Browsing Tag

Acoustic Pop

Asa Winasis Built an Acoustic Lifeline Between Hope and Heartbreak in ‘Just for Now’

Posted on 30 April 2025

As a talent never destined to linger in anyone else’s spotlight, Asa Winasis shines when given the reins of creativity. He went in for the evocative kill with Just for Now, a humble plea for sanctity, comfort, and connection in the moment; it’s quite literally a mindfulness meditation, providing an exposition of how important the present is, to be given another chance to taste something you want to savour forever.

Through gentle melodicism and even more euphonic vocals which contend with the arcane harmonies in Low and Death Cab for Cutie, Just for Now unravels as an artfully quiescent, orchestrally scored indie chamber pop ballad for the modern era when we’re all searching, yearning, aching and never quite reaching.

The Indonesian artist, previously known for his session guitar work across Southeast Asia and contributions to film soundtracks, strips his sound back to the raw bones of emotional storytelling with Just for Now. Mixed by UK-based engineer Chris Brown, who has worked with Radiohead and Muse, the single carries a sonic clarity that mirrors the tender vulnerability embedded in the stripped-back acoustic arrangement. Singing straight from the heart, Asa Winasis transforms simplicity into profound resonance, embracing a more reflective side that exposes the turbulence of heartbreak and the desperate clutch for one more fleeting moment of connection.

Just for Now is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify. 

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Keli Woods’ ‘Around the Sun’: An Alt-Pop Anthem Illuminating Life’s Luminous Transience

Posted on 6 April 2025

Keli Woods’ latest single, Around the Sun, masterfully plunges listeners into vivid visualisations of its emotive thematic depths. Bathed in tonal warmth from the opening rays emanating from acoustic guitar strings and magnetically arresting vocals, the song immediately invites you into its temperate bliss. As the track progresses, synths scintillate grooves and beats as a funk fusion is dripped into the soul-driven earworm,  further textured by folk-esque instrumentation, amplifying Woods’ storytelling chops.

Possessing a dance-worthy chorus balanced by verses that encourage introspection, Around the Sun leaves little unfulfilled. By the outro, the track becomes a celebration, fortifying our gratitude for the fleeting sands of time and our shared human existence.

Woods, a UK-based multi-instrumentalist and former monk, distils his diverse experiences—ranging from big band swing and Vedic kirtan to musical theatre—into profoundly soulful compositions. Once poised for West End stardom at just 11 and leading a teenage jazz band touring Swansea’s streets in their whimsical ‘Jazz Ambulance’, Woods stepped away from music to seek deeper meaning through monastic life. Returning with renewed purpose, he now harnesses music as a conduit for philosophical exploration, crafting lyrical narratives that confront life’s significant questions with fearless authenticity.

With Around the Sun, Keli Woods has delivered a luminous alt-pop anthem—a reminder of our innate desire to savour existence.

Around the Sun is now available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Just Xris Painted a Sun-Soaked Memory With His Acoustic Folk Pop Debut, ‘Mother Leah’

Posted on 19 March 2025

With his debut single, Mother Leah, the up-and-coming singer-songwriter Just Xris turns nostalgia into melody, offering a vignette steeped in warmth and reverence. His folksy acoustic pop signature runs parallel to the introspective musings of Cat Stevens and Paul Simon, but the heart of his sound beats entirely in its own time. Every note lands softly, yet speaks volumes, unburdened by excessive amplification.

Rooted in childhood weekends spent on a farm called Leah near Ellisras (now Lephalale), Mother Leah is a sonic love letter to the people and places that shaped him. Those early days of exploring nature, working hard, and sharing unforgettable moments with family and friends fuel the song’s reverie-rich melodies. There’s nothing but love and adoration reverberating through the single, which allows you to imagine what Elliott Smith’s discography might sound like if it were soaked in serotonin, yet not drowning out the affecting quiescent vocal inflections.

Music has been a lifelong passion for Just Xris, first sparked at age 13 when his mother gifted him her old nylon-string guitar. After spending his teenage years playing in a band, he finally took the leap into music production, leading to the release of Mother Leah on January 21, 2025. Blending folk, country, and indie influences, his succinctly sweet melodies speak volumes without excessive embellishment. Whatever he delivers next, we will want to devour it.

Mother Leah is available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Open the gateway to sanctuary with the live in-studio recording of Ryan Calkins’ ‘Haven’

Posted on 26 January 2025

The live in-studio version of Haven by Ryan Calkins, which premiered on January 13th alongside its official video, is a diaphanously commanding performance that instantly invites you into his sanctuary. His voice is enough to lead you to believe in natural talent; the way the emotion floods through his honeyed, warm, and assuring—yet not self-assured—vocals as he lets his listeners into his ‘haven’ is enough to breathe warmth into the coldest of souls.

