Browsing Tag

Ambient Art Pop

Drift away with Milk Bar Gang’s ethereal art-pop lullaby, Ozzie Ostriches Dream

OPEN by Milk Bar Gang

Taken from their debut EP, Open, the Milk Bar Gang’s standout single, Ozzie Ostriches Dream, is an ethereal lullaby; constructed to subdue you into an art-pop trance.

Any fans of Nico, PJ Harvey and Suicide will find just as much to favour in Ozzie Ostriches Dream, which wears influence from the 80s new wave, shoegaze, and cosmic pop as motifs affixed to the sheer originality that has been soporifically poured into this feat of transcendent avant-garde alchemy.

The reverb on the whispered vocals, the ring of the delayed guitars and the glassy aesthetic of the track all contribute to the intricately distinctive appeal that is sure to see the duo go far in 2022 and beyond.

Ozzie Ostriches Dream is now available to stream and purchase on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Go into the wild with Joseph Lothian’s chamber pop release, Glacial and Spa

The South London songwriter and writer, Joseph Lothian, has recently released his sophomore album, which is a continuation of the wild and verdant chamber pop soundscapes in his 2020 debut album, Wilderness Music.

Wilderness Music Continued (Rain, Fire), is a meditatively artful infusion of electronic folk, indie and alt-pop which focuses on the act of songwriting, with a view to how it creates comfort and value in otherwise inhospitable environments. It’s hard to argue with that sentiment. Without the icons that have defined the culture in the UK, how disparate would our streets feel? How many outliers would know nothing of experimental expression or know how it feels to find their mindset tribe?

The standout single, Glacial and Spa, is just as evocative as an Angel Olsen release with the vibrato on the vocal. Yet, within the lush textures of the chamber pop single, there’s a nuanced reminder of our roots and the fact that we were never really supposed to endure post-industrialised isolation.

Joseph Lothian’s sophomore album is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Eastern rhythms meet blackened ethereal trip-hop in Arula’s latest single, Alive Now.

Alt singer-songwriter, Arula’s latest single, Alive Now, is powerful enough alone, but considering it followed on from the imploring, ethereal remix of her single, How Long, the defiance in the statement made in the dark, trippy soundscape is made so much more strident.

With Eastern influences feeding into the artfully blackened trip-hop track, Alive Now became one of the most invigoratingly experimental tracks that we’ve heard this year. It borders on ambient industrial while keeping hold of celestial textures that you’ll want to tune into time and time again.

Alive Now is available to stream and purchase on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast