Browsing Tag

Indie Folk

Casino Moon boiled the human experience down to birth, sex, and death in their indie folk-rock revelation, Fearless

Posted on 15 January 2024

Casino Moon, the South London-based Americana folk-rock ensemble, has distilled the essence of the human experience into their latest single, ‘Fearless’, which unravels as a journey through life’s most primal elements – birth, sex, and death – wrapped in a melody that’s as infectious as it is profound.

‘Fearless’ grips you with its upbeat folk instrumental arrangement, setting the stage for a musical expedition that’s both exhilarating and introspective. The chorus bursts forth with a fearless tenacity, its lively rhythm a stark contrast to the more contemplative alt-indie verses that invite you to delve deeper into the song’s candid narrative.

Casino Moon’s cultivated sound, recognised by icons like Tom Robinson and Robert Smith, shines through in ‘Fearless’. The band’s talent for transforming untold stories into addictive sounds is evident in every chord, lyric and harmony. The vocals seamlessly switch up in energy, mirroring the dynamism of the instrumentals. From the resonant vibrato in the lower registers to the fervour and zeal in the soul-augmented choruses, the vocal performance is a masterclass in raw, unadulterated emotion.

Consider ‘Fearless’ a blueprint for living life with unbridled passion; the crescendos and echoes of evocative wisdom fuel the listener with invincibility. As Casino Moon continues to garner acclaim, with standout performances at festivals and alongside notable artists, ‘Fearless’ stands as a testament to their burgeoning legacy.

Stream Fearless as part of Casino Moon’s Woody Bay EP on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Tyler Street’s latest indie-folk confession, ‘Faith, Wisdom, You’, is spiritual poetry in melodic motion

Posted on 31 December 2023

Candid, confessional, and captivating in equal measure, the latest single, Faith, Wisdom, You, from the Dallas-born, Napa-based singer-songwriter Tyler Street is poetry in melodic motion.

After the raw yet euphonic timbre of the acoustic guitar strings, the up-and-coming luminary cuts straight to the crux of the lyrical essence of the single, which resonantly explores a melancholic exposition of an inability to control the tides of emotion. The gentle vocal performance provides a scintillating juxtaposition to the lyricism, which carries the admission of uncontrollable anger.

With hints of Frightened Rabbit and The National within the indie folk production fused with the soulful warmth of Jack Johnson and the emotional intimacy of Elliott Smith, Tyler Street cultivated his sonic style to complement his soulful aura, which echoes the self-awareness and mindfulness inspired by his spiritual awakening. Take notes of the Eckhart Tolle-esque introspection while losing yourself in the transcendence of the guitar notes as they’re artistically amplified by the presence of chamber strings.

Faith, Wisdom, You was officially released on December 21. Stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Outpost Drive sang a bitter-sweet folk lullaby with their debut single, Go Back to Sleep

Posted on 13 December 2023

If you can relate to the melancholy of your dreams being more serene than your waking reality, prepare to be bruised by the emotional weight that will bear down on you when you hit play on the bitter-sweet folky acoustic pop lullaby, Go Back to Sleep, by the harmonically synergetic duo, Outpost Drive.

Between the aching of yearning and the gratitude of revisiting memories, Go Back to Sleep immediately cuts to the core of emotional juxtapositions when you are brought to tears recollecting the person who always knew how to make you turn a smile but only exists in dream. The lyric, “I’m lonely as I am free”, alluding to how life is just a dichotomy of Pepsi and Coke suffering, is especially potent as it cuts through the euphonically timeless orchestration, which proves how arcane instrumental minimalism can be when it is executed with superlative melodic command.

Willow Robinson and Mary Bragg Robinson, hailing from the English countryside and the American South, respectively marry the styles of British folk with Americana to deliver a sound that is as inventive as it is authentically all-consuming. The debut is a testament to the ability of love to transcend borders after the couple endured a year-long hiatus due to immigration hurdles. We can’t wait to hear what the ultimate folk power couple have in store for their sophomore release.

Go Back to Sleep was officially released on November 10th; stream it on Spotify or purchase the track on Apple Music.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The soulfully-funked hues in Jeremy Hilliard’s single Lay Down Like Lovers captured the haze of utopic affection.

Posted on 23 November 2023

Taken from his LP, which is rooted in swathes of nostalgic funk and soul, Trouble for Another Day, singer-songwriter, Jeremy Hilliard’s standout folky neo-jazz pop single, Lay Down Like Lovers, is a fitting ode to the serenity of passion. The dreamy hues capture the haze of unconditionally all-consuming love as the groove pockets deliver oceanic depth, ensuring Lay Down Like Lovers is a release you can fully immerse yourself in.

If you can’t get enough of the lyrically driven song-crafting finesse of Paul Simon, Kurt Vile, Neil Young and Bob Dylan, you will be instantly enamoured with the poetically mellifluous beguile within Lay Down Like Lovers, which is hopefully the first of many hits from the Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter, who is coming into his own away from his successful band, PEAK, which has made America’s Northeast their touring circuit.

Stream Lay Down Like Lovers on Spotify and Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jeff Jepson has released his haunting hymnal gem, The Good-Night Song

Posted on 18 November 2023

The critically acclaimed singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Jeff Jepson is set to garner a fresh wave of impassioned reverence with his Christmas-tinged EP, Sparkle. If this is your first acquaintance with the artist who rose to fame in Liverpool and has recently replanted his musical roots in the Isle of Man, the standout single, The Good-Night Song, is the perfect introduction to the master of poignant melody.

Whether it was the finiteness in the lyricism or the way the acoustic guitar’s euphonic rings intensified the affecting sting within the captivating vocal delivery in the arrangement which visualises the sparseness of winter branches, I couldn’t help but shed a tear as Jepson’s evocatively honeyed timbres quivered in the frost of the hymnal gem which will haunt you long past the outro.

The Sparkle EP illuminated the airwaves on November 10th; kindle your affinity with the 4-track release via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Make your soul whole with Mark Braham’s introspectively compassionate indie single, Somebody’s Pain

Posted on 4 November 2023

Taken from his debut LP, After a While, the standout single, Somebody’s Pain, from the indie rock singer-songwriter Mark Braham seduces the listener into an Elliott Smith-esque tender sequence of compassionate consolation.

With the raggedly euphonic acoustic guitar chords flowing in complete synergy with the melodic lines projected through his hushed, honeyed and harmonic vocal range, Somebody’s Pain is a deeply affecting, artfully enticing score which unravels as a viscerally resonant exhibition of ennui and painfully conscious introspection of how we all have the potential to become someone else’s pain. From the first experience with Somebody’s Pain, you’ll stop, think, and feel the compulsion to hit repeat.

The Darwin, Australia-born artist has had music in his blood since a young age; his creative journey began by writing melodies on a cheap classical guitar before he joined a band. With enough talent to become a one-man powerhouse, he released his debut LP in 2019, opened his recording studio, Freestone Productions, in Canberra and turned his delectable talent to producing, mixing and mastering for other artists.

We can’t wait for the sophomore release, Authenticity, which is currently in the works. His ability to make your soul feel warm and whole is unrivalled.

Stream Somebody’s Pain on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jayacus rose from the ‘Wreckage’ in his indie folk-punk debut

Posted on 26 October 2023

With all the magnetism, poetry, and soul of an acoustic B-side by the Manic Street Preachers and all the brashy folk-punk intimacy of Neutral Milk Hotel, Wreckage is a deeply affecting debut from the UK-based indie folk singer-songwriter, Jayacus.

After living a life of loss, alienation, and despair, Jayacus has finally come into his artistic stride with Wreckage which shares the message of resilience and hope while delivering an affirmation that as long as you are still breathing, you have reason to keep your dreams alive and pursuing what ignites your passion.

Following a stint in hospital, Jayacus picked up his guitar and recorded Wreckage in his bedroom; here’s to hoping the sophomore release is already in the works.

Wreckage was officially released on October 20; stream it on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

TuskHead blurred the boundaries between acoustic pop-punk and folk in ‘Breaking the Man’

Posted on 17 October 2023

The boundaries between Americana, acoustic pop-punk and folk blurred beyond recognition in the rhythmically arresting latest single, Breaking the Man, by the Dutch musician, singer, and songwriter TuskHead.

With the bends of bluegrass weaving around the pull of the percussion, which won’t fail to awaken your rhythmic pulses and the lyrics, which sting with vulnerable volition, Breaking the Man is a hard lyrical pill to swallow, but the upbeat rhythmics take some of the sting from the deeply relatable pensiveness, allowing it to unravel as a cathartic olive branch to anyone unwilling to do the same and make the admission of ‘I’m not alright’.

Asking the time-old question, “how can you love me if I hate myself” and alluding to the fight from within that pills can salve but can’t solve, the heartache with the world is heart-wrenchingly affecting.

Breaking the Man was officially released on October 13th; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jeff Jepson spoke for the disillusioned masses in his jovially schadenfreude folk single, Here Comes Trouble

Posted on 14 October 2023

The Liverpool-born Isle of Man-residing singer-songwriter Jeff Jepson spoke for the disillusioned masses with the jovially schadenfreude standout single, Here Comes Trouble, from his latest album, Meaning Waves.

If you are nostalgic for the days when you used to hide in bed because you were dysfunctional instead of as a protective measure to shield yourself from the chaos in our climate, you won’t fail to find the melodic magic in this masterpiece of instrumental and lyrical ingenuity.

If you want a song to sing along with as the fabric of society tears under our precarious footing in it, consider making Here Comes Trouble a sanity-saving playlist staple. You’d be hard-pressed to forget the enchantingly alchemic progressions anyway.

Here Comes Trouble will be available to stream with the rest of his hotly anticipated LP, Meaning Waves on October 13; stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Peter Beatty unveiled a wanderlust dreamscape with his acoustic indie folk single, Tell Me Where To Go

Posted on 13 October 2023

After picking up the best song award from the Cannes World Film Festival in 2023 and picking up more awards for his music and accompanying music videos from The London Independent Film Awards and The Independent Shorts Awards, the critically acclaimed and endlessly accoladed UK singer-songwriter Peter Beatty has unanchored his nautically meta single, Tell Me Where To Go.

With layered vocal harmonies as magnetically compelling as Jack Johnson’s and Richard Hawley’s atop honeyed and intricate acoustic instrumentation, listening to the organically resolving orchestration will set your imagination alight, awaken even the most dormant of wanderlust proclivities, and unequivocally convince you that in this generation of singer-songwriters, few can infuse their elysian soundscapes with a paralleled shot of alchemy.

I couldn’t think of a more stunning way of attesting to the fact that life is little more than a collection of explorations, whether that’s inwards, towards another, or into territories that will show us pieces of ourselves we never knew existed. Great songs stir emotions; superlative ones have what it takes to reconceptualise your take on existence in a few lyrical lines. Beatty is definitively in the latter camp. Someone exhume and tell Sartre I’ve just found the cure for existentialism.

Tell Me Where To Go hit the airwaves on September 29; stream it on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast