“I definitely struggle with finding good places to walk away from a song, and really the whole album was made simultaneously, with me bouncing between songs to avoid having to finish the other ones. Even If I’ve already written the whole song on one instrument, when I begin recording the song feels like it’s buried under a thick fog, and overtime I slowly clear away the fog until the song is completely clear.”
Shoegaze
It’s a brief yet striking listen, a kind of quiet scream in some ways – a song that urges you to turn up the volume, tune in more closely, and listen again and again, to fully connect with the depth and passion of it’s make-up.
The perfect title for a well-grounded but uninhibited collection of creatively free songs. Erik Louis James celebrates the freedom of honest expression and musicianship, with the distinct but aptly diverse album Eclecticism.
Continuing the creative climb, the latest single from an ever-mysterious Love The Magician emerges in the form of a multi-layered, colourful and calming instrumental – a synth-pop arrangement of cascading layers that work towards a dreamy overall finish.
Letting the music guide, through a series of deeply personal reflections on adulthood and uncertainty about progression in life. Ziggy Lebon captures the enchanting mood of indie rock and shoegaze’s past, with the three-track EP FOOA (Fear Of Old Age).
The organic and raw capture of a live performance, joyful intimacy resounding by way of keys and acoustic guitar, leads us into the imagery and appreciation of Byron Times.
Music to Bruno Marinho has forever been a therapeutic form of escapism. The focus and emotional resetting of the creative process is often what makes for the most engaging and interesting music, and that’s absolutely the case with the freedom and allure of Worlds Unseen.
There’s an intriguing vagueness to some of these lyrics, especially given the quiet mix, but always we’re gifted a satisfying hook resolve – a broader statement and light melody, to leave us with a strong sense of possibility and calm than anything else. Authenticity seems to be the driving force throughout the Come Along EP, and by employing that without concern, Scott Keesler has drifted down a road that’s entirely his own.
From dreamy beginnings, reverb-soaked guitar creates a sense of rising brightness amidst an atmospheric wash of synths. A spoken word voice is distant but poignant in its reference to violence breeding violence, and the mood is uplifting in line with this – just as the central groove of the track falls into place.
Soft rock to shoegaze stylings with a surfer-esque sense of joyful possibility – these are the bright and beautiful qualities that light up the otherwise contemplative but calming lyrical sentiments of Longplayer’s latest single I Saw You Turning Around.
Ukrainian artist and multi-instrumentalist Kondo wa Kondo, having relocated to America, found creative inspiration in the depths of nostalgia and missing something like home. In searching for the right word to explain these feelings, this struggle to adapt and accept such new surroundings, appeared to fit well under the Welsh word ‘Hiraeth’. The idea is a deep sense of longing for a place that no longer exists or can no longer be reached.
Striking artwork and a unique fusion of contemporary emo and classic pop punk – Free Mace captures his own artistic identity, with the proudly atmospheric and revealing new album Better Off Bitter.