Raw acoustic realism and stories that are easy to connect with – Jack O’Handley captures the fireside warmth and energy of live acoustic folk and storytelling, with the honest and unfiltered Get in the Van.
Music
The calm becomes awakening, ultimately euphoric, as we’re welcomed by powerful drum hits, additional guitars, distortion, ambient waves of soulful peaks, new riffs, and a fine blend of simplicity and complex human emotions.
Live rock and pop written and performed with energy and skill – Hawai’i-born singer and songwriter Pepper Diaz and band The Scoville Scale deliver an uplifting and distinct new indie sound, with the soulful peaks, distorted power chords and riffs of the romantic and impassioned The Long Game.
Back to basics, when the programmed devices continue to take over – an essential underground movement that’s thriving, impassioned and impressive. Amos Zimmerman delivers one of the most clever and enjoyable human folk songs of the season, with the brilliant lyrical intrigue and fingerpicked warmth of Lost My Groove.
The soft euphoria of ambient waves of production, carefully united with a rhythmically smooth yet sonically raspy and soulful vocal lead – the focused encapsulation of a concept so deeply human that it transcends both genre and culture. Published author, filmmaker and songwriter Praveen Koval explores the process of constantly looking outwards for answers to … Continued
Southern rock is alive and well, and Taxman is a must-hear for the live-band fanatics and working class heroes of our time.
Lovely to beautiful songwriting, vocals and arranging – Ari Fraser continues to impress, engaging with authenticity and heart, as this ambient country to folk-pop single Where Have You Been provides an emotional earworm, and effectively reminds us to appreciate the beauty and love of connection.
Crafted in collaboration with Brazilian singer Josh Paulino, Only Pretend is both fierce and delicate, and evolves gorgeously throughout its three-minute lifespan.
Built from the depth and freedom of human expression and skills developed over years of commitment to the craft, every new track from jcSubterfuge celebrates the artistic escapism of electronic music making, and in turn delivers something refreshingly immersive for the dance music fans of the world.
Translating simply from Samaon as ‘sausage’, De Husslar Music takes a mere comical musing to fun creative heights, with the changing landscape and artistic evolution and appeal of Sausisi Sauce.
These are gorgeously emotive vocals, delicate yet with just a touch of essential weight or grit to the edges to hit with impact, and the arrangement is something like dream-pop and indie rock carefully intertwined.
UK music is fiercely impressive when it needs to be. This year feels important for live music and creativity, and Fierce Friend is firmly a part of that.