Browsing Tag

Debut Single

Classic songwriting meets contemporary cultivation in Col Gerrard’s debut, Sun & Sky

Posted on 23 July 2024

The heat of 90s Britpop summers shimmer through the debut single, Sun & Sky, by Col Gerrard, who is already well on his way to becoming synonymous with seraphic soul-imbued sonics.

Nostalgia-filtered warmth radiates through the magnetic melodies which cast away shadows to invite a spectrum of sepia-tinged colour into your senses as the guitar-driven rhythms in Sun & Sky reverberate in the middle ground between Springsteen, Bryan Adams and the Manics.

The scintillatingly lush synths perfectly round out and modernise the euphoric atmosphere of the classically written single which was produced by the GRAMMY-nominated producer and Brit Award winner, Chris Potter, best known for his work with Blur, Kean, U2, The Rolling Stones, and The Verve.

Inspired by the way Bowie affected his fans, Gerrard has imbued the same soul-affirming stardust into his own work. Yet, when the tonal bliss of Sun & Sky washes over you and the tenderly compassionate lyricism that consoles the lost and pensive starts to resonate, there’s no mistaking that the alchemy within the promising debut is originated to its core.

Sun & Sky was officially released on July 12th; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Oh doom! orchestrated a sonic dichotomy in their tone-setting post-rock debut, All Our Songs Are Slow and Sad

Posted on 20 July 2024

Oh doom! set the tone for their forthcoming discography with the release of their elegiac debut single, All Our Songs Are Slow and Sad; but given the artistic intensity within the inaugural release, expecting the unexpected would be safer.

The release ensues from an ambient post-rock composition filled with art-rock motifs and reverb-drenched choral guitars that pull textures of shoegaze into the production until the track steadily builds in momentum throughout the extended 8-minute duration.

While attention spans may be waning and artists are churning out 2-minute pop tracks left, right, and centre, Oh Doom! exhibited the beauty of foregoing instant hooks for mind-shattering crescendos, cinematically constructed by distorted walls of noise, powerful enough to reverberate right through you.

The kinetic alchemy within All Our Songs Are Slow and Sad is a visceral attestation to the raw, creative power of Oh Doom!, who have the potential to rise to the same heights as Low and Mogwai. Not pedestrian enough for unoriginated post-rock assimilation, the single broadsides with Grandaddy-esque polyphonic synthetics which infiltrate the paradoxically tender yet monolithic production.  Yet, perhaps the most striking beauty in the single lies in how, regardless of the intensity of the instrumentals, the pensively diaphanous vocals maintain imperturbable innocent serenity.

From the ashes of frenetically-paced projects, Oh doom! banded together to filter hope into despair in their releases which utilise spatial effects to let emotion manifest between the notes. As the first single from the debut EP, set for release on July 26, All Our Songs Are Slow and Sad became an irrefutable sign of even bigger things to come from the North London/Hertfordshire band.

All Our Songs Are Slow and Sad was officially released on July 5; stream the single on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Kaciny – Happy Thoughts: A Soulfully Sardonic Anthem for the Melancholic Soul

Posted on 29 June 2024

Kaciny’s debut single, Happy Thoughts, immediately strikes the senses with its pop-punk-esque staccato guitar chops before erupting into an anthem impaled by indie jangle pop hooks. The euphoric production is affectingly juxtaposed with bittersweet lyricism, offering a protest against the trite rhetoric often directed towards those with a natural proclivity for melancholy.

Kaciny’s soulfully sardonic grace in addressing this phenomenon sets her apart from her contemporaries. Her ability to capture the essence of ennui while simultaneously critiquing societal pressures to remain perpetually upbeat delivers a potent shot of vindication for listeners who struggle with their own black dog. The earworm is a visceral ride through the rage-fuelled frustrations of wanting acceptance as you are, pensive tendencies and all.

Brooklyn-born and Mississippi-based, Kaciny grew up surrounded by a musically accomplished family, which heavily influenced her artistic journey. Her background, combined with influences from bands like Bloc Party and Paramore, and artists such as Santigold and Dionne Farris, shapes her unique sound. By the age of 20, Kaciny had already made her mark as a songwriter for notable artists like Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown.

Happy Thoughts is a testament to Kaciny’s stripes as a storyteller and musician. This flawlessly fierce alt-indie pop-rock release is so much more than the sum of its sonic parts. It’s an opportunity for listeners to reclaim their true identity and celebrate the beauty in feeling deeply as an involuntary rejection of superficiality.

