Browsing Tag

Indie Pop Rock

Spotlight Feature: Andy Hobson brought ascending melodicism to sonic meditation with his latest single, Rise

Posted on 8 July 2022
https://soundcloud.com/andyhobsonmusic/rise/s-P1ghFdxlrW2?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

The London, UK-based singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer and spiritual teacher Andy Hobson is so much more than a diamond in the rough. With his latest single, Rise, he is the calm in the ever-calamitous storm that can’t seem to break away from our shores.

From the outro, you will feel some Nick Drake nostalgia. From there on out, the ethereal orchestral strings under the vibrantly ascending acoustic strings deliver heightened emotion exclusive to Hobson’s meditatively inventive take on alt-rock.

If you merged the plaintive sting of The Verve, the unrelenting compassionate tenacity of Nada Surf in their Let Go era with Radiohead-style gravitas and a burning sense of responsibility to spill the equanimity, the end result wouldn’t be too far away from the profound alchemy in Rise.

Here is what Andy Hobson had to say on his latest single:

“This is a bittersweet song about the passing of time and seeing the ups and downs of life as the same thing. Both can lead to new adventures. The song started as a dance track with big drums and a groovy bass line, but the emotion of the melody and lyrics didn’t really fit, so I stripped it back to acoustic guitar and wrote a haunting string section to give a final lift in the outro.”

Save a spot on your radar, as Hobson’s debut LP is due for release in 2023.

Rise, which was mastered by Stefano Ferracin and features Tom Meadows (Kylie/Will Young) on drums, is due for official release on July 8th, 2022. Check it out on Spotify & SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Her Burden melded Britpop with pop-punk in their melodiously pensive latest release, Figure It Out

Posted on 2 April 2022

With their first release of 2022, the UK alt-indie rock outfit, Her Burden sent us swaggering right back to the bliss of the 90s Britpop era. Figure it Out veers from the tried, tested and endlessly repeated Britpop sound by binging a punch of raw pop-punk to the type of melody that would make any self-respecting Oasis fan swoon.

Her Burden brought just as much to the table lyrically with their narrative of the perpetual optimist that keeps going round in failed circles as they did sonically with their intimate emotional firestorm that proves they have a heady stock of nuance in their arsenal. After the various pandemics impeded their bid for pop rock domination, something tells us there’s no stopping Her Burden now.

Figure It Out is officially released on March 25th; you can check it out via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jack Wakeman & The Dreamstriders share the ‘Cosmic Fear’ in their latest single

Posted on 16 March 2022

It is easy to lament existing in this particular fragment of the space-time continuum. But at no other point in our history would we get to celebrate endearing alt-indie artists, such as Jack Wakeman & The Dreamstriders, and their tracks on apocalyptic optimism.

Cosmic Fear was written after a mental breakdown that left Wakeman overwhelmed by the magnitude of the sky. After the fear subsided, Wakeman was left adrift with existential confusion before he understood that it is ok to leave some things as a mystery. As meaning-makers, it’s hard to know where to draw the line and when to leave our curiosity behind; Cosmic Fear stunningly navigates the epiphany in true 80s synth-pop meets classic rock fashion.

If you like your existentialism sunny side up, the spacey indie pop rock earworm should be considered a playlist staple.

The official video to Cosmic Fear is available to stream via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Conor Latcham gets into the insidious underbelly of manipulationships with his self-deprecating disco track, Running

Posted on 1 March 2022

The Cardiff-based luminary, Conor Latcham has crooned his way back onto the airwaves with his latest spacey, synthy indie-disco pop track, RUNNING. The single was remotely recorded during lockdown with Marc Hughes (Lewis Capaldi, Tom Odell) on drums and Barry Grint (Beatles, Madonna, Prince) behind the mastering desk.

With the surfy angular guitar motifs around the mash of cosmic pop 80s nostalgia paired with Conor Latcham’s cooler than Alex Cameron vibe and the Arcade Fire-style catchy hooks, Running is infectious from the first hit. Despite the euphoria that effortlessly bleeds from Running, the essence of the single is far darker as it delves into the insidious underbelly of one-sided relationships. It is a masterclass in how to use your wit for closure. Grab a notepad and hit play.

You can feel the self-deprecating disco love for yourselves by heading over to Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

 

Malo Daniels gave indie Americana pop-rock a soul injection with ‘Waiting for Roses’

Posted on 15 February 2022

After the successful launch of his debut single, Down, Out and Up, in 2022, the singer-songwriter, Malo Daniels, proved that he was worthy of a place on listeners’ radars with the launch of his debut album, Waiting for Roses, which fuses pop, soul, rock and Americana – to swoon-worthy effect.

With a team of Nashville musicians behind him and acclaimed producer, Dallas Dudley, polishing the album, Waiting for Roses is a triumph of romanticism, sun-soaked talent and powerfully mature songwriting. The title single is as hooky as Faith by George Michael, as indulgently indie as Kurt Vile and as soulfully compelling as Prince’s sweetest serenades. With the warm over-driven guitars greeting the horn stabs and Daniels’ honeyed vocal timbre, you’d be hard-pressed finding a track that takes you higher than this unadulterated feat of romanticism and longingly panoramic expression.

Waiting for Roses is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Make listening to Nav’s Hook’s funk-infused pop-rock single, New Beginnings, a New Year Resolution

Posted on 27 January 2022

After making us fall hook, line, and sinker with his previous releases, the indie singer-songwriter Nav’s Hook has released the poppy funk-rock track, New Beginnings. The prospect of this new year bringing good new beginnings has understandably left many people cynical under the weight they are still carrying the weight of the previous two years. By the time the chorus hits, that cynicism will fall victim to the strident optimism in the groove-filled high-vibe track.

When the perception-shifting introspection in an artist’s previous releases leaves you stoked to hear the intellectual gold in their new releases, it’s a clear sign that they’re a sharp cut above the rest. We will never get tired of Hook’s sound that constantly evolves around his unpredictable creative vision and lyrics that seek to pull the light from the dark. Many of us felt like we were shunted into a pitch-black 2022; tracks like New Beginnings prove that the light at the end of the tunnel isn’t always a train. Sometimes, it’s a visionary artist sharing his hard-fought-for optimism.

The official lyric video to New Beginnings premiered on January 13th; you can check it out for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Lunarcode cut their classic rock energy with an infectiously catchy pop edge in Cuttin’ the Cord.

Posted on 2 January 2022

Lunarcode gave classic rock an infectiously catchy pop edge in their latest release. Cuttin’ the Cord. While the swaggering basslines ooze sex appeal and reminiscence to Arctic Monkeys, the guitars earn Cuttin’ the Cord its rock n roll stripes.

Only a vocalist as dynamic as Vincenzo Carubia could pull the endlessly progressive track together so tightly. From the laceratingly sharp pop vocal hooks to pedal to the metal raucous rock passion, he delivered it all with a devilishly magnetic attitude that makes getting hyped about this powerhouse outfit non-optional.

They may have only been around since the summer of 2020, but they’re already proving that if anyone’s set to take the rock scene by storm in 2022, it is them.

Cuttin’ the Cord is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Shake the cobwebs off romantic regret with Michael Vincent’s alt-indie pop-rock hit, Mine

Posted on 1 January 2022

The up and coming artist Michael Vincent came into 2022 with a bang with the release of his infectiously upbeat alt-indie pop-rock track, Mine. With lyrics that shake the cobwebs off of romantic regret and fiery vocals that will throw you right back to when Fall Out Boy was reigning supreme on the airwaves, Mine has all the makings of a playlist staple, and then some. The snappy percussion, crawling basslines, and rock virtuoso guitar licks break into exuberantly electric radio-ready choruses that won’t ask permission before glueing themselves to your synapses.

One of the hardest life lessons to learn is that there is no guarantee of closure after a messy relationship. Michael Vincent finds a sticky-sweet way to lend compassion to his amorous-less fans looking for consolation that their ex was too douchey to offer. In every conceivable way, it is a hit.

Mine was officially released on January 1st, 2022. It is now available to stream here.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Franklin Gotham has released their stoically stellar single, Without Being Alone.

Posted on 17 September 2021

Franklin Gotham’s latest single, Without Being Alone, is a tender power-pop embrace that you’ll want to fall into time and time again for the comforting vintage tones, dreamy doo-wop vibes and compassionate lyricism. If you can imagine what Pavement would sound like if they picked up the same romanticism as Syd Barrett, you will be able to get an idea of the sticky-sweet euphoria delivered.

Without Being Alone stoically explores the kind of love that leaves you on the sidelines exploring the infinite possibilities with impassioned impatience. If it’s been a while since you looked at love with rose-tinted glasses, the sweet succinct melodies in this synaesthesia-inducing single will efficaciously remind you.

Without Being Alone is now available to stream and purchase on all major platforms via this link.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Night Alone have released their cinematic indie-pop jam, Took My Breath Away.

Posted on 11 August 2021

With each new release being a refreshingly arranged amalgamation of pop, indie and rock, guessing what will come next from The Night Alone is an exercise in futility. Their latest single, Took My Breath Away, transcends both the synth-pop and indie pop-rock trends.

If the Editors brightened their tonal palette and opted for atmospherically euphoric vocals, you can get a sense of what The Night Alone brought to the airwaves with Took My Breath Away. The infectiously hook-filled earworm is prime material for your indie-pop summer playlists.

Took My Breath Away is now available to stream via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast