As he examines the grim clouds above and wonders why things are so bleak right now while he cleans up his wounds, Dámì Sule delivers one of the more honest singles you are likely to hear today with the contemplative release about finding your destiny on ‘Taking L’s‘.
Emmanuel Damilare Sule aka Dámì Sule is a Nigerian-born singer and rapper who is based in Manchester, UK and shows us his good-guy-vibe mentality with music to stimulate your deepest emotions.
”Taking L’s’ is a fitting title for this emotional and personal tribute to failing to meet one’s own expectations.” ~ Dámì Sule
Dámì Sule is a gifted underground storyteller who seems to have that rare aptitude of expression that lets you into exactly what he is seeing right now. In a carnage-loaded world far too full of gloom and unnecessary hate, he is taking his time to work out who exactly he is – so that he may flourish like a free bird – and banish all those ghastly demons that are hiding in his mind forever.
‘Taking L’s‘ from the Manchester, UK-based indie singer and rapper Dámì Sule is a soundtrack for those who need some comfort about their current projection in this harsh seemingly alternate universe. There are others battling too and we can feel a sense of unity as we all get lost sometimes when our GPS malfunctions before we have a chat with ourselves and get back on track again. Featuring softly spoken poetry-like gems to awaken the mind again, this is a thoughtful single that should see you gazing outside and wondering if you are in the right place.
After all, you never know where your road will lead if you don’t experience some bad times – so that the good times will feel even more treasured like shiny gold – and make you extra appreciative of what you actually have.
Hear this deep track about finding your way on Spotify and follow him on IG for more.
From the definitive home of UK indie, the Manchester-based synth-folk artist, Test Card Girl, is here with their intricately alternative Kraftwerk-inspired single, Fly.
Her choral folk vocals float into the slightly Avant-Garde, endlessly ethereal electronica progressions as the lyrics navigate the stir craziness that lockdown stirred inside all of us. In their own words, “It is a rallying cry to stand up and walk to nowhere”, inspired in part by the colliery bands in British mining towns.
With Seadna McPhail (Airtight Studios) on production and the I am Kloot drummer, Andy Hargreaves, responsible for production, this Arts Council-funded single was worth every penny. There really is no understating how much its gentle gravitas cuts straight to the core of frustration while exploring art in the context of desolation.
Fly, the second single from Test Card Girl’s debut EP, was released on February 25th. You can hear it for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud, Spotify and Bandcamp.
Keep up to date with new releases from Test Card Girl by following on Facebook and Instagram.
As he slips through the snow-filled roads to find a higher meaning for his life, LT Madz wasn’t sure if he would be breathing but has turned the corner and shows us his tight rhymes on his latest release, ‘Watch My Crown Fly’ (feat. Pendo46).
Marcel Maden aka LT Madz is a Manchester, UK-based underground Hip hop artist who grew up in Hulme and has had a tough life growing up while struggling with his mental health at times.
This is the cinematic-like portrayal of rising about the clouds to find that clean air that sets you free, LT Madz shows us his hard-working attitude and delves into his mind to show us the trauma that almost broke him in half. After keeping his optimistic attitude even though it could have been easier to let the demons win, this is a resolute track that should fill you with hope.
‘Watch My Crown Fly‘ (feat. Pendo46) from Manchester, UK-based Hip hop artist LT Madz is a bar-loaded display from a true underdog who has worked his way from letting those ghouls take control to now dominating his thoughts with only good energy. There is a comeback mentality that is easy to root for, as we see an artist who is on the way up now after previously being close to death as he was locked up and close to the brink of defeat. After washing his face in the sink and vowing to change his story, this is a track for anyone who fears that they might never make it when actually you can if you really want to win.
Listen to this new single on Soundcloud and join his social ride on IG.
Manchester-based alt-indie pop singer-songwriter Minerva Daisy delivered macabre poetry in her latest horror pop single, Something Strange.
After a baroque pop intro, the track starts to pick up momentum after the powerful and queer indie pop songstress delivers the striking lyric “there’s a lump in your throat, I hope it swallows you up” and sets the tone for the fiery release that will allow you to imagine what Kate Nash would have sounded like if she found the inclination to become a murder folk artist. Even though there’s plenty of dark imagery in the high-octane hit, that doesn’t strip the luminary light from this infectious hell hath no fury like a woman scorned release. Any fans of Amanda Palmer, Amigo the Devil, and the Creepshow will find that Something Strange is just as obsession-worthy.
If anyone has what it takes to shake the monotony out of the Manchester music scene, our money is on Minerva Daisy.
Something Strange will officially release on February 16th, 2022. Check it out for yourselves on SoundCloud.
As he calmly narrates us a factual tale about overworking and living in a constant blur that has you wondering where reality actually is, David Gorman is blessed to have the support of his loyal partner who stands by him no matter what on ‘La Mort‘.
David Gorman is a Manchester, UK-based indie-folk singer-songwriter who makes the kind of vintage-sounding music that leaves you feeling warm and safe inside your locked-up soul.
”Inspired by the likes of Bright Eyes, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, and Gregory Alan Isakov, David has become a songwriter known for his catchy melodies and delicate guitar playing but it is his passion for lyrics that stands out when you listen to the stories told through his songs.” ~ David Gorman
With a voice so undiluted and unforgettable that you just want to listen to him all day, Manchester’s David Gorman is the definition of an underground diamond in the rough. His intricate melodies scintillate your mind awake from a self-enforced slumber – as his vivid storytelling has you in a thoughtful wonder – which somehow has the power to give you detailed flashbacks from your own life.
”The song is about trying so hard to make a living that you forget to live along the way. I asked Jack to create this piece last year when me and Alysha moved into our house. As the song took shape, this piece just felt more and more like a good fit for it.” ~ David Gorman
‘La Mort‘ from the Manchester, UK-based indie-folk singer-songwriter David Gorman, is such a genuine song that has you feeling all contemplative about your own voyage in life. With most people always too busy and forgetting to enjoy themselves, this is that sincere reminder to take a step back and really be grateful for what you have in this world. If you are always unhappy with what you don’t have or always working on something that isn’t actually important, you will never be truly content anyway.
Listen to this peaceful single on Spotify and see his visuals on IG.
With their own spin to the much-loved Welsh alternative rock band Manic Street Preachers classic number one track from 1998, The Blackheart Orchestra are on top form with ‘If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next‘.
The Blackheart Orchestra is an award-winning Manchester, UK-based indie electronic prog-folk/alt-rock duo act who have added a new chapter to their story here.
”We’ve created a new interpretation of the Manic Street Preachers classic No.1 from 1998 that’s all about climate change. We will be donating a proportion of the download profits to the wonderful JUST ONE Tree who work tirelessly to offset carbon emissions through reforestation. When the song was written it was about the past, but now 23 years later, the words are all about the future. We’ve looked at the song through a different lens and our version and the accompanying video scream for the world to u-turn on the pollution, industrial destruction, planet abuse and self-interest that rules today’s economies with an almost total disregard for future generations.” ~ The Blackheart Orchestra
The Blackheart Orchestra reminds us of a really brilliant single that is cherished by young and old. The lyrics are honest and striking, as they send out a wonderful effort that has terrific production and the eerie soundscape will have you feeling in a rather reflective mood.
‘If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next‘ from the excellent Manchester, UK-based band The Blackheart Orchestra, is a well-sung single from a vocalist who is at the top of her game. She performs with a gloriously melodic style and reaches notes that might make your whole body shiver in awe of her brilliant technique. This is a song to ponder on, as we wonder where the world is actually headed after many years of greed and poor decisions that will affect us all for many a generation.
Hear this well-performed single on Soundcloud and see more of their vision via IG.
After dazzling our minds on the exceptional single ‘If I’m On Your Mind‘, Pixia stuns our tastebuds with her brand new lip-loving release all about questioning why you miss that taste you shouldn’t like on ‘Pink Sugar‘.
Anna-Rose aka Pixia is a Leeds/Manchester, UK-based indie electro/dark-pop singer-songwriter who sings with such genuine beauty which warms up your whole consciousness to believe that anything is actually possible if you believe in yourself enough.
