Browsing Tag

ballad

Somewhere In Between – Mr & Mrs: An Orchestral Indie Folk Tale of Amour for the Ages

Somewhere In Between, the soul-embracing union of Deena Robertson and Austin Bisnow is so much more than a new alt-indie folk act on the scene; the duo is a profound testament to love’s resilience.

Their debut single Mr & Mrs, taken from their double A-Side which also includes the single Wildflower, unfurls as an artfully orchestral folk narrative, resonating with emotional depths through dual-layered harmonies. The intimate glimpse into a romance that has battled odds as daunting as cancer and triumphed with a story sung through their very being reaches the epitome of heart-rending.

The single channels the delicate nuances of Thom Yorke’s artful signatures, the diaphanous echoes of Tom Odell, and the undeniable chemistry reminiscent of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. It’s an ornately ethereal vignette of romanticism so vivid, it might just redefine your understanding of love, illustrating that true affection demands patience, compassion, and understanding.

Their journey began when Austin first heard Deena singing in Sanskrit during a hot yoga class in LA, leading to an inseparable bond forged at a retreat in Utah. Challenges soon followed, notably Deena’s cancer battle, compelling them to immortalise their vows in song with the aid of Grammy Award-winning artist Ry-X. Today, their Quebec barn-turned-studio is not just a place of creation but a sanctuary where their lives and art intertwine.

For those jaded by Hollywood’s glossy depictions of love, Mr & Mrs offers a real, raw, and profoundly authentic alternative. Hit play, and let the seraphic sentimentality carry you to where love reigns supreme, unscripted and unequivocally honest.

Mr & Mrs is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nick Pritchard promised perpetuity in his pop ballad  ‘Forever with You’

After breaking international ground in the jazz scene, leading to sold-out shows in major theatres across the globe and holding residencies in prestigious venues in London and Dubai, the endlessly ascending artist Nick Pritchard has proven his heart-wrenching mettle as a balladeer in his latest single, Forever with You.

Though the arcane production which amplifies the affecting impact of the singer-songwriter’s velvet-toned serenade resonates akin to a sonic fantasy weaved out of the fabric of an imagination locked into unrealistic romantic expectation, the single narrates Nick’s own life story; how his world was transformed by a chance encounter on a train with his girlfriend.

“This is the most heartfelt, meaningful song that I have released. It comes from a place of pure emotion, that I believe everybody will be able to relate to. Everyone has someone special to them that has impacted their life”

While the piano keys echo the deeply touching progressions of Lou Reed’s Perfect Day, the ornate instrumental crescendos match the expansive soul-stirring intensity of earworms in the same vein as Take That’s Rule the World. Yet, Nick Pritchard’s awe-inspiringly dynamic octave range, tenderly flawless pitch-perfection and striking sense of sincerity are beyond compare. Few artists could ever hold a candle to his luminous presence on the airwaves.

Forever with You was officially released on May 10th. Stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Keli Woods illuminated the keys with enlightenment in his latest piano composition, Skies

Fans of Tom Odell, James Bay and Birdy won’t fail to be consumed by the latest piano composition, Skies, from the UK multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer, Keli Woods.

If his voice accompanied this year’s John Lewis Christmas advert, I wouldn’t be coloured surprised, and that is only the start of the crossover appeal of this sombrely intimate yet juxtaposing strident release, which seamlessly amasses evocative momentum and flair with every intricately laid progression in the epic 6-minute progressive ballad.

Keli Woods’ experience as a monk lent itself effortlessly well to the powerfully metaphorical introspection within Skies. His ability to conjure vivid pictures in the mind with his deeply affecting lyrical prose is second to none. He may have missed out on West End stardom at the age of 11, but all paths, which included performing jazz band in a decommissioned ambulance in Swansea and living the late-night rock ‘n’ roll life, have led him to this point of proving the transformative force of music.

Listen to the live recording of Skies from Real World Studios via YouTube from October 18.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

London’s queer pop queen Tana reached peak supremacy in her single, Kiss Me Like We’re Gonna Die

The queer pop queen, Tana, hasn’t fallen short of success and supremacy since we last heard her in 2022 with her pop-rap hit, Supermodel. For her latest single, Kiss Me Like We’re Gonna Die, the London-based genre-fluid originator stripped back the tempo to unveil an RnB pop single that is steamier than *that* scene in Titanic.

Instead of painting a portrait of perfect – and therefore unattainable – romance, Tana played it pure in Kiss Me Like We’re Gonna Die by nuancedly alluding to how promises of perpetual bliss only leave us lingering in naivety further down the line. Despite the visceral pain projected into the release, there’s a sense of romanticism that visualises the realities of love instead of paying homage to Hollywood tropes that never actualise in material reality.

In addition to orchestrating originated and awakeningly installations of candour, Tana has hit the main stage at UK Black Pride 2022, performed at NXNE Festival, London Pride and Tallinn Music Week, while being spun BBC Introducing, Soho Radio, Gaydio and Trace Urban. Even if you don’t watch this space, Tana is enough of a phenomenon that you’ll hear about her regardless if you put her on your radar.

Kiss Me Like We’re Gonna Die is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mist’riii – Sometimes: Acknowledging the Temporary State of Everything Has Never Been More Beautiful.

Nairobi-hailing indie-pop newcomer, Mist’riii has released the ballad to end all others with her beautifully scored feat of expression, Sometimes.

It’s not often that I’m caught off guard, but that’s exactly where Sometimes succeeds. It resonates like a brand-new visceral experience that you desperately want to share with the rest of the world because you KNOW the emotional magnetism transcends genre preferences. It’s a strikingly ornate, moving ballad that deserves to be in the OST for the next Hollywood romance blockbuster – in spite of the intimate indie feels.

In her own words, here is what Mist’riii had to say about her latest release,

“Sometimes, we don’t want someone from our past back; we acknowledge that it is over, but from time to time, we can’t help but wonder if they ever think about us. Not sure if it’s the ego at play in such instances, or just nostalgia (or both lol) but I believe that it’s a sentiment that anyone who has ever lost someone (whether it’s an ex lover or friend) can relate to.”

Sometimes is now available to stream on SoundCloud, where the independently released track has already racked up over 17k streams.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Alen Chicco and Ziggy Sound are quite outstanding on the soul-shaking ballad ‘WHY’ (Live at One Day Famous)

As he scours enormously for that special heart inside him that used to beat with magnificent aplomb that sparked into the sky, Alen Chicco and Ziggy Sound sends our emotions into overdrive with the thoughtfully astonishing new release, ‘WHY(Live at One Day Famous).

Alen Chicco and Ziggy Sound are Lithuanian indie-pop solo artists who have formed a bond that has wonderful energy and their music together has enlightened so many lives to be themselves no matter what.

I call this a convulsion singing. This is not a song. It is more a singable feel, the moment. I have never performed this before. But I felt that One Day Famous was the best format to show this creation which was dusting in my notebook.” ~ Alen Chicco

After striking our senses with ‘Wanna Know‘ (feat. Ziggy Sound), Alen Chicco and Ziggy Sound return with an ear-throbber of note that seems to have you looking deeply into your own hidden emotions. The vocals here shall certainly wake up the neighbours next door as they shred through all glass with true intent.

WHY(Live at One Day Famous) from the Lithuanian indie-pop solo artists Alen Chicco and Ziggy Sound, is a new release that shall have you wondering what happened to your heart that used to flutter freely with innocence. With the world currently so harsh as we look for our generations Batman to save us – this is a really incredible release – that has been courageously sent out to show that tracks like this do actually still exist. A riveting display is the order of the day, as we open up our imagination to a vocally-enhanced song made with such class.

See this quite stunning display on YouTube and see more on Alen’s socials via IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Maria Manuel takes us to her Happy Place in her soul-pop single

“Happy Place” is the intensely soulful latest single from the up and coming London-based pop singer Maria Manuel. With the opening lyrics, “it was pretty when I thought I could have it all, it was pretty when I thought I could do it all”, you’re instantly disarmed by the vulnerable confession of previous naivety.

What few people prepare you for is how much growth can hurt when we detach ourselves from our innocence and fantasy-like expectations of the world. Maria Manuel softens the blow with the sincerity of her balladic RnB pop vocals and the minimalist yet consumingly resounding score of soft RnB instrumentals against orchestral strings. Happy Place is a track that you will want to delve into time after time for its consoling power and its minor-key earworm potential. You could listen to the radio all day and still never encounter an artist with as much soulful presence as Manuel.

You can check out Happy Place for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud and Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Luanne Hunt speaks to the love-sick in her latest New Country single, The Butterfly Effect.

For anyone that bemoans “they don’t make ‘em like they used to”, Luanne Hunt’s latest new country single, The Butterfly Effect, will show you just how wrong you are. The timelessly classic and instantly beguiling love song, which was written by Greg Matthews and Bill O’Hanlon, allowed the country singer’s vocal timbre to flourish next to the quiescent pulls of the acoustic guitar strings and bright yet subtle piano keys. The instrumentals build momentum in synergy with the Grammy-nominated vocals and lyrics that get more ardent and urgent as this powerfully sentimental single unfolds.

The emotions we contend with when we are at the butterfly stage of affection aren’t the easiest feelings to understand. It is songs like The Butterfly Effect that captures those emotions in the rawest form and help us to navigate them. After all, there is a reason why the term love-sick exists.

The Butterfly Effect is now available to stream Via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Adam Wedd reaches the pinnacle of pensive piano pop with ‘Home N Away’.

Pensive piano pop has never been quite as bitter-sweet as the latest stormy release, Home N Away, by up and coming artist Adam Wedd. The emotionally charged semi-orchestral soundscape is fraught with loss and mourning and still manages to hit a compassionate soft spot as you’re swept up in the fanfare of the theatrical elements and straight from the soul sentiment.

Despite a global pandemic, the London-based singer-songwriter’s career hasn’t failed to pick up traction. With a sell-out debut EP under his belt, accolades from BBC introducing and the freedom to tour Europe and the USA once more, he is definitely one to watch.

Home N Away was officially released on October 1st. You can check it out for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Abi Mia’s orchestral ballad, Shadow, resounds with empowerment

Abi Mia

Abi Mia’s latest piano pop ballad, Shadow, is easily one of the timeliest singles that we’ve heard this year; for the lyrics, she looked deep into the collective misery and burnout surrounding her, sonically, she constructed a compelling case for self-care that is impossible to ignore.

Our self-destructive need to work ourselves to exhaustion determination to be fine with everything our chaotic world throws at us is something that has been eating away at us since long before the lockdowns, but right now is the perfect time for a conversation. Abi Mia leads that dialogue with her soul-baring single that will quickly convince you to strip away your façade and allow the single to resonate with you on a deeper level.

The only question that the radio-ready orchestral ballad leaves you with is why isn’t she already a multi-platinum artist? It is only a matter of time before Abi Mia is scouted for her distinct vocals that only allow fleeting reminiscence while boasting the same robust propensities as Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus and Adele.

Shadow is due for release on September 17th. Check it out for yourselves on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast