Browsing Tag

Imagine Dragons

Ghost Nation advocated idiosyncratic autonomy in their dark pop/rock amalgam, Insane

Ghost Nation advocated idiosyncratic individuality in their latest addictive anthem, Insane. With a Shinedown-esque rock backbeat and razor-sharp pop hooks that pull you into the emboldening future-ready synthetics of the down-the-rabbit-hole single, it’s a feel-good anthem for every outlier who knows how hard fought for sanctity can be.

Uniqueness may now be celebrated to a certain degree in society but there are still boundaries to keep quirks inside of, Ghost Nation broke every boundary in their liberating anthem, which also borrows a few industrial rock tones. It may be darker and infinitely more twisted with the carnivalesque propensities of the melodies, but insane is the epitome of a radio-ready earworm. If Muse and Imagine Dragons managed to mainstream their sonic signatures, Ghost Nation is easily capable of doing the same.

Ghost Nation has already had its fair share of successes since forming in Stockholm in 2016. Their debut release was a hit worldwide, and their seminal single, Unforgiven, reached No.1 in over 20 singles. To date, the single has clocked up 1.4 million streams on Spotify and 3.6 million on YouTube.

Insane was officially released on July 14th; stream it on SoundCloud and Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Skittish shows us the future of thorny folk-rock with their eighth release, House on Fire.

Skittish

LA-based alt-rock outfit, Skittish, shunted folk-rock further into the future than it has ever been with their 8th release, House on Fire. If you can imagine what it would sound like if Hozier did thorny post-rock synthpop, you can get an idea of just how alchemic the fiery release is.

With the female vocals projecting a sense of innocence into the progressively unpredictable instrumentals and the male vocals injecting plenty of raconteur energy into the sporadically symphonic track, even if you listened to House on Fire 100 times, you’d still be picking new fractures of ingenuity from the unforgettably refreshing track.

House on Fire is due for official release on November 19th. You can check it out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Johnathan Murray has released his evocatively charged dark pop debut single This is War.

Up and coming pop artist Jonathan Murray has made his debut with the alt-pop single This is War, which captures the fragility of our human existence and emphasises the importance of love within it.

The way that the North Carolina-based artist creates parables between contemporary anxiety and romantic insecurity is nothing short of genius. The ingenuity is extended by his tonal palette that pulls influence from the likes of Twenty-One Pilots and Dragons. The synth-led soundscape is a sure sign that Johnathan Murray’s solo debut was well overdue; despite the raw, evocative nature, there’s a maturity found within his songwriting style and deliverance of pure, unbridled passion.

This is War is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

TRBLMKR delivered an eccentric electro-pop serenade with ‘Sweet Love’

TRBLMKR’s latest alt-electronica single ‘Sweet Love’ is exactly the kind of dance track you could make regrettable decisions to if it dropped on a dance floor. By no means is it your archetypal drop of electronica. It’s sensual, unpredictable and seriously distinguished by the coalescence of indie vibes, RnB pop-inspired vocals and futuristic beats which carry faint reminiscence to Imagine Dragons’ smooth electro-pop edge.

The Floridian collective may have only recently made their debut, but that doesn’t hinder the commercial potential which spills from this eccentrically sweet release which shows just how stylish an electro-pop serenade can be.

Sweet Love released on January 24th, it is now available to stream via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

ROFI JAMES HAVE RELEASED THEIR NEW SINGLE ‘EVERYTIME I MAKE YOU HATE ME’

Irish indie rock band Rofi James released their new single ‘Everytime I Make You Hate Me’ on April 24th 2020, an alternative pop effort that follows the success of their previous debut singles ‘Fools For Your Love’ and ‘Open Eyes’.

‘Everytime I Make You Hate Me’ is a compelling combination of the best indie pop and indie rock influences of the last decade, with its melodies sounding original and fresh among the contemporary alternative scene.

The song presents a range of pads and rhythmic guitars that broaden the sound both in the verses and choruses, and grows even wider with the balanced pop drums resulting in a almost epic harmony. The little crunch in the vocals perfectly suits the sweetness of the overall song, a fantastic contrast that will immediately catch your ear.

Head over to Spotify and listen to ‘Everytime I Make You Hate Me’.

Review by Jim Esposito.

The Falling – Carry On – Indie Band Combines Lush Atmospheric Melodies With Energetic And Uplifting Hooks

https://youtu.be/9ZItil_-UAA

The Falling are an exciting band offering an innovative take on indie rock and pop. Their recent release, “Carry On”, is a perfect example of the artist’s innovative and direct twist, showcasing what the band can bring to the table.

What really strikes me about The Falling’s music is certainly the band’s remarkable ability to find a compromise between textures and melodies. The dense atmosphere in the track is almost palpable. Sitting here listening with my headphones, I feel really entranced into the song, as if I was right there, experiencing the musical landscape on a first-hand basis. The ability to create a fully immersive musical experience should not be taken lightly, as very few artists are able to create such a deeply engaging tone in a setting such as pop/rock music, which generally could fall flat at times.

On the other hand, The Falling managed to keep their new song appealing and direct, while retaining a lot of credibility and vision. Who said catchy music could not be authentic and inspirational?

http://www.thefalling.ca