”” I originally wrote ‘Pink Sugar’ at 16 years old on acoustic guitar. The finished product has been inspired by a variety of influences: from new wave bands such as Japan and The Cure to contemporary female artists such as Melanie Martinez and LANA DEL REY. My range of influences inspired me to experiment with the sound of ‘Pink Sugar’ to create something pleasantly familiar, yet also very unique to my listeners.” ~ Pixia
Pixia is on top form with a stunningly propelled single that is sung with her signature sweetly-tipped vocals that somehow has your heart beating faster than you can ever remember, as she takes us into her angelic world of lust. She has a world-class ability that is unconditionally spellbinding and is one of the most alluringly classy singer-songwriters around.
‘Pink Sugar‘ from the scintillating Leeds/Manchester, UK-based indie electro/dark-pop singer-songwriter Pixia, is a quite brilliant single from an artist who seems to tingle your ears like no other artist around at the moment. Her lusciously expressive vocals and intelligently-created lyrics – are quite gorgeous and she shows us into this story about feeling sick – that you are still thinking about a former lover who you know isn’t good for your ravenous soul.
Hear this highly captivating single on Spotify and see more via her growing IG music account.
Following a lip-licking and hangover-fueled drinking of thirstily consumed Baltika lagers together on team bonding night at Wetherspoons, MYOTO rev up our intriged senses with their delightfully portrayed new single called ‘Two Step Sally‘.
MYOTO is a ruggedly exciting four-piece alt-pop act from the legendary city of Manchester, UK. They make that movie-like soundscape that has you grabbing your new lover close, and locking lips for as long as possible.
”Forming a band right before a national lockdown might not have been the best of starts. But, for Myoto it was a fruitful period.” ~ MYOTO
The guzzling vibes are fully in tune with the theme of the night as the energetic energies combine to see if this could be an extra late night evening, with someone who totally gets what you are about. Made with a heightened sense of party vibes and a thriving tone, you feel like this is a track you won’t easily forget.
‘Two Step Sally‘ from the thrilling Manchester, UK-based alt-pop band MYOTO, is a powered up single that shows much potential with mysterious vocals – that you need to turn up on full to catch the whole story – with marvelous melodies to have you feeling so much better than before. This is the type of song to put on when you have just arrived home from the pub, and feel the urge to keep the night going as long as possible.
Hear this fine new effort on Spotify and check out their IG for more exciting stories about their much-anticipated progress.
If Rob Zombie dreamt up a band to feature in his horror flicks, I am pretty sure there would be a fair amount of hypothetical reminiscence to the mischievously intellectual Manchester-based outfit, The Battery Farm, who are set to release their second boundary-breaking EP Dirty Den’s March of Suffering.
The addictively dynamic release permits you to feel pretty much every emotion on the human spectrum. Given that slipping out of ennui enough to get excited by new music isn’t exactly an easy feat when our worldviews become even bleaker with every log onto social media and flick onto the news, that speaks volumes.
Beyond the sheer sonic innovation, the genius in The Battery Farm lies in their ability to appeal to the melancholically inclined with their satirically liberating tracks that make having an IQ higher than a loaf of bread fleetingly worth it.
Their exposition on the dankness of the human condition in Dirty Den’s March of Suffering cuts just as close to the bone as The Manic Street Preachers’ The Holy Bible. The parallels with the Manics don’t end there either; notably, they carry the same scathingly sharp lyrical wit as Edwards.
After an ominously distorted Westworld-style honkytonk prelude that disquietly teases the carnage that follows, the EP volleys you into the tumultuous ride with When the Whip Goes Crack which pulls pure veracious poetry out of squalor and indignity. If you thought Ken Loach’s films were hard-hitting, prepare for the bruises imparted by this juggernaut of an alt-rock release that lends from everything from post-hardcore to grunge.
I’ve Never Been to Gorton proves that The Battery Farm can do light-hearted just as well as they can lay down inflamed perception-shifting introspection. Behind the bouncy vocals is an exhibition of the modestly virtuosic talent of guitarist, Dominic Corry. While you get cheap kicks of hearing about the landscapes that you have lamented about being around, you are left mesmerised by the guitar licks that stylistically sit between Marr and Glen Branca.
The Battery Farm may have been lazily lumped into the generic punk category for their previous releases, but they come out all experimental guns blazing with Drowning in Black. The darkly psychedelic release is easily one of the most authentically experimental soundscapes conceived in Manchester in the last two decades.
Roy Keane isn’t Real is a bruiser of a scuzzed-up attack on the stupidity and conspiracy theories that have been sending everyone under recently. If any single proves their commitment to delving deep into their Machiavellian imagination, it’s this punk-rooted track grounded in their working-class charisma.