Accompanied solely by an acoustic guitar that rings around his expansively panoramic harmonies, Calkins uses his magnetic vocal style to beguile while his lyrics spill the ink of a sentimental love-drunk diary entry. The simplicity of the arrangement only amplifies the raw authenticity in his sound, offering an unfiltered glimpse into an artist whose music feels like a direct extension of his heart.

Growing up in rural Massachusetts among porch-side, campfire, and kitchen musicians, Calkins was surrounded by the kind of organic artistry that shaped his goal to write and perform honest music. He creates songs that give listeners the words they may be struggling to find for themselves, all while maintaining a grounded sense of humility. Now preparing to record an EP and performing live whenever he can, Calkins proves with Haven why his journey deserves to be followed.

Stream the live in-studio video of ‘Haven’ on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nottingham’s Eleanor McGregor rendered the pain of diehard romantic reverie into her latest acoustic folk single, Muscle Memory

Posted on 17 January 2025
Eleanor McGregor

Following an intro that resounds with the same evocative melodicism as a José González single, the latest release from Nottingham UK’s Elanor McGregor instantly disarms with its euphonic acoustic guitar timbres. With a vivaciously expressive vocal style which will instantly enamour fans of Mitski and Phoebe Bridgers, McGregor veers into eccentricity without ever coming close to touching twee cliché tropes through the moody undercurrents that mellifluously flow beneath her narrative lyricism.

Deeper into the single, Muscle Memory picks up hints of acoustic punk in the same vein as Neutral Milk Hotel while McGregor never loses her grip on her authenticity which has seen her garnering praise from BBC Introducing and launching her debut album in Nottingham’s Rough Trade.

Within this single, mundane moments transpire into an observatory of poetry while put in context with the romantic longing, which proves romanticism still lives and breathes in the souls of those who know the pain of diehard romanticism.

Muscle Memory will hit all major streaming platforms on January 17 as part of the Muscle Memory EP. Find your preferred way to listen and connect with the artist via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Folk Meets Symphony: The Dynamic Contrasts of ‘Touch of Adrenaline

Posted on 7 November 2024

With an 00s-adjacent sound that will throw you right back to when the fervour around Plain White T’s single Hey There Delilah consumed popular culture, the latest acoustic pop single, Touch of Adrenaline, from the independent singer-songwriter Woodstone, is a raw revelation which will leave you hanging off every cuttingly cultivated chord progression.

Rugged in all the right places, stirringly diaphanous in all the rest, Touch of Adrenaline is enough to sink you into an awe-struck stupor as you attempt to take in the vivacious display of talent that translates into evocatively piercing aural gold.

The pulls of the orchestral strings which work their way into the mix accompanied by folky instrumentals amplify the thematic dynamism of the single which evolves into a study of contrasts between the ornate orchestral motifs and the winding Kurt Vile reminiscent folk strings.

As the single lyrically contends with the painstaking fear of not being enough in the presence of someone who captivates through the electricity of their skin and knowing that the connection will be ephemeral, Woodstone exhibits one of the most scintillating song structures the airwaves have been graced with this year. The question isn’t whether he is worthy of your radar; it’s, Are your radars worthy of him?

Touch of Adrenaline reached all major streaming platforms, including SoundCloud on October 21.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Robin Shaw borrowed from Bright Eyes in his acoustic indie single, Bus 2 Nowhere

Posted on 16 September 2024

From the first effervescent notes of the acoustic guitar chord progressions in Robin Shaw’s latest single ‘Bus 2 Nowhere (Acoustic Version)’, your soul sets alight and your senses scintillate to the timbre of the euphonically rugged rhythms. Equally sweet are Shaw’s folk-leaning indie pop vocals, which synergise with the summery melodies.

As a true troubadour to the diehard romantics, Shaw knows exactly how to pull you into his panoramic narrative of infatuation that rings with hints of 00s indie pop nostalgia. If you’re a big fan of bands in the vein of Bright Eyes and The Shins, you’ll be downright sycophantic for ‘Bus 2 Nowhere’.

Before making waves in the music industry, Robin started off as a street dancer at age 16, which included appearances on Britain’s Got Talent. He established himself as a singer-songwriter after an audition in Soho, and began his career with Regent Street Artists, eventually moving to work independently. Now, he records across a variety of studios in West/Central London with his producer, Chris Hall.

Robin Shaw has been a hit with music lovers and critics alike after his tracks have been transmitted on BBC Introducing Norfolk and Suffolk, South Devon Sounds, Islington Radio, Watford VIBE FM as well as reaching Global stations in Ireland, Ohio, Toronto, Helsinki, Canberra, Los Angeles and many more.

With his new release, he’s one step closer to sealing his fate as one of the most accoladed singer-songwriters of his generation.

Stream the Acoustic Version of Bus 2 Nowhere on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Teff exhibited the exhilaration of being inside of love in her Latin Pop triumph, Suerte

Posted on 7 June 2024
Teff

Teff, the Latin Grammy-nominated sensation, has returned with a rhythmic explosion in her latest single, Suerte, which attests to the bliss of finding love in an ocean of 8 billion souls. Suerte, meaning ‘luck’, is a celebration of serendipitous romance that has the capacity to transform every moment into a fervent exhilaration.

The song’s production, co-helmed by the illustrious Bernardo Arzola, is a masterclass in blending quality and innovation. Martha Paredes’ percussion, Camilo Rodriguez’s guitar work, and Danny Thomas Gonzales’ bass provide a rich, soulful backdrop that captures the essence of Teff’s upbeat Latin pop style. The synergy between these artists creates a dynamic and infectious sound that radiates positivity and gratitude.

Teff, born in Caracas and raised in the United States, pours her heart into every beat and lyric of Suerte. Her voice, filled with a fiery passion, navigates the listener through the highs and lows of love, ultimately landing on the sweet realisation that true connection makes every bad moment fade into insignificance. The track’s upbeat tempo and quirky lyrics encapsulate this duality of luck, delivering an authentically heartfelt experience.

Every progression in Suerte is laid down with flourishing finesse, while the effervescence of the crystalline production attests to the transformative power of love. It’s a timeless piece that teaches the ultimate lesson in gratitude and showcases Teff at her most candid and uninhibited. For fans of Latin music, Suerte is an essential listen, capturing the vibrant, soul-rich colour that defines Teff’s unique musical journey.

Suerte will reach all major streaming platforms on June 7th.

Discover Teff on her official website, Facebook, and Instagram.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Entwine with Alba James’s folk-pop reverie, You Belong to Me

Posted on 14 May 2024

In their latest single, You Belong to Me, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Alba James equally exhibited their profound connection to music and nature. Hitting play opens a doorway to a portal of fantasy, constructed by a mind attuned to folk-tale reverie; in the same vein as Cosmo Sheldrake, James rhythmically renders naturalism into her productions, which also tap into the enduring appeal of Dodie and Sufjan Stevens.

Though the title of the single implies possession, the free-spirited energy that breezes throughout the production with the retrospection of affection acts as an unexpected contradiction. James’ arcanely serene vocal lines drift through the organic layers of instrumentation attesting to how integral giving room to breathe is in a world full of confines.

Despite their relatively fresh innings in the music industry, the French Sweden-residing folk-pop troubadour allowed their aural talents to blossom from a young age before releasing their debut single, One in a Million, in 2020. Since then, they’ve shared 13 singles and their critically acclaimed EP, Bedroom Walls ahead of You Belong to Me. Even though nothing is off lyrical limits, themes of ancient mythology, queer love and nature are the cornerstone of the artist’s inspiration.

The next time you feel the need to touch grass, just tune into her discography instead.

Stream the official music video for You Belong to Me which premiered on May 7th via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Sam Phillips serenaded urban desolation into melody with his seminal pop single, In the City

Posted on 14 March 2024

Sam Phillips, a 21-year-old Nashville-based talent, has struck a resonant chord with his debut LP, ‘Hide ‘n Seek’, particularly with the single ‘In the City‘. This track stands out as a testament to his burgeoning artistry, showcasing a maturity that seems far beyond his years and harmonies so light they defy gravity in the predominantly acoustic number.

It’s a song that cuts to the core of the emotional themes explored while demonstrating that there’s immense power in simplicity when delivered with authenticity and profound understanding.

The lyrics paint a vivid picture of moving into the city, a journey from comfort to regret. Phillips taps into a universal sentiment, especially poignant in today’s world of widespread isolation. The bustling metropolis, often seen as a place of connection, is instead portrayed as a landscape of solitude. This theme will undoubtedly resonate with many, echoing the feelings of disconnection prevalent in our times.

Artistically, ‘In the City’ is both sublime and mellow, using its sonic narratives to great effect. The electric guitar solo towards the outro is particularly striking, cutting through the synthetic backdrop which symbolises a turbulent disconnection from sanctity.

For fans of pop looking for a track that combines lyrical depth with melodic beauty, ‘In the City’ is a must-add to your playlist. It’s a song that not only entertains but also invites reflection, making Sam Phillips an artist to watch in the contemporary music scene.

Sam Phillips’ LP, Hide ‘n Seek, was officially released on February 16; stream the album on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast