Browsing Tag

Cosmic Pop

Country hooks up with 70s cosmic pop in Marcus Liuzzi’s latest single, 2 Night Stand

Posted on 4 February 2022

Country meets 70s cosmic pop in the Massachusetts-hailing singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Marcus Liuzzi’s latest single, 2 Night Stand.

The deeply candid and narrative track spins the whiskey-soaked tale of a hook-up that left the hook firmly embedded itself far beyond the hungover sunrise. If there is any definitive proof that the loss of the object of our lust is as crushing as the loss of love, it is this humbly honest track. It wears its heart on the shimmering guitar progressions, Americana-influenced basslines, psychedelically warm keys, and the occasional orchestral sing motif.

There are hints of R.E.M. in the vocals that rest atop the country twang and influence from ELO, Bowie and the Beatles. Only an insanely talented artist could pull that off in such an endearing fashion. It is safe to say that we are pretty hooked.

You can get down with a 2 Night Stand for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Space pop goes baroque in J.T. Rogers’s latest single, The Cycle of Orbit, featuring Carter Costello.

Posted on 9 November 2021

After the successful release of his 2021 debut album, All Through Time and Space, J.T. Rogers teamed up with Carter Costello for his latest alt-pop hit, The Cycle of Orbit. After hearing the synthy-sweet hooky chorus, I’m fairly sure I surrendered a significant proportion of my soul to the mesmerising collaborative duo.

I don’t make Peeing Tom reminiscences lightly. Yet, the Seattle-born, LA-based artist warranted it with his uniquely evocative mix of vocal vibrato and reverb atop of the baroquely twisted instrumentals.

J.T Rogers took space pop to a fairly dark place, but those who find their minds in the shadows regardless will find plenty of salvation in this gorgeous amalgamation of bedroom pop, lo-fi and emo which is just as psychedelic as the most Avant work from the Legendary Pink Dots.

Costello adds a gorgeous dynamic single with his commanding debonair-vibe vocals. It comes as little surprise that J.T. is starting to amass so much traction in his career. We can’t wait to hear what he pours onto the airwaves next.

The Cycle of Orbit is now available to stream on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

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

Posted on 28 October 2021

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

Alice Payne – Visions: The Ultimate Chillwave Playlist Staple

Posted on 18 September 2021

‘Visions’ is the latest dreamily psychotropic dance-pop release from the independent Australian artist and producer Alice Payne. After releasing her debut synth-pop track, Drive, earlier this year, the hype is steadily garnering around her emotionally charged, sonically cathartic style.

The reverb-swathed soundscape starts with an ethereal indie trip-hop prelude before the downtempo four-to-the-floor beat starts to kick in to create a solid structure for the ensnaring track to capture you within.

With the teasing progressions, aural curveballs and enigmatic sense of intrigue in Visions, you couldn’t ask for a better chillwave playlist staple.

Visions is now available to stream on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ernesto Carlos has released their eccentric feat of cosmic pop, ‘Ontem eu matei trinta pessoas’

Posted on 3 April 2021

After releasing their 2020 single, ‘Silencio’, Brazilian artist Ernesto Carlos has continued to enamour listeners with their eccentric sound that proves expression doesn’t have to be serious to add nuance on the airwaves.

The standout track, ‘Ontem eu matei trinta pessoas’ from his debut album ‘Jorge’ exhibits the best of Ernesto Carlos’ high vibes and disregard for creative constraints. With all of the aural insanity of the Talking Heads, the easy rhythms of ska reggae and a futuristic infusion of 8-bit, it’s safe to say that you’ve never heard anything like the smorgasbord of euphoria on offer here. There’s even the echo of the 60s psych-pop within Ontem eu matei trinta pessoas to ensure that it unfolded as vibrantly as possible.

Unilingual English minds unable to decipher the lyrics will still be able to take plenty away from this energetic feat of cosmic pop.

Ontem eu matei trinta pessoas is available to stream with the rest of Ernesto Carlos’ debut album via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Feel the love emanating from Jade Moede’s psychedelic synth-rock track, ‘Shine Your Love’.

Posted on 3 April 2021
Jade Moede

We first met US singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jade Moede through their raucous feat of retro rock, ‘No More lies’, their upcoming release, ‘Shine Your Love’, exhibits a very different facet of their ability to manipulate emotion through music.

While most love songs work on the assumption that the listener is already affably sated, Jade Moede went in a completely different direction. His psychedelic synth-rock track reminds the listener of the infinite nature of love – you’ll find plenty of it within the unapologetically eccentric production that’s an extension of what the Beatles had to offer. But there’s something utterly stunning about Jade Moede’s determination to make sure that love emanates through the track orchestrated for his drum teachers, Jack Brand and Stuart Miller who have both since passed. Something tells me they’d be just as proud of his MO as his technical ability.

You can check out Jade Moede via Spotify and by heading over to his official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast