Browsing Tag

Avant Garde Pop

ZØLTAN – No Deal: seductively poetic semi-orchestral electro-pop

Posted on 9 March 2021

Enigmatic Eastern European pop singer-songwriter and instrumentalist, ZØLTAN, has released the 3rd single from their highly anticipated forthcoming EP, the seductively poetic release is the perfect introduction to ZØLTAN’s timeless symphonic approach to semi-orchestral electro-pop.

No Deal drenches the airwaves with romanticism while celebrating contemporary urban culture by playing with dark and theatrical elements, allowing No Deal to serve as a powerful reminder that love can thrive in the darkness just as well as in the light.

The pull of the classical strings gives the single a panoramic feel while the lyrics spill powerful imagery which won’t fail to draw you in to the mesmerising feat of avant-garde pop.

The official video to No Deal premiered on February 5th. You can check it out for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Transcend our 3D reality with Michæl Augustine’s ambient experimental hyperpop single ‘goodbye’

Posted on 18 February 2021
Michæl Augustine

Experimental hyperpop artist, Michæl Augustine, is set to release their latest entrancingly avant-garde ambient single ‘goodbye’, if you want to slip away from our three-dimensional world, goodbye will gladly hand you the ticket.

The soundscape was written as an aural transcription of the mental and emotional journey of the average human being. With so much misguided focus on mental health, it is easy to see any amount of emotional turmoil as a life-long issue or an affirmation that we’re ‘broken’. Goodbye is a serene reminder that pain is part of the human condition whilst allowing the vibrant colours to decorate your mind with catharsis.

Needless to say, we’re floored with Michæl Augustine’s astute approach to experimentalism.

Goodbye is due for releasee on March 14th, you’ll be able check it out on SoundCloud. In the meantime, check out their former release.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mia Stegner – Quiet Chaos: Ethereally Baroque Ambient Art-Pop

Posted on 8 February 2021

‘Quiet Chaos’ is the etherally baroque ambient art-pop single from Mia Stegner. With piano progressions which resonate as a descent into spiralling madness, it’s a pleasure to escape your own mental torment and find aural sanctum within the honesty of this stunning feat of avant-garde.

Any fans of Amanda Palmer, Emilie Autumn and Abney Park will undoubtedly want to delve into the theatrically cathartic single which offers validation for all of the torrid emotions which have been chipping away at your psyche while you’ve been locked away during lockdown.

We all know how patronising the phrase “we’re all in this together” has become, but Mia Stegner found a gorgeously poignant way to deliver that message in Quiet Chaos. Consider putting her on your playlists as an act of self-care.

Quiet Chaos is available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Brave New Broken Hearts Club follow in the luminary footsteps of the Legendary Pink Dots with ‘Love Is On Its Way’

Posted on 26 January 2021
Brave New Broken Hearts Club

The musical vehicle for London-native singer-songwriter Neil Phillimore, Brave New Broken Hearts Club new single – released on the 29th January, and the first track from the forthcoming new album – is a delicate, melancholy semi-acoustic number; a tremolo-laden picked guitar part sits atop closed hi hats and Phillimore’s unapologetically character-filled vocals. Think of a ‘Country House’ era Damon Albarn, a North London wash delivering a evocative narrative of tainted love and shattered expectations.

It’s a great track, pretty and self-aware at the same time, downbeat without being downtrodden. Phillimore’s Suggs-like delivery perfectly suits the lyrical content, there’s some beautiful harmonies courtesy of Peckham folk singer Pearl Fish, and the repeating guitar motif adds weight throughout the track. Overall, ‘Love Is On Its Way’ is heartfelt, hopeful, and emotive, a perfect introduction to Brace New Broken Hearts Club – with two more singles scheduled before the release of the debut album later this year, it looks as though success, for sure, is on its way.

Love is On Its Way is available to stream from January 29th, you can pre-save the single on Spotify via this link.

Review by Alex Holmes

Rae Kelly Soars High With Stunning New Track ‘Ignorant as Icarus’

Posted on 26 December 2020

Dublin-born singer-songwriter Rae Kelly mixes heartfelt, philosophical, and evocative lyrics with a blend of mildly jazzy pop piano to produce a beautiful, delicate, and charming new single in the shape of ‘Ignorant As Icarus’. Kicking off with some real Tori Amos/Amanda Palmer vibes with the solo piano and vocal section before the rest of the band kick in, it’s an intriguing mix of repeating bass motif and keyboard behind Rae’s stunning, lilting vocal.

The delivery is divine, dropping down to an almost choral middle eight, Kelly’s vocal becoming one more instrument in the mix before slipping back to poetic, storytelling, questioning lyrics once more.

There’s some serious talent on show here, Kelly’s voice exquisite and graceful whilst her lyrics are engaging and thought-provoking; there’s no mistaking the ‘early years’ training of Kelly’s church choir experience in her confidence and soaring mezzo-soprano range, but there’s some avant-garde pop perfection on display as well, all capped off by the stunning piano and bassline of the track. Now back writing and recording after an enforced hiatus, hopefully, there’s much more to come from the sublime Rae Kelly.

You can hear ‘Ignorant As Icarus’ on Spotify and follow Rae Kelly here or on Facebook.

Review by Alex Holmes

Naud – Snaps it to us with his quirky Melting Pop style.

Posted on 7 December 2020
https://soundcloud.com/naudmusic_fr/snap-it

French artist Naud describes his music as ‘Melting Pop’, and while the pun might generate a slightly pained groan, the music certainly doesn’t; on reflection though, it’s a pretty apt description, ‘Snap It’, from Naud’s debut EP ‘Cames’ (which dropped on 31st October), being a bouncy swirling mixture of influences, combining Naud’s funk bass and guitar style with danceable beats, and electro style, and a heavily alt-pop swing to the arrangement and stop-start, sing-song, occasionally falsetto vocal.

Named, one assumes, with a nod to a certain French distillery on the isle of Pinthiers, in Pons, Naud describes his music as a mixture of cultural and stylistic influences, and ‘Snap It’ has the same kind of effect as his namesake’s signature gin and vodka, a heady intoxicating mix confounding the senses whilst remaining wholly pleasing and enjoyable; there’s a touch of Mika or maybe Beck to the track, in that whole ‘quirky, borderline kooky, non-conformist’ sort of way, and that’s entirely a good thing, allowing Naud free rein here to produce a glittering alternative pop track which effortlessly straddles the boundaries of pop, rock, and dance.

You can hear ‘Snap It’ on Soundcloud now, or check out Naud on Facebook and Instagram.

Review by Alex Holmes

Saphira takes us for an electronic ride down the Apocalytic Highway

Posted on 30 November 2020

Electronic Alternative Pop comes in many forms, from the wistful and ethereal to the heavy and dance-oriented. Sitting somewhere in the middle is this, the new single from ‘singer-songwriter from another dimension’ Saphira.

Taking in themes around impending environmental disaster, and humans apparent masochistic delight in letting the planet burn in the pursuit of a quick buck, ‘Apocalyptic Highway’ is a charming, ironic little satire set over a sparse melody of chimes, swirls, and swoops. Saphira’s vocal is mercurial, wandering between poetic spoken word and whimsical high-register singing, somewhere between Warpaint, Bjork, and the Cardigans. As much performance art as electronica, ‘Apocalyptic Highway’ is out now on all major streaming platforms.

Hear ‘Apocalyptic Highway’ on Spotify. See the video on Facebook.

Review by Alex Holmes

Britta Pejic has broken the monocultural mould with their rhythmically beguiling Alt Pop hit ‘Spring Roll Skin’

Posted on 23 November 2020

Britta Pejic has served up a smorgasbord of culture in her latest electronic Avant-Garde Latin Pop single ‘Spring Roll Skin’. With windingly psychedelic guitar notes adding beguile to the rhythmically arrestive instrumentals which create the perfect platform for Britta Pejic’s almost phantasmal vocals, the only thing which parallels the ingenuity is how deeply you will fall into the magnetically mellifluous release.

If you could imagine what it would sound like if Kate Bush strove for a more colourful and tribal sound, you’ll get a good idea of what you can expect when you hit play on Spring Roll Skin which was released on October 31st.

You can check out Spring Roll Skin for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Pleaseprettylea – Yack!: Conceptually Avant-Garde Dark Pop

Posted on 17 November 2020
Pleaseprettylea

West Midlands, UK artist Pleaseprettylea is due to hit the airwaves with her artfully enticing Dark Pop single “Yack!” on November 25th. With elements of Hip Hop within the darkly hypnotic production, the single transcends genre as it unravels as a powerfully conceptual single which deals with the concept of sickness in relation to vulnerability, trauma and vices.

Pleaseprettylea is never afraid to tackle taboo or difficult concepts in her tracks, Yack! is definitely no exception. It unravels as a theatrical breath of fresh air in a time when baseless information around mental health and self-care seems to be found in every corner of the internet. But with Pleaseprettylea’s Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in counselling, you can fall into the soundscape and find trust in the artist’s wisdom and alluring sound which shares the same immense level of expression as artists such as Bjork, PJ Harvey, Amanda Palmer and Kate Bush.

Yack! is due for release from November 25th, pre-save the track on all major streaming platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Le’lani brings evocative obscurity to Pop with “Can’t Wait 4 U”

Posted on 2 November 2020

Musician and performance artist Le’lani is acclaimed as a paragon of performativity in LA. Her latest solo single “Can’t Wait 4 U” is provocative enough to make her name internationally recognisable.

The track kicks off with beats which bring an enticing level of anticipation and energy while you’re treated to a recording of doubt-laden introspection. After a tantalizing instrumental segment, Le’lani’s hypnotically alluring vocals finally breeze into the mix and bring a sense of tranquillity to the soundscape. Any fans of Portishead definitely won’t want to let this release pass them by.

You can check out Can’t Wait 4 U which was released on October 16th for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

With an EP due to drop in 2021, you’ll definitely want Le’lani on your radar.

Review by Amelia Vandergast