Ireland and Northern England unite for an anthemic explosion of raw punk energy and outright uplifting rock rowdiness. DEAD RAZE are based in the mighty Liverpool, and their single Feeling tackles the ever familiar fear of failure that all too often stops us dead in our tracks.
Indie Rock
Real indie reverb and riffs for days, vocals that are beautifully alluring, pairing moments of bold passion and softness throughout – Feral Family have that independent energy and confidence to gift the music scene something outstanding this year.
Everything from the lyrics to the arrangement breathes new life and creative realism into the space. ELROD is humble but effective, the melody short and snappy, the production subtle but purposeful. Vulnerability is bold yet also vague, meaning you can make this your own, attach your meanings and memories, whilst believing that every word is authentic and heavy to the singer.
The verses have a kind of old-school trip hop vibe to me, melodic and charming, unpredictable but effective, and the lyrics further this connection and sense of lostness and self-scorn that is the freedom of thought; through darkness, highs, lows, and everything in between.
If you play this track in Spotify, you’re likely to find yourself immersed in an indie realm of algorithmic joy. The song fits beautifully amidst the likes of The Libertines, James, St. Jimi Sebastian Cricket Club, and it also blends pop and rock quite seamlessly, with snappy rhymes and a fully-loaded rock and vocal arrangement letting the music naturally uplift.
Capturing a sense of both mental instability and the sheer punk-rock outcry of rebellion, Daily Grind’s hook resounds somewhere between the likes of awakening and melancholic. The chorus is heartbreakingly and painfully relatable, not least of all for those who’ve sacrificed their dreams and freedoms just to make a cheque or pay rent.
Most recently, Kivo Van Twist launched the single and video for Lay Down, capturing the energy and intentions of the band quite perfectly. From surf-rock hooks and grooves to alternative sentiments and lashings of personality, the performative wonder and musicality of Kivo Van Twist is gripping, and impressively unique.
From Sea Gods to the solo life, Bolton-born musician and rock artist Jack Flint captures a moment quite beautifully, with the raspy vocals, short lines and smooth, soulful riffs of Dirty Road.
Gentle lo-fi synth notes and the quiet strum of an acoustic guitar, an intimate vocal and writing style that feels diary-like in its tentative expression and longing. Chris Pannella delivers the closing song from his EP The Four Seasons of Her, and its a sleepy to euphoric and heartbroken story of love lost and fading passion.
Good songwriting stands tall, something authentic and well-built – a strong acoustic backdrop, a lush groove and lush vocals, a sense of meaning at its core. Wyoki delivers an alternative earworm on that front, with the strangely enthralling, imperfect but beautifully addictive Hotel.
Lush and hypnotic old-school trip hop vibes bring mellow ethereal mixing alongside organic guitar riffs and softly spoken melodies. Germany’s ATOMIC FRUIT capture a sense of alternative brilliance, in my view, with the humility and dark melodic stylings of Medicine.
Visa Anxiety are perhaps unexpectedly cool, somewhat quiet and uncertain, but ultimately uplifting in their careful contrasting of tentativeness and confidence. The band are playfully honest, interesting, and creatively rooted amidst the sounds that get things moving towards the end of a long week. I look forward to hearing more.