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bowie

The troubadour of die-hard romanticism, Andy Smythe, struck aural gold once again with ‘Out of My Mind’

Andy Smythe teased the aurally amplified eloquence caged in his forthcoming album, Poetry in Exile, by unveiling the standout single, Out of My Mind, which captures the toil of finding ‘the one’ in a sprawling metropolis.

The psychedelic and sporadically spacy pop hit, which oscillates in the middle ground between the Beatles, Bowie, and Buckley, brings brand-new meaning to an endeavour being a labour of love while allowing you to fall head over heels for the London-based troubadour of die-hard romanticism.

The kaleidoscopic melodies vortex around the horn stabs, which bring an infectious and enrapturing bluesy stridency to the release, ensuring that Out of My Mind will never be far from your own psyche after you have succumbed to the rhythmic magnetism. The stunningly rendered release is the ultimate testament to Andy Smythe’s talents in prising sentiments from his soul and visualising them through his tenor harmonies and lush arrangements that will effortlessly become your new crush.

The official music video for Out of My Mind was officially released on January 26. Stream it on YouTube and follow Andy Smythe on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with the launch of his upcoming LP, which is poised for a March 1st release.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Duncan R Foley explores the spectrum of human emotion in his alt-rock odyssey, Colours

Anyone who keeps Pixies, Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins in their record collection will want to decorate their playlists with the latest single, Colours, by Duncan R Foley, which pays an ode to sonic stylings of the aforementioned iconic outfits while bringing in a new brand of vibrant melodicism.

To evade the assimilative alt-90s trap that all too many artists fall foul of the South African Belfast-residing songwriter and producer introduced the romanticism of post-punk, in the same vein as Echo and the Bunnymen, into the vibrant soundscape along with the cosmic glamour of Bowie.

Using ‘colours’ as a metaphor for the broad spectrum of emotions that are part and parcel of the human experience, Colours is an efficaciously consoling release, which serves the essential reminder that feeling lonely and grappling with melancholy doesn’t make you an outlier, it makes you human.

Colours will reach the airwaves on September 30th; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Northern Arms lifted the veil on Americana alchemy in ‘This Thing Called We’

An amalgamation of influences from Bowie, Nick Cave, Arcade Fire, Velvet Underground and Pulp was always going to transpire as a cosmically compelling Tour De dark melodic Force, but what wasn’t a given was how much This Thing Called We by Northern Arms would stir the soul to such a viscerally amorous degree.

Northern Arms lifted the veil on Americana alchemy in his latest single, for which the Philadelphia-haunting song crafter enlisted the help of a stellar lineup of instrumentalists, who all brought their own profoundly deft touch to the art-rock installation.

If This Thing Called We came before Bowie’s Heroes, the single that will never be lost to history would easily be considered derivative. That may sound blasphemous until you’ve drenched yourself in the decadently morose romanticism; feel free to hit play and argue with me, because the way the single encapsulates the heart-wrenching pain that true love can leave us to linger in couldn’t be closer to the agonising mark.

Stream This Thing Called We on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

LA’s most harmonic pop-rock pioneer, Johnathan Dax, evoked mindfulness in his latest single, These Are the Days

Johnathan Dax spun the ’60s psych-pop tones through a spacy, future-ready kaleidoscope to orchestrate his odyssey of a single, These Are the Days.

The single efficaciously finds a poignantly compelling way to prove that these times may not be perfect, but on this point on the space-time continuum, they’re all we have, and they were made for living in.

Our era may be choked with a wanton lust for nostalgia, but if any spacey pop-rock sonic universe can bring you back to the present and give you lust for contemporary life, it’s These Are the Days, which picks up momentum through rock licks toward the outro, while emanating the liberating transcendence of an ELO epic.

These Are the Days will be available to stream from the 17th of August; hear it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Go on a baroque space odyssey with Chris Sunfield’s Circus of Love

Circus of Love is enough of an oddity odyssey it could make David Lynch jealous. Yet, Chris Sunfield pulled it all together with the sweetly impassioned style and soul of Wayne Coyne and the spacey touches of ELO and Bowie, leaving just enough room for his own masterful maker’s mark.

Affectionate and Avant-Garde in the same histrionic breath, Circus of Love will easily become another hit for the singer-songwriter who always allows his sonic signature to evolve with every new release. The only consistencies are the superlative talents through which the sentiments are splayed out across the addictive melodies and the rapturous reception every new single garners.

Circus of Love hit the airwaves on May 5; catch it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Hopelessly Listening to this Song on Repeat

Robert John Hanson’s song “Hopelessly Falling” is a breath-taking ballad that captures the essence of love and the emotional turmoil that comes with it. With an attractive acoustic guitar part, this song is an alt-folk tune that is reminiscent of a modernized Bob Dylan. Hanson’s soulful voice perfectly complements the melody, and his lyrics tug at the heartstrings.

