Korean-born artist and producer just min delves into the complexities of self-identity, grief, and emotional rebirth, with the delicacy and depth of this hugely vulnerable and evocative album Molten.
Acoustic
Organic guitar and honest, intimate vocals – real acoustic music and poetry united in a raw folk setting. Lisa E. Williams gets more contemplative and calming than ever, with the nostalgic longing and relatability of YOUNG.
Metaphors and moments musically intertwined – a folk-pop softness that transcends the walls of expectation – Swiss songwriter Andrea Schmider offers unique song structuring, mighty choruses, and a striking balance between delicacy and power, for the Potpourri EP.
I’ll Be Your Dog is a rather simple but stunning folk-country single, something like Micah P Hinson, but perhaps more joyful – a mellow groove, a colourful vibe, and a beautifully interesting voice. The single is self-defined as an ode to Bob Dylan’s Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid, and welcomes an Americana set-up that quickly transports you to the centre of the live performance.
Fellow Mancunian Ben Heyworth highlights the very best of the talent, contemplation and magic of the city’s indie musicians, with his latest solo endeavour that is the beautifully organic folk EP Creatures.
Crisp acoustic guitar and boldly distinct, deep vocals, blending spoken and sung performance, throughout a heartfelt song that proudly celebrates the life-changing moment you meet your first child. Australian artist Simon Orton captures a sound both unique and classic, with The Next Me.
Norwegian three-piece GISKE capture an organic folk-pop sound loaded with warmth in both imagery and musicality. Light Upon The Water is every bit as hopeful and uplifting as its title and artwork imply, and the music grows all the more beautiful as things progress.
Feel-good acoustic pop music, a call and response dynamic and interesting, refreshingly original lyrics – Phibian connect well, blending familiarity and a fresh sense of character, for their colourful and fearlessly honest album Pantophobia.
Acoustic fingerpicking, a crisp guitar sound, warm keys and deep folk-esque vocals – an atmospheric overtone but organic and ambient in the backdrop – The Bouquet Sessions capture a live sense of story and character, with Miss You.
Folk vocals that feel beautifully traditional, perhaps a twist of something Jake Bugg-like for the modern audience, and a classic folk-rock groove of acoustic guitars and hi-hats. UK singer and artist FRASER. brings thoughtful, poetic songwriting to the forefront, with the gentle embrace and rhythmic comfort of White Picket Fences.
Paired acoustic guitars, one fast-paced and rhythmic, the other meandering with a soulful sense of longing. Don Pasquale Ferone employs the bare essentials from an established musical toolkit, to deliver an organic and impassioned performance and song.
Ten original songs weave together this story of the Mystic Code, and while there’s plenty to unpack and explore conceptually, which rewards and provides insight and reflection, the music is also – and importantly – an impressive and enjoyable place to escape into for a while.