Fellow Mancunian Ben Heyworth highlights the very best of the talent, contemplation and magic of the city’s indie musicians, with his latest solo endeavour that is the beautifully organic folk EP Creatures.
Songwriter
Crisp acoustic guitar and boldly distinct, deep vocals, blending spoken and sung performance, throughout a heartfelt song that proudly celebrates the life-changing moment you meet your first child. Australian artist Simon Orton captures a sound both unique and classic, with The Next Me.
Norwegian three-piece GISKE capture an organic folk-pop sound loaded with warmth in both imagery and musicality. Light Upon The Water is every bit as hopeful and uplifting as its title and artwork imply, and the music grows all the more beautiful as things progress.
Chinese composer, producer and artist CDA REVE, intertwines the softness of ambient piano, with the modern lo-fi escapism of a trap-style beat, and divinely gentle vocals, for the enchanting calm and embrace of 22:22.
Folk vocals that feel beautifully traditional, perhaps a twist of something Jake Bugg-like for the modern audience, and a classic folk-rock groove of acoustic guitars and hi-hats. UK singer and artist FRASER. brings thoughtful, poetic songwriting to the forefront, with the gentle embrace and rhythmic comfort of White Picket Fences.
Sometimes the bare essentials are all you need – great songwriting means something, sounds genuine, connects and moves a listener, and is simply enjoyable to experience. Jack Horton’s Set Me Free is a humble and timeless example of precisely those qualities.
Creatively fusing a subtle yet upbeat soundscape and divinely gentle vocals, Minneapolis-born artist and songwriter Raymnd highlights the very best of his unique songwriting and performance style, with the distinct and enchanting Paranoia. Built around a modest guitar riff for a twist of something Americana-like, the song is otherwise driven by hints of everything from … Continued
LA singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and vastly streamed artist – Adam Exler has gone from strength to strength in extending his original repertoire of music over the years.
Paired acoustic guitars, one fast-paced and rhythmic, the other meandering with a soulful sense of longing. Don Pasquale Ferone employs the bare essentials from an established musical toolkit, to deliver an organic and impassioned performance and song.
Sometimes collaboration is the key to finding that sound or artistic moment that connects more strongly with a broader audience – no longer something exclusively personal to the performer, but bridging the gap to realise that actually, these ideas and feelings are relatable, and the music is impressively original and impassioned enough to hit with impact.
While technology continues to advance, the beating heart of creativity that connects remains as the irreplaceable human touch. Throughout the ages, art born out of struggle and uncertainty has always been the most impactful, and that continues to be true – regardless of the tools utilised to create it.
Ten original songs weave together this story of the Mystic Code, and while there’s plenty to unpack and explore conceptually, which rewards and provides insight and reflection, the music is also – and importantly – an impressive and enjoyable place to escape into for a while.