Hanson’s background in music is evident in the way he skilfully blends different genres, as seen in his eclectic album, The Bitter Suite. His love for British music shines through in his songwriting, reflecting the influence of his favourite artists such as The Beatles, Bowie, Queen, Pink Floyd, and The Kinks.

Listening to “Hopelessly Falling” is an immersive experience that takes the listener on a journey of emotions. The lyrics are both poignant and relatable, and Hanson’s delivery is heartfelt and genuine. The song’s structure and dynamics add to its beauty, building up to a powerful crescendo that leaves a lasting impact on the listener.

Overall, Robert John Hanson’s “Hopelessly Falling” is a testament to his artistry and songwriting skills. His ability to craft a song that speaks to the human experience is truly remarkable. Fans of folk, pop, and rock will appreciate his unique sound and style, and this song is a must-listen for anyone who appreciates great music. Hanson’s album, The Bitter Suite, is a must-have for those who appreciate the depth and edge of love and loss, and the elusive search for a happy ending.

Spotlight Feature: Chris Luke has made a soulfully interstellar return to the airwaves with his industrial cosmic rock track, Love’s Big Machine

After getting sync deals in shows, such as Beverley Hills 90210 and McKenna, and contributing to the OST in the 2021 film, The Girl Who Believes in Miracles, Chris Luke has released his first original single in two decades, Love’s Big Machine.

After a snarling industrial rock intro that establishes the Nine Inch Nails influence right off the bat, Love’s Big Machine starts to veer into a vibey euphonic hit that crosses timelines with its psych-pop nuances, classic rock structure and rock opera styling. It’s as spacey as Bowie, as upraising as a Christian & Gospel release, and thanks to the sporadic industrial touches, it’s as visceral as the similarly titled Pretty Hate Machine.

The Cleveland Ohio-hailing artist has definitively mastered the art of allowing pure expressive soul to resonate as infectiously catchy anthemic energy. We can’t wait to hear what follows.

Love’s Big Machine pulses with raw energy and heart. Both cacophonous and subdued, the lyrics celebrate the endless tumble of life and love, exploring themes of connection and isolation, with love as the driving force at the center. Part soundscape, part alt-rock-epic, Love’s Big Machine blends beauty and chaos in a unique, radio-friendly rock anthem.”

You can check out Love’s Big Machine for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Keep up to news with Chris Luke’s latest releases via Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Fountains of Paradise has made an interstellar indie space pop debut with Forgotten Man.

With their if-they-got-enough-exposure-they-would-probably-start-a-cult-and-it-would-be-the-best-thing-ever vibe, it is safe to say that we instantly warmed to The Fountains of Paradise through their single, Forgotten Man, which features on their debut album, Let the People.

The Yorkshire-born, Buckinghamshire-based singer-songwriter’s spacey indie bedroom pop track starts with uplifting ABBA-Esque chords before the sonic palette transitions into an avant-garde arrangement of orchestral strings pulling against the electro-pop instrumentals. Plenty of the accordance in the single comes from the singer-songwriter’s elegantly gentle vocals that tenderly relay the playfully melancholic lyrics.

Forgotten Man does little in the way of subverting reality; it becomes escapism music all the same for the way it leaves you caught up in the witty attack on nihilism and mortality redundancy. For four minutes, blackened souls will feel right at home.

You can add Forgotten Man to your playlists on Spotify, or you can check out the official music video on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Take an Avant-Garde Psych Rock Trip with Chase Hagerman’s single, ‘Scarlet, Crimson, Purple and Blue’

‘The Rainbow Opus’ is the ground-breaking debut album from the up and coming, classically trained psych-rock artist and producer Chase Hagerman. Through each single, the Californian artist brings kaleidoscopic colour, yet, ‘Scarlet Crimson, Purple, and Blue’ is irrefutably the best introduction to Hagerman’s eccentric post-punk-tinged style.

Starting with a cutting and angular intro that wouldn’t be out of place on a Legendary Pink Dots single, the entrancing feat of psych-rock smoothly shifts into a sonic smorgasbord of avant-garde psych-pop, post-punk, 70s electronica. By mixing light accordant tones with harsh fuzzy synth notes, immersing yourself in Scarlet, Crimson, Purple, and Blue is as close as you will get to falling into a rabbit hole aurally.

The Rainbow Opus is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Matt Jacob has made his spacey psych-rock debut with ‘Chakra Song’.

NYC-hailing singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Matt Jacob has released his spacey psych-rock debut single, Chakra Song. Any fans of the Fall will want to take the cosmonautical trip the single invites you to embark.

Matt Jacob has performed throughout NYC alongside some seriously high-profile names, but perhaps most notably, he has performed in hospitals and taught music to girls in a Cambodian orphanage via Zoom; which goes some way in explaining why the soul on offer in the indulgently mellow single feels so sincere.

The meditatively cathartic single is an incredibly promising debut that will no doubt leave the artist on the radars of post-punk and psych-rock fans alike.

Chakra Song is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast