Building up for a brighter and harmonised pre-chorus, the song highlights the quiet vocal nuance of Silje Steine, as we join the artist for this reflective sense of wondering about loneliness and isolation; desperately dreaming and desiring something more.
Folk
Stunning – simple and honest music, the kind of recording that captures your attention softly and with humility, and the kind of songwriting that feels not designed to draw focus to the performer, but towards a feeling or moment, a series of thoughts; an ambience and mood.
Baritone vocals and acoustic, expressive design – an old-school performative charm reimagined with modern production tools. Dean James is the elusive artist at work, and This Is Dean presents six immersive original songs to introduce his sound.
For Everyone I Ever Loved is a collection of soulful acoustic ballads and folk-country anthems, all built around thoughtful sentiments, appreciative scenes, memories, poems, and deeply stirring melodies. In his own words, “This one took me 77 years to find. ‘For Everyone I Ever Loved’ is what I needed to say, before I move on to the next adventure.”
Building from a purely acoustic and nearly whispered introduction, Monsters employs Frida Mann’s unmistakable vocals, and slowly but surely evolves through a story of anger, resentment, confinement. The voice is captivating, and later near-euphoric in its outcry, and as such, this conceptual journey is incredibly passionate, in both vocal and instrumental delivery.
The aptly-titled EP RAW is completely unique, evocative and often spellbinding, and what’s more, Hila’s answers to these questions, and her perspective as a rising artist, portray an incredibly refreshing sense of identity and purpose in modern music.
Simple but striking, nostalgic country folk with lush vocals and short lines rising through the joys of romance and wonder. Joshua Jamison ignites the modern country flame, with this raspy and catchy acoustic gem.
Slowly increasing the ambient details, the melodic resolve of Swan is easy-going but effective, ‘the swan is down’ feeling almost unfinished every time it appears, and adding a kind of alternative, perhaps Damien Rice-like melodic uncertainty and ache to the music.
From the Riverside EP of gorgeous instrumental originals, Serbian guitarist and musician Zarko delivers a crisp and captivating acoustic composition, for the wonderfully impressive and moving Vilino Vrelo.
More great music from Germany this season, the softness of nineties indie pop, acoustic and comforting, with genuine sentimental value at its core. The Last Lupine offer an evocative sense of escapism and story, with the stunning simplicity and wonder of Stay, Return.
“The main values I want to represent in the indie folk music world are authenticity, integrity, and kindness.”
If you’ve lost someone, a partner in particular, this one will hurt, but is almost certainly still worth the listen. The raw humanity and heart of I Still Say We is cordially genuine.