuring long reverbs to create a large sense of space, and orbiting delays that pan across the stereo field like comet tails across the night’s sky.
To quote their own subtitles in the video, this tune is ‘shwanky boooyyyyzzz’! It’s confident, full of swagger and fine musicianship. The guitar playing is as crisp and detailed as you could wish for – and the whole is a toe-tapping lesson in full-on groove.