Artistically rooted musical expression, built around the desire to explore feelings and ideas, and as such led by a powerful sense of freedom and conceptual purpose that boldly connects. PHI-108 is a fascinating and admittedly niche musical project, but one that aptly creates a profound space to escape into as it slowly fills the room.
Acoustic
Heavily inspired by the Johnny Cash album American IV: The Man Comes Around, as well as by Johnny’s autobiography Cash, Traveling is a short and sweet declaration of pure inner peace and satisfaction.
An easy three chord strum, a vocal depth that’s distinct and calming, with short lines that follow a simple and memorable thread of melody – Check is an ode to the sheer pleasure of making music for a living.
“I feel as though it represents a calming energy that lies within myself. A way to display that something doesn’t always need to be said for it to be expressed.”
Coming in at a fairly standard three-thirteen, the make-up and concept of Life’s Sweet Caress is decidedly familiar, but the vocal stylings, the meandering and often unpredictable melody, leans somewhat towards the freedom and piercing artistry of acts like Asaf Avidan.
In an industry loaded with flashy images and intentions, with showboating and volume and the constant pressures dictating that we all aspire to own Lamborghinis – above purely being better individuals – artists who truly adore the wonders of the real world, and who make music and create things purely out of a love for doing so, are increasingly the ones worth listening to.
Beautifully intoxicating purely on the surface of this dreamy and reverb-drenched arena of contemplation, Dance With Darkness is impossible to ignore, yet it’s also impressively modest and calm in its confrontational realism.
A wonderful reminder of the scenes and images that help make life wonderful, and aside from its lyrical suggestions, it leaves plenty of room for the listener to consider and appreciate their own small blessings at the very same time.
Defiantly unique and rather fearless in bridging the gap between the most intense distorted music and the more charming softness of acoustic and melodic satisfaction, In The Chaos I Return is a fascinating project, which feels profoundly more vast than its three-track limit appears to imply.
Fantastic modern songwriting, as stated, and great production and creative dynamic to hold attention. The music has a joyful kind of synth-led melodic bounce to it, but the lyrics deal with absolute isolation and lostness, and that juxtaposition is mighty.
Brooklyn besties Josh and Charlie, united for life by their passion for absurdist animation and music, showcase the quirky depths of their artistry, with their second single release as Bagel Boys – the heartfelt, humous ballad Gluten Love.
The UK’s own Tim Howarth pierces through the chaos of the industry, with a divinely personal, poetic and poignant ode to authentic artistry.