The concluding single, We’re at the Top, ends the EP on an ethereal, jarringly stunning note. It fittingly becomes the swan song of the EP that encompasses life, death and everything between with infinitely more cerebral finesse than Good Charlotte mustered in The Chronicles of Life and Death. With a similar sonic palette to Jerry & the Peacemakers and vocal reminiscence to Mike Patton’s crooning on Mr Bungle’s California album, it arrests you into reflection while conceptually imparting the disarming assurance that our mortal coil is ephemeral. Ingeniously, We’re at the Top tempts you away from spending your days fixated on the ugliness in the world with the same ‘we’re all going to die so fucking be nice’ gravitas as In Heaven by Pixies.
In their own words, here is the concept behind the Dirty Den’s March of Suffering:
“This EP is an attempt by us to celebrate the humanity behind the moment of death. It’s a celebration of the foibles and fallibility of people, a speculation on the silly and mundane things we may get caught up in in death as we do in life – trips to Gorton never made, conspiracy theories chased forever, all kinds of irrelevant nonsense. It’s an acknowledgement too of the blitzkrieg of fear that must be the moment of death, regardless of how it comes, and the ultimate loneliness that is the destiny of all of us. Regardless of circumstance, death is the most innately lonely thing of all and as such it is innately terrifying. The EP is also a futile attempt to understand how something so gigantic can be so unknowable. None of us know what it is like to die, and just as your humble working boiz are doing here, we can all only speculate.”
The EP is due for release on October 15th, 2021; it will be available to stream and purchase on all major platforms. Physical copies are available for via their website.
Tickets for the EP launch at Gulliver’s in Manchester on October 16th are available here.
Huddersfield may not be renowned as a thriving epicentre of alternative culture; it became one when some of the finest acts that the North has to offer raised the roof of the Parish in on September 23rd.
Hull’s finest alt-90s revivalists, Sweethearts, had the unenviable task of warming up a staunchly miserable crowd determined to reserve their energy for PINS. Even if you could have been forgiven for thinking that the crowd was mostly lobotomised, they persevered with their high-energy set taking every banter-fail in their enigmatically electric stride.
Their live set may have been my first introduction to their music which addictively mixes emotional vulnerability with unfalteringly performative insanity but I was gripped with every volatile second of it. I wouldn’t be surprised if half of Huddersfield heard their massive, cacophonously rhythmic drums, and the instrumental flair didn’t end there. If you can’t resist Pavement’s fuzzy hooks, you’ll find Sweethearts’ distorted hooks to be just as sharp. If you get a chance to see them live, take it.
It was my third time catching Heavy Salad live, and my god, their live performances have picked up extra instrumental grit and vocal soul since we last caught them in Manchester, shortly before the pandemic hit in 2020.
With less talent between them, their cultish wholesomeness would fall into the realms of esoteric novelty, but what Midsommar is to horror, Heavy Salad is to the airwaves. They find a way to add nuance to celestial conversation with vibration-raising mantras nestled into hooky psych-pop hits in a way that no one else could.
It was my first chance to hear some of the material from their currently-in-production sophomore album; it would appear that they have perfected the cosmic guitar-driven pop formula over lockdown. Watching them go from strength to strength following the release of their debut album, Cult Casual, in 2020 has easily been one of the gratifying feats of my PR career.
PINS may consistently get left out of the conversation when it comes to celebrating Manchester’s most iconic acts, but with their arresting, cooler than meth style and endless accolades, what more could you possibly ask for?
From the moment they stepped on the atmospherically lit stage with their post-punk-tinged danceable riffs and protestive lyrics that attack the fetid threads of our social fabric, their unshakeable demureness consumed the room. With the glamour of 60s go-go girls and their fiercely empowered poise, they are one of the few bands that can take influence from the original Riot Grrrls without allowing their sonic vision to feel like history revisited.
PINS took the often divisive girls to the front ethos to the next level with the final track on their setlist, Girls Like Us, by inviting the handful of women in the crowd up on stage to dance with them. How could I possibly refuse? With the outstretched hand of Faith, I grasped the affirmation that their motivation as an artist isn’t just to flaunt their autonomy; it is to extend it to anyone that witnesses it.
