Following the simple strum of largely just two chords rising and falling, as well as some humble backing vocals when the energy grows, Icarus builds up unexpectedly after these opening folk-pop moments. The resounding chorus is distinctly catchy, “oh I know, I know, I know” appearing with volume and fluidity; a nostalgic nineties-esque twist that quickly elevates the entire sound and memorable style of the track.
Music
Producer and songwriter Simone Contin captures attention beautifully, with the creatively balanced fusion of rock traits that is Nella mia testa.
Coming in at a fairly standard three-thirteen, the make-up and concept of Life’s Sweet Caress is decidedly familiar, but the vocal stylings, the meandering and often unpredictable melody, leans somewhat towards the freedom and piercing artistry of acts like Asaf Avidan.
Adam Layne Fisher is the man behind Kings of Men, a musician blending traditional instrumentation with generative AI, resulting in a fascinatingly successful take on what AI can mean for the future of music.
From ambient and atmospheric hyper trap through a series of emotional deep-dives in relation to self-destruction, pain and hope all intertwined – producer Axtronomical intoxicates listeners, throughout the sixteen-track album DYSPHORIA.
Piano and acoustic guitar meet for a classic four-chord ballad set-up, alongside Pete Byrd’s shaky and expressive leading voice – a distinct tone that naturally meets the interesting bar set by these deeply revealing lyrics. With artwork and a title as artistic and intriguing as this, the music and performance simply had to follow suit, and I’d say the rising emotion and energy of Sally It’s Raining Again absolutely does.
Coming in at over six minutes of exploration, Time Irrelevant sees its listeners plunged into a web of multiple layers of distorted guitars and classic eighties rhythms. At the same time, subtle waves of synth and electronic instrumentation meet with organic, acoustic ones, to craft something that’s both a looping realm of comfort, and a consistently evolving delivery of rising anticipation.
Introducing an intoxicating balance of high-octane rhythms and euphoric production – Child of SP fuses genres with relevance and fluidity, for the boldly thought-provoking single Halo.
Colourful indie pop with a clean vocal and a quirky balancing between RnB and Pop songwriting, even with a twist of something rap-like on occasion – Kibs unites the relatable and unorthodox, with the catchy fluidity and relationship longing of Find A Way Back.
It’s a the all-too familiar story of keeping up appearances, carrying on and putting on a brave face in order to maintain the respect of those around us; rather than letting the weight fall away by sharing it with a friend or someone who actually cares.
Light and breezy indie pop with an organic guitar and bass combination, guides us into the quirky vocal stylings and story of DAS.D’s Face in the Crowd.
An ever-inventive and often ground-breaking composer of our time, David Ratmoko continues to push the boundaries of modern instrumental music, with the vastly immersive layers and euphoric intensity of Prelude Two.