Adrien’s voice maintains its authenticity – the performance feeling genuinely like a simple ode or letter to a significant other, never initially meant to be heard by strangers, but all the more intoxicating for that quality.
Music
Charming basslines and productional fullness create a melodic warmth that instantly sets the mood, before a breathy and compelling lyrical venture adds a whole new twist of intention…
California’s Aquafox artistically relays the complexities of self-discovery, with the brilliant uplift and simultaneous evocative relevance of Triggers.
Sometimes a song just intrigues you enough with its sense of character and unexpected story that you can’t help but grow to love it. French trio WOooodz seem to have mastered that quality here, blending the mildly unremarkable with the outright unpredictably powerful, for an evocative and catchy indie hit with a clear sense of conceptual relevance.
Featuring a gripping storyline that’s personal in lyric but relatable and broadly compelling in the accompanying video, SnapDibz recreates the story of the Karate Kid with My Life’s visual counterpart, depicting a child’s reaction to being bullied and ultimately finding his strength. Meanwhile the music relays a tale designed to engage with and inspire those who are struggling to find their way.
The work feels devoted to its story, this prolonged melodic venture of changing emotions – rather than simply a showcase of the quickness and skill of a pianist. That approach is rare these days, and allows the album to ignite its rightful spark within the first few moments of listening.
Perhaps his first masterpiece, Leaving feels like a structurally knowledgeable yet still intriguingly alternative indie treasure of a track. I’ve mentioned The Eels previously in terms of that vocal rasp and warmth, the joyful twinkle of the instrumentation, but from a songwriting perspective Marshall Gray falls somewhere between the likes of the nineties emo artists and the more edgy realism of bands like Radiohead and REM.
Retro guitar pop with an equally nostalgic lyric-video to reinforce that yesteryear emo energy – Lanie Laynz recaptures the fun and jovial scorn of a simpler time, with the upbeat anthem April’s Fool.
Recently made record of the week on FM-R Radio in the Netherlands, When We’re Home offers a timeless sense of musicality and appreciation for the little things in life – the calming sense of stillness and safety provided by coming home; wherever in the world that may be.
These days it seems like a rare experience to stumble upon a song that feels as if it were written during a time when there was not a shallow thirst for fame driving the creative process. Songs that feel timeless, authentic and heart-warming in a manner that’s unique to the listener, are few and far between.
This is the style The Rubicon have mastered, and these songs are arguably the best of the best in terms of their commitment and authenticity in the creative realm. Feel the uplift, the warmth, the honesty and heart, enjoy the genre-free expression and unplugged realness of a band both nostalgic and refreshingly true to their own artistic needs.
Slick riffs balance funky melodic twists with sheer distorted power chords, as the indie force that is STARTZ AND ENDZ deliver their most iconic release to date.
If you weren’t a fan of Anti-Hero before, I’d take bets that you will be after listening. And if you already were – here’s a whole new tempo and flavour to reignite your love for it.