Browsing Tag

Glasgow

Synthpop meets pop-punk in Crashes’ elementally augmented anthem, Living in the Future

Posted on 26 February 2024

Crashes may be ‘Living in the Future’ in their latest single, but there are plenty of ties to sonic nostalgia in their pop-punk meets jangly new wave indie synthpop hit that electrifies from the first synth-charged note.

The elementally augmented anthem is dynamically intense enough to run a power grid off, make you lose your head and the dancefloor and become your new favourite adrenaline-fueled earworm. If there were any more boxes to tick, Crashes would brandish their sonic signature right through them.

Living in the Future is a clear sign of how honed Crashes’ songwriting has become since their debut in 2017; you just can’t help getting swept up in the tumultuously hooked momentum. Following the success of their 2022 EP, Infinite, the track is set to seal the Glasgow-hailing band’s illustrious fate in the industry.

While other artists stop with new wave assimilation, Crashes are pouring their innovative volition, achingly honest emotion and curveball-throwing creativity into the high-octane mix, to a dizzyingly euphoric effect. Even with the antagonism and agony projected into the performance of Living in the Future, the ecstasy isn’t just heard, it resounds.

Living in the Future was officially released on January 26^th. It is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Connor Fyfe has released the stickiest earworm of the year with his new wave indie track, Cars

Posted on 17 November 2023

https://on.soundcloud.com/A1cfi

After becoming the youngest act to sell out Kings Tut in Glasgow and perform at TRNSMT, the 17-year-old Connor Fyfe is already in the habit of making history with his songwriting chops that are as sharp as they are sticky-sweet. His latest single, Cars, gives plenty of clues to how his ascent has been an unfaltering upward trajectory since leaving school in May.

With a bigger-than-Blossoms synth-drenched sound that borrows from the new wave synth pop genre while ticking all the right indie rock boxes, the momentum within Cars is momentous, but the adolescent prodigy knew just when to inject a sense of fragility and vulnerability into his vocal lines to ensure it’s a track that sucker punches the emotional and rhythmic pulses simultaneously.

Co-written with the legendary Ross McNae of Twin Atlantic, Cars pulsates with commercial appeal; each intricately clever chord progression embeds the earworm even deeper while the soulful synergy between the impassioned vocal lines and synthy indie rock synthesis ensures it will deliver endless euphoria.

With the promise that there are plenty more tracks in the pipeline, don’t be surprised if Connor Fyfe is one of the biggest Scottish artists since Lewis Capaldi.

Cars will officially be released on November 17^th; stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

KURO unveiled their electro-metal manifesto on how to bring down the alt-right with ‘Wake Up and Choose Violence’

Posted on 24 September 2023

As calls to socially progressive arms go, they don’t come much more compelling than KURO’s latest single, Wake Up and Choose Violence. With the harsh industrial metal instrumentals amplifying the lyrical volition that unravels as a manifesto of poetic vengeance, the sonically jugernautical Glasgow outfit reached the pinnacle of the punk ethos.

The blast beats hammer down as heavily as we should be coming down on the alt-right provocateurs who revel in the contempt they breed and their subsequent notoriety as the synthesis of the heavily distorted guitars and synth lines visualise the disorientating dystopic dissonance of our depressing modern epoch.

By pointing out how we fought for rights only to neglect them when it matters the most, the adrenalizing razor-sharp rap metal vocals cogently foreshadow a further descent into extremism, marginalisation, and prejudice unless we follow the titular command. Resistance isn’t futile; it is fundamental.

KURO Said:

“Wake Up and Choose Violence is a reactionary track written in response to the sheer amount of audacious counter-reformative movements and laws placed by right-wing identifying groups. In simpler terms, we’re sick of our right to protest being taken away, the lack of racism being tackled, bills for trans and queer rights being blocked and the growth of far-right ideologies being accepted.

It is about standing up to all that, finding your viewpoint and sticking to it, and standing up for those who don’t have a voice. The music video exhibits this in which we included people from many walks of life and gave them a platform to express their viewpoints and show why it’s time for a progressive change.”