Happy Thoughts will be officially released on June 28; stream the single on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

NIGHT WHIP shot from the hip in their 16-minute psychedelic western eponymous debut single

Posted on 28 June 2024
NIGHT WHIP

Emerging from the arid expanse of Western Colorado, NIGHT WHIP cast aside all semblances of convention with their electrifyingly debauched eponymous debut single which spans 16 minutes and stretches the mind even further.

If you ever wanted to know what a synthesis of sludge, doom and psych rock would sound like filtered through Tarantino’s cinematic lens, hit play and sink into the tour de force of tonal alchemy, which is far more potent than any substance sampled in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.

The track deftly balances dusky desert atmospheres with the rhythmic intensity reminiscent of Queens of the Stone Age and the tight licks characteristic of Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster. As NIGHT WHIP tears through their inhibitions, the explosive doom metal breakdowns and relentless rhythmic drive culminate in a deeply authentic and unflinching score.

Formed in 2018 by Griff Chiono and Colin Keefe as a side project of the alt-punk band Bronco Country, NIGHT WHIP has rapidly become a staple in the local music scene. Their sound, described aptly as “heavy western,” captures the profound isolation of small desert towns with its distorted baritone guitars, relentless drums, trippy electronics, and hauntingly layered vocals.

Set to release on June 28th, 2024, under the band’s label, Bureaucracy Records, Night Whip is poised to cast a long shadow over the alternative music landscape. Discover your preferred way to listen via the band’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spyndycyt entered the industry as a zany indie pop enigma with ‘MysteryBoy’.

Posted on 20 June 2024

Spyndycyt’s seminal single, ‘MysteryBoy‘, kicks off with a short sermonic acapella narration of abstract lyrical poetry before the beat and scintillatingly strobing synths consume the track in true electro-pop style.

Yet, ‘MysteryBoy’ is far from your average pop fare. It fuses Jack White-esque aesthetics with Suicide-reminiscent indietronica and an eccentricity scarcely heard in the contemporary music industry. If Lou Reed lost all sense of restraint and approached his sound with unadulterated expression, you’d undoubtedly be treated to an exhilarant zany hit in the same vein as ‘MysteryBoy’.

Even after this soul-baring release, Spyndycyt remains somewhat of an enigma behind his avant-garde production that’s rampant with infectious zeal. His approach to music is intriguingly unconventional, but don’t get it twisted, though he may blaze through his productions driven by fantasies that far exceed his abilities, the result is a mould-breaking riot of rhythmically-charged euphoria.

His raw, almost naive touch, brings a unique authenticity to his work that seekers of fresh and boundary-pushing hits will want to devour. Break away from the mundane and predictable and hit play.

MysteryBoy was officially released on June 12th; stream the single on SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Absnt Mind became the future of boy band culture with their debut single, No Strings

Posted on 17 June 2024

If you thought hook-up culture killed diehard romanticism and the time for boyband chart dominance is over, the debut single, No Strings, by the indomitable five-piece powerhouse, Absnt Mind, will make you think twice as the earworm carried by the infectious melodies beds in and starts to take control of your rhythmic pulses.

The sticky-sweet with panache and sincere desire for real connection debut ticks all the right modern pop anthem boxes while finding unique ways to seduce the listener with its euphonically catchy production.

While each member of the dynamic UK outfit harmonises to the nines, the frenetically kinetic beats drive pulsating energy into the mix, amplifying the urgency of the impassioned fervour that Absnt Mind will undoubtedly become known for as they cruise through their career and reach their natural crowning point at the top of the pop charts.

With the sun-bleached tonal hues injecting warm vibrancy into the release, there’s plenty of scope for No Strings to become the pop hit of the summer. The band’s loyal army of fans – 30k on TikTok and counting – will undoubtedly be integral to Absnt Mind’s ascent.

No Strings was officially released on June 7th; stream the single on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Taking Back Tomorrow have made their supersonic orchestral indie rock debut, In This Moment

Posted on 14 May 2024

If anyone ordered the male version of The Last Dinner Party, judging by the cinematically theatrical flair of their orchestrally cut debut single, In This Moment, they’ve arrived in the form of Taking Back Tomorrow.

Exhilarating from the first augmented rock-licked breath, the symphonic pop-rock mash-up exudes the charisma of Queen, slick indie style in the same vein as Editors, and orchestral layers intense enough to bring Vangelis to climax.

The synergy exhibited between the instrumentals as they spark electricity and work their way towards Blockbuster OST-esque crescendos and within the euphonically layered harmonies is unparalleled. Pour into that mix the sticky sweet extolling of mindfulness and living for the moment and you’ve got a track that transcends your ordinary earworm; there isn’t a part of your anatomy that Taking Back Tomorrow will leave unaltered.

The first thing you’ll think after having your face melted by the debut is how long has the Stoke-on-Trent 5-piece been sitting on their virtuosic talent; the second is when are they releasing their sophomore single. If any newcomer in 2024 is capable of a sure-fire trajectory straight to the top of the charts, it is Taking Back Tomorrow. Watch this space; if they can come in this strong with their debut, there’s no telling what they will do next.

In This Moment was officially released on May 4th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Visit the ‘Golden State’ with Out in Front’s Breakthrough Indie Pop-Rock Debut

Posted on 12 May 2024

The indie scene has been crying out for ingenuity; Out in Front answered the plea for sonic salvation from assimilative monotony with their debut single, Golden State, which may have only been on the airwaves for two months, but the LA newcomers have wasted no time racking up close to 100k streams on Spotify alone with their inaugural release.

After the prelude teases just another twee indie pop single to add to the indie landfill, Golden State shifts gears with a brashy crescendo of overdriven guitars that hark back to The Manic Street Preacher’s earlier records before the jangle pop melodies add yet another scintillating dimension to the dynamic earworm that you’ll beg to stay.

With the Southern Cali sound an integral part of their sonic signature, the trio who met by chance at a tennis court before jamming together and realising they had the epitome of creative chemistry to share with fans all across the indie pop-rock spectrum, Golden State drenches the airwaves with glistening golden tonal bliss, wrapped in a hazily hued aura that almost feels like a second skin when you’re immersed in this instant hit.

Golden State is available to stream on all major platforms, including Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nostalgic Smells pierced through the shadows of ennui with his debut post-grunge hit, Glimmer

Posted on 5 May 2024

The post-grunge movement has been pushed forward with the emo-adjacent debut single, Glimmer, from the Scottish solo artist, Nostalgic Smells, who dove headfirst into emotional depths most would drown in.

After earning his stripes as a drummer and honing his ear for rhythm and melody, Nostalgic Smells’ knew exactly where to implant the hooks within the angst and disquietude of his ode to the intersections between emo and 90s grunge.

Glimmer is an enthralling return to the thick, sludgy hooks and emotive turmoil that defined an era. Despite its dense layers of distortion, David’s knack for melody shines through in the song’s structure which is rife with tensile progressions that meticulously pull the listener into its emotionally charged core, reminiscent of the sounds of Nirvana and HUM.

The debut invigorates the familiar with a freshness often attempted but rarely achieved in the modern music scene. For those who grew up with the resonant beats of Helmet or the textured distortions of Quicksand, Glimmer promises a journey back to those raw, introspective soundscapes, while also beckoning to those new to the scene.

The lyrical aching for a modicum of light to break the dark clouds of ennui couldn’t be more affecting in this intensely authentic hit that is already going down a storm and creating immense anticipation for the sophomore release.

Glimmer sludged up the airwaves on April 15; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Eyelash’s indie post-punk debut, Dark Shadow, glistens with gothic glamour

Posted on 30 April 2024

The Eyelash has made their debut with “Dark Shadow,” an instant indie post-punk classic that marries Johnny Marr’s angular guitar stylings with the enchanting vocal power of NYC’s Daphne. This cross-Atlantic aural affair showcases a rare synergy, weaving together the morose melancholy of British strings with the cavernous depth of homegrown American vocals.

As the track unfolds, listeners are treated to a guitar line that feeds a quintessentially British sense of gloom, perfectly complemented by Daphne’s raw, tortured and taut vocal timbres. Her voice cuts through the gothic harmonies, to resonate with fans of Siouxsie Sioux while adding a modern twist to the nostalgic undertones.

Formed in 2024, The Eyelash is a two-piece band comprising electric and bass guitarist Tom from Eastern England and vocalist Daphne from New York City. “Dark Shadow” was penned amid the rainy, melancholic waves of the Jurassic Coast and recorded in the equally melancholic but lit-up Manhattan, embodying the geographical and emotional landscapes of its creators.

This track is more than just a debut single; it’s a formidable statement of intent from a duo poised to storm the alt-rock scene. The song invites listeners to explore the haunted corridors of an eloquently poetic psyche, pulling them into a relatable disquiet. The Eyelash promises not only a reflection of our own shadows but a journey through the spectral realms of indie post-punk with every chord and verse.

Dark Shadow was officially released on March 26th; stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast