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.
Shoegaze
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.
Aruba four-piece activemirror. continue to bring the colour and melody to the indie shoegaze scene, with the summer-ready anthem that is Opal.
Haunting complexities and profound reflections build up a sort of cinematic and poetic chamber of sound and uniquely intriguing expressions. Ireland’s Kevin Gleeson is the artistic mind behind Sour Blood, a project from which the album Suas emerges as a deceptively hazy, ultimately complex and compelling collection of original works.
Energetic indie vibes blend extensive melodic guitar lines with summertime lightness and a punk-rock pace – myqo join forces with Raphael Low, for the intensely catchy new anthem scream.
Celebratory pop rock with a hazy nostalgic mix – Alexander Beresford writes melodies and songs from the heart, throughout the likes of his single Don’t Break My Heart.
An album authentically contemplative, musically eclectic, nostalgic but beautifully original – something rare and wonderful these days. Dreaming Man has captured a collection of moments that engage and enthral, with the superb album Passing Through.
Humble but ambient design smooths out the thoughtfully uncertain edges of a songwriting style committed to melodic and conceptual intrigue. UK rock duo KIN TALA weave an unorthodox creative web that’s both unique and enchanting, for their impressive debut EP Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost.
Our protagonist sings with emotional strain about loneliness and the struggle to adapt to the fast-pace of life, but meanwhile this ethereal back and forth of the chords and these light drums, the reverb-kissed guitar pouring through like waves of optimism, creates an unassuming safe space – within which these thoughts can really connect.
Ambient acoustic grooves and stylish bass meet whispered, breathy layers of voice, as the elusive artist you wouldn’t know him, presents the poetic and contemplative depths of his album test of time.