Stream the official music video for Wake Up and Choose Violence on YouTube, add the track to your Spotify playlists, or purchase the single on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

So I Told Him: Rusina sings with inspiring beauty to behold on Sparkling

Posted on 17 June 2023

After being forced to flee her beloved homeland after her valiant anti-war stance, Rusina embraces the flower of Scotland and has made a Sparkling single all about wondering why it’s so tough to be yourself with another human in this suffocating world.

Rusina is a Moscow, Russia-born Glasgow, Scotland-based indie pop singer-songwriter, author and activist with a Jewish heritage who has studied political science and jazz vocals.

Calming all shivering hearts with something so gorgeous and real, Rusina is the definition of exquisite and projects her message so wonderfully. Poised and honest, this is a reminder that special music with meaning does still exist.

Sparkling from Glasgow, Scotland-based indie pop singer-songwriter and activist Rusina is something rather extraordinary and simply scintillating in an often ugly time for humanity.

Shining brightly like a postcard-like sunset after a massive tornado, we are healed by a truly magnificent artist who has stood up for what she believes in.

Listen up to this fine track on Spotify.

Follow the vision on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Just Like Honey: Maya’s Radio Orchestra Let the Light in with her jazz blues rendezvous, Suntrap

Posted on 3 May 2023

Maya’s Radio Orchestra brought sun-bleached luminosity by the smorgasbord with her latest baroquely beguiling single, Suntrap. Just as the sun illuminates dust when it hits a room, the radiance in Suntrap through the honeyed vocals and swirling harps suspend the dusty underground jazz bars while the piano arrangement underpins the warm arrangement; contributed to by producer Lauren Gilmour’s scintillating synth lines. With the dreamy and lofty drum fills bringing a lemon slice of Portishead-reminiscent glamour, Suntrap becomes a sonic plateau that you will want to visit time and time again.

Maya says: “When I wrote this song, it was the end of February, and the midst of a very long dark, damp, Glasgow winter, and I was feeling very down. We underestimate how difficult the winter in Scotland can be, all whilst having to continue with our day-to-day lives as if we’re not affected by nature and the lack of sunlight.

Writing this song was my way of processing this uncomfortable realisation that capitalism and the need for productivity are incompatible with our human nature and that it’s having a detrimental effect on our communal mental health.”

Maya is a Glasgow-based British-Nepali singer-songwriter, harpist, pianist and vocalist. She is highly revered for her texturally intricate harmonies, which cathartically coalesce with her classy instrumentation and lyricality that unravels as conceptually philosophical poetry.

The sun will hit the airwaves on May 3rd. Stream Suntrap on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Pretty Creatures’ “Abattoir” Slaughters the Alt-Rock Scene

Posted on 13 March 2023

Pretty Creatures’ latest single “Abattoir” is a blistering track that showcases the band’s impressive musical talent and undeniable stage presence. With a sound that will resonate with fans of Queens of The Stone Age, Slipknot, Led Zeppelin, and Baby Strange, Pretty Creatures has the potential to be the next big thing in the Glasgow alternative scene.

The track starts with a moody guitar riff that sets the tone for the rest of the song. The haunting vocals of lead singer Rory Boyle are impressive, with his infectious enthusiasm shining through and immediately capturing the listener’s attention. The gritty riffs and headbanging breakdowns are sure to get fans moving and create an electrifying atmosphere at their live shows.

What makes “Abattoir” stand out is the band’s ability to combine different genres and influences into a cohesive whole. The gothic rock inspiration is evident throughout the song, giving it a dark and brooding atmosphere that’s hard to resist. At the same time, the heavy rock influence adds a sense of familiarity that fans of the genre will appreciate.

Overall, “Abattoir” is a strong showing from Pretty Creatures that’s sure to get fans excited about their future. With their talent and infectious energy, the band has the potential to make a big impact in the alternative rock scene. Keep an eye on Pretty Creatures, as they’re definitely a band to watch in the coming years.

Beautiful Place: Joe Montgomery and The Evolvers change the path for many inside the Revolutionise

Posted on 19 February 2023

Urging us to look deeper and find more than what is currently being offered on our palates, Joe Montgomery and The Evolvers might take our attention away from pointless tasks on Revolutionise.

Joe Montgomery and The Evolvers is a 6-piece Livingston, West Lothian-born Glasgow-based indie rock band that sends our minds back to the classic days.

”Our band members are aged 58 to 21 and we aim to appeal to all generations.” ~ Joe Montgomery and The Evolvers

With each vocal bellowing from the rafters and proudly representing their hometown, Joe Montgomery and The Evolvers are in supreme form and lead us through the darkness with a truly excellent song to rejoice inside. This rather foot-tapping stuff not be taken lightly. With shades-happy Joe as the lead, this is an outfit to dance with.

Revolutionise from the experienced Glasgow-based indie rock band Joe Montgomery and The Evolvers is a rather marvellous effort and shall change moods around. With a rather outstanding track to learn from, we find a rather memorable single that needs to be loved for its heartfelt genuineness.

See this music video on YouTube. View more on Facebook.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

I’ll Never Leave: Glasgow-based alt-pop band Spiral Cities is bound to the world on Forgotten

Posted on 17 November 2022

Feeling so dazed and confused while not finding the victory line, Spiral Cities passes by into our ears and shows us what true love sounds like on the passionate new release Forgotten.

Spiral Cities is a Glasgow, Scotland-based indie 5-piece alternative pop band who makes those melodic soundtracks which are impossible to ignore.

”The band possesses a commercial, melodic sound inspired by everything from rock to EDM, which has earned them their following so far and, of course, their huge support slot for The Native in June 2022.” ~ Spiral Cities

Showing us deep inside the smokes and the drinks, Spiral Cities take our emotions for a spin via their transcendently impressive sound and self-aware lyrics. Wrapped with a world class ingenuity and a clear vision, to leave us all gasping for air inside this exceptional release.

Forgotten from Glasgow, Scotland-based indie 5-piece alternative pop band Spiral Cities is a stunning single for all the right reasons. Soaked in so much honest reflection and with dreamy vocals to hold on to tightly, this is a hugely memorable anthem when that pilled-up pain needs to be released into someone else’s world.

Hear this fine new single on Spotify and see more news on their IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

LÌONADH delivered poetry in orchestral motion in their single, European Man

Posted on 26 October 2022

Taken from the debut EP, I Cannot Go on Reaching, LÌONADH’s achingly artful lead single, European Man, consumed us with the emotion it was eloquently constructed through. The poet-fronted Glaswegian ensemble with a classical string section at their disposal may be fresh from their inception, but they are already garnering critical acclaim and causing catholic outcries.

Before the launch of their debut EP, the poet, Sean Lìonadh, shared his viral poem, Time for Love, which has amassed over 16 million streams, been published by BBC Scotland and driven the petulantly pious to frenzy by speaking for the LGBTQ+ community. Anyone that upsets the archaically moralistic applecart is instantly venerable in my book. There’s no taste quite like the salty tears of zealots.

As for the single, with the chill-imparting spoken word verses, around Nick Cave-Esque keys and operatic vocal grace, LÌONADH delivered pure art. If you thought that Arab Strap’s comeback album was something, delve into the hymnal sanctity of European Man.

European Man is now available to stream on Spotify and SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Pretty Creatures unleashed alt-rock’s most ominous arrival with their atmospheric single, It’s Coming

Posted on 27 August 2022

With a Slipknot Unsainted-Esque intro, Kyuss-reminiscent hard rock sludge and a similar rhythmic sense of seduction to Velvet Revolver, Pretty Creatures’ seminal track, It’s Coming, is a harbinger of overdriven atmospheric alt-rock that every self-respecting rock fan should heed.

Primed to dominate the Glasgow alternative scene, Pretty Creatures (formerly known as Dead Coyotes) have blackened their sound, allowing their new transition to coalesce with the dystopia of our modern era. Thankfully, none of their former melodicism was lost to the juggernautical furore in It’s Coming. You can’t say you haven’t been warned.

It’s Coming is out now on Spotify. Check out Pretty Creatures on their official website & Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

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