Browsing Tag

folk

Rossa Murray & the blowin’ winds will warmly render your heartstrings raw with ‘Who Really Wants to Get Clean’

Posted on 29 September 2023
Rossa Murray & the blowin' winds

The hype around the Irish alt-folk/rock outfit, Rossa Murray & the blowin’ winds, may be louder than the melancholic quiescence in the title single from their latest EP, but the accolades are far from hyperbolic.

Who Really Wants to Get Clean is a cutting- with razor-sharp precision – exposition on society’s issues around addiction; so much pressure is put upon the people numbing themselves by any means necessary to change, while the societal issues that make it a necessity for so many get ambivalently swept under the rug.

I can’t even remember the last time a track hit me this hard. The evocative delivery, the desperation in the vignette, the agony that lingers in the tempo of the minor keys, the profoundness in the strings, it all synthesises into a tear-jerking performance that leaves you in a sombre state of contemplation.

Fans of Bill Ryder-Jones and Frightened Rabbit won’t be able to tear themselves away from the Rossa Murray & the blowin’ winds’ discography after Who Really Wants to Get Clean has warmly rendered their hearts raw.

The Who Really Wants to Get Clean – Part 2 EP will officially release on September 29th. Stream it on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Oliver James Brooks synthesised contemporary sickness with the fever of the 70s in ‘Technologically Stoned.

Posted on 28 September 2023
https://bit.ly/OJB-TechnologicallyStoned-Video

To hold a mirror to the dystopic sickness of the day, the critically acclaimed Toronto singer-songwriter, Oliver James Brooks, lyrically narrated our iPhone co-dependency issues in stark contrast to the 70s fever of psych-folk timbres with his alt-folk-rock single, Technologically Stoned.

Illuminating the reality of the evolution of technology which is spurring the regression of society while orchestrating a lava lamp warm soundscape that consoles through the dusky hues couldn’t have been an easy feat; the resolving raconteur succeeded nonetheless.

The accompanying music video, shot on super 8mm film along the Humber River Valley, also acts as a compelling visual exposition of how the chokehold of our phones is blinding us to the natural beauty that is everywhere we turn. If any single is going to convince you to get your dopamine fix in a more organic way, it is Technologically Stoned; the organic and raw production leads by efficacious example.

Technologically Stoned was officially released on September 22; it will also feature in the artist’s third studio LP, A Little Long While, which will be available to stream on all major platforms from November 24.

Watch the official music video for Technologically Stone on YouTube now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Joel Porter made a plea for providence in his alt-folk masterpiece, Godsend

Posted on 28 September 2023

The North Dakota alt-folk artist, composer and producer Joel Porter’s fascination with the human psyche knows even fewer bounds than the experimentalism in his harmonic landscapes.

Art brings meaning to life; in Porter’s work, which includes his recently released single, Godsend, life also brings meaning to art as the quiescent neo-classic melodies complement confessional emotional exploration. With his signature sense of intimate longing, Godsend is yet another testament to his talent and introspective eloquence. With a sound so sweet it stings, the melancholic cries for providence in Godsend are so profound they resonantly overwhelm the senses.

Combined with the aesthetic desolation in the black-and-white music video which visualises the monochromatic hues of a forsaken soul, Godsend is yet another masterpiece in Joel Porter’s repertoire.

Over the course of his career, he’s worked with renowned artists, showcased his music on a national level, accumulated over 7.5 million streams, and secured sync placements with the television series The 100 and in the Grey Skies: A War of the Worlds Story video game.

Something tells us the best is yet to come for Porter and his ability to construct bridges between the pensiveness of Elliott Smith and the intricate ambience of Nils Frahm.

The official music video for Godsend will premiere on September 28; watch it on YouTube.

For more info, visit Joel Porter’s official website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Brian Berggoetz tenderly chases an ethereal spectre in his orchestral folk score, Just a Dream

Posted on 26 September 2023

Just a Dream is the latest orchestrally ornate single meticulously crafted by the Tucson, Arizona artist, Brian Berggoetz. While the acoustic guitar strings keep the orchestration humble, intimate and folky, the cinematic interplay between the cello and violin strings brings a profound sense of elegant refinement to the lyricism, which tenderly chases an ethereal spectre.

With his backing band, Brian Berggoetz has become a prominent fixture in the Tucson live circuit and beyond; his live shows, whether he’s opening for Reverend Horton Heat, Charlie Sexton and Chris Murphy or topping the bill, have a reputation for rendering audiences enraptured.

Original songwriting is just one of his talents in a vast repertoire; he also has an affinity for reimagining classical songs in his distinctive style, which balances euphonic decadence with the intense affability of folk rock to make classical overtones effortlessly accessible to a wide audience. If Eddie Vedder’s soundtrack for Into the Wild infused more orchestral strings, I’m not entirely convinced it would emanate the same delicate visceral mesmerism of Just a Dream.

Just a Dream is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Spike Casino has unveiled his surreal sophomore folk-rock single, Lobsters and Guns

Posted on 23 September 2023

Surrealism is never far from the equation when the LA-hailing singer, poet, writer, producer, and general music shape-shifter Spike Casino turns his hand to a new sonic creation.

His sophomore single, Lobsters and Guns, unravels as a kaleidoscope of obscurity; if New Model Army shared a few tabs of acid with the Legendary Pink Dots, their always panoramic lyrical pictures would share the same quintessentially out-there air as this alt-folk rock harbingering serenade.

Once you’re immersed in the spiritedly cadenced single, the minimal connotations between lobsters and guns in the world outside of this track won’t dare to phase you. Instead, you’ll be enthralled by the depiction of a gangster-fuelled seaside town they should probably close down if this single is anything to go by.

Lobsters and Guns was officially released on September 1st; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The indie raconteur Zarko let it flow in his acoustic expedition to ‘River Town’

Posted on 23 September 2023

If you still revere Closing Time by Tom Waits as one of the best albums of all time, you’ll find the latest single, River Town, from the Serbian indie folk raconteur Zarko just as resolving in its acoustic rapture.

The instrumentals may be minimal, but that didn’t get in the way of the up-and-coming singer-songwriter when he put his masterful mind to painting a panoramic picture of barflies in a town which used to conjure brighter emotions. I’m sure we can all relate to the alienating sense of dejection that ebbs away at our ability to feel anything but numb. With River Town on the airwaves, the sensation feels infinitely less lonely.

On the basis of River Town alone, Zarko should be celebrating the same success as Amigo the Devil with his delectable brand of folk blues. For your own sake, pay the hit song a visit.

River Town was officially released on September 2nd; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Mark Ben Wilson is searching on the other side in his compassionately warm folk-pop single, Horizons

Posted on 22 September 2023

Some tracks allow you to fall in love with a three-minute experience; others allow you to develop a deep kinship with the artist through their inviting warmth. After listening to Mark Ben Wilson’s single, Horizons, it is safe to say that he puts his listeners in the latter camp with the evocative resonance in his guitar work that is only matched by the compassionate honey that drips from his vocal lines.

His humble yet highly assured approach to passionately pure acoustic folk-pop is intoxicating from the first melodic breath; as Horizons continues to unravel, you’re taken along for the emotive ride as he searches for meaning on the other side of the kind of storm that leaves you alone holding up an umbrella. It’s a stunning vignette that will easily enamour any fans of Ben Howard, John Butler and Fink.

Horizons will release along with Wilson’s LP, Roots & Wings on September 22nd. Stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

It’s ‘Gemini’ season in the latest blues folk single by Goldschatz

Posted on 8 September 2023

Genres are defied and the soul transcends in the latest dual-harmony-driven single, Gemini, from the duo Goldschatz. Despite Timothy Jaromir and Rykka hailing from Switzerland and Canada, respectively, nothing was lost in translation in the spiritually spirited acoustic blues-folk release, which teases the soul-affirming singles to come in the upcoming EP, TWIN FLAME.

Even if Father John Misty and Stevie Nicks joined melodic forces in a euphonic portal back to 70s blues, the alchemy wouldn’t sound as sweet as the synergy that breathes through the power couple’s sound, which has seen them become one of the hottest breakthrough artists in Switzerland.

Whether they’re gracing the airwaves or live music venues, Goldschatz never fails to make an impression when they share their poetic introspection over their timelessly enrapturing antidotes to ennui. If you need to reinvigorate your lust for life by exposing yourself to the potential magic of it, delve into their rich discography of soul-rendered singles.

Gemini officially released on September 1st; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Unknown River set the bar for honkytonk hits plateau-high with ‘Outlaws on My Trail’

Posted on 6 September 2023

The Floridan singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Unknown River set the bar for penning immersive escapist honkytonk hits plateau-high with the standout single, Outlaws on My Trail, taken from his debut album, The Dead River Passage.

The fiddle and banjo-driven single delivers a vignette of a man coming to regret the repercussions of his down-and-out actions; the combination of the simple country living exposition and the upbeat arrangement and vocals is enough to make the experience of outlaw-evading sound like a riotous way to see the sands of time slip away, and therein lies the beauty of Unknown River’s indomitable magnetism.

By taking the influence of bluegrass, delta blues, country, rock and old-timey traditional tunes, Unknown River’s amalgamated Americana signature is designed to strip away the plight of modern-day malaise and entrench you in the ease and euphoria of eras that are far from bygone – roots-crafted sanctuaries are just one hit on play away. Press it.

Outlaws on My Trail is available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Ensemble Voyagers took us far out and back in time with their latest medieval folk single, Ductia

Posted on 6 September 2023

If Americana is the first thing that springs to mind when you hear the word folk, the open collective of folk purveyors and traditionalists, Ensemble Voyagers, with their medieval music creations, will show you there is plenty more to the genre.

Ensemble Voyagers, led by Daniele Montagner who started the ensemble in 2017, may be a complete antithesis to Heilung in terms of the atmospheres and sonic aesthetics, but the two truly traditional outfits achieve the same end goal of evoking history through melody.

Their latest single, Ductia, strips away the past few centuries to immerse you in a vibrant flute and trombone-driven production. The effortlessly jovial quintessential folk instrumental release is the kind of soundscape our European ancestors would use to mark an occasion for celebration or tavern revelry; European folk roots rarely get as deep as this; dig in.

Stream Ductia on YouTube and Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast