Browsing Tag

Welsh Singer Songwriter

Welsh Singer-Songwriter, Samuel Evanson, changed the indie anthem game with ‘She Was Blind’

Posted on 5 March 2024

Samuel Evanson’s sophomore single, ‘She Was Blind’, is an intricate weave of sharp instrumental hooks and indie rock melodies that echo the infectious energy of The Vaccines. Yet, Evanson carves his own niche with a vocal performance that is both evocatively charged and endlessly affecting. His voice, rich in vibrato, effortlessly traverses a wide range, carrying the weight of heavy emotion with a finesse that is as haunting as it is exhilarating.

The track is more than just a wounded love song; it’s a raw, emotional outpouring that rages with a fervour akin to Sam Fender’s passionate narratives. His ability to convey deep-seated emotion while maintaining a distinct sonic signature is a clear sign Samuel Evanson has everything it takes to cut through the noise and climb the charts.

As a prelude to his upcoming debut LP, We Are Meant to Break the Rules, which is due for release in June 2024, ‘She Was Blind’ is a tantalising glimpse into Evanson’s artistic soul which was born in the heart of Denbighshire and honed in the vibrant music scene of Liverpool. Evanson’s journey resonates through every note of this emotionally charged anthem.

Watch the official music video for She Was Blind via YouTube or add the single to your Spotify playlists.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Freyja Elsy embodied the sentiment that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned in her single, Over It

Posted on 23 November 2023

Freyja Elsy’s latest single, Over It, from her upcoming EP, Modern Artifice, is a mesmerising blend of trip-hop, dark pop, and innovative electronica that resonates with the chillingly arcane Southern Gothic air of Chelsea Wolfe.

The single, which premiered on BBC Radio Wales on Adam Walton’s Introducing show, has been aptly compared to the likes of Massive Attack and Portishead, with a nod to the acid house genre in its production. The multi-layered auditory journey reflects the despondency of being cast into the harsh realities of adulthood and forced to contend with the seemingly arbitrary monotony which stretches for decades before those coming of age. Elsy’s voice, both haunting and commanding, unravels this narrative against a backdrop of spiky dream pop and leftfield electronica, creating a sound that is as visionary as it is haunting as it oozes the divinity of female power.

Elsy, who has had a remarkable year, opening for acts like Death & Vanilla and Welsh artists Eädyth, Ani Glass, and Small Miracles, never fails to showcase her ability to create a cohesive and clear vision in her music. Her previous singles, Lungs, Requiem, and Golden Hour, have already garnered international attention and BBC recognition, setting a high bar for her upcoming EP.

Over It hit the airwaves on November 17; stream it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Welsh singer-songwriter M’ Donwaite is an artful aural vision in his indie-folk single, Watering Can

Posted on 24 April 2022
Watering Can by M' Donwaite

Welsh singer-songwriter M’ Donwaite has released his achingly beautiful, orchestrally-scored indie folk pop single Watering Can. Its delicate intensity creates a beguiling paradox which may as well be pandora’s box for the way Watering Can unpredictably unravels.

With the naturalistic elements brought up against M’ Donwaite’s Tenor vocal notes and the contrastingly lamenting finger-picked guitar strings that bring a little lo-fi intimacy to the release, it is an artful triumph. Yet, it never dares to come close to the same air of pretension often affixed to the neo-classic Avant-Garde. To say M’ Donwaite is the most exciting act from Wales since the Anchoress wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

Watering Can officially released on April 17th; it is now available to stream and purchase on Bandcamp.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Bard of Ely, Steve Andrews, decreed that it is ‘Time for Ocean Aid’ in his latest psych-folk-rock single.

Posted on 10 February 2022

How could we possibly forget Steve Andrews after first hearing his insightfully sharp single, Where Does All the Plastic Go, in 2019? Many artists claim that their music is for the good of humanity, then conflate that with ego-centred lyricism. The famous Bard of Ely stays true to his unrelenting MO. Case in point, his latest single, Time for Ocean Aid, which invites you to consider the intangible mess we’ve made.

Sure, songs that paint a picture of where our toxic traits have led us aren’t an all-out dopamine riot. Especially when we’re already contending with an endless series of tragedy, sleaze and disaster. But in such a stunning way, Andrews used Time for Ocean Aid to pull listeners out of any sense of self-centred malaise and gave them something real to fight for. The psychy feat of intricate and artful folk-rock is an all too efficacious reminder that the world isn’t happening to you. It’s happening, and you happen to be here with the same responsibility as everyone else to leave it in a habitable state for every species.

Honestly, we couldn’t rate Steve Andrews more. He easily transcends heartfelt and litters your mind with a conscience. Which is, of course, the only acceptable form of littering.

Time for Ocean Aid is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

San Francisco delivers driving alt-indie in his latest single, ‘Night Drive’

Posted on 9 May 2021

After a successful debut, Welsh alt-indie singer-songwriter San Francisco (Iwan Grant) is set to release their highly anticipated single, ‘Night Drive’, which switches up his sound from his preceding singles to expose a softer side; but the sonic guitars still made the cut.

The indie-rock jam practically leaves trails of headlights and streetlamps in your eyes as you listen to the viscerally sticky-sweet anthem unfold, exuding the same angular popping fretboard ingenuity as the likes of Johnny Marr and Aaron Dessner. Even with the reminiscences, Night Drive carries plenty of the artist’s distinctive style. Any fans of indie big riffs and catchy choruses will be literally and figuratively hooked.

You can check out San Francisco on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

00s RnB Meets Futurepop in Mali Hâf’s latest single ‘Refreshing’ featuring Shamoniks

Posted on 24 February 2021

Mali Hâf’s magnetic attitude burns right through her latest offering of stylish bass-driven RnB electronic pop, ‘Refreshing’ featuring Shamoniks. With reverberant intensely layered beats beneath her vocals which soar with reminiscences of Nelly Furtado and Natasha Bedingfield, there’s a nice ode to 00s RnB within the distinctively arrestive hit.

On the basis of Refreshing, Welsh singer-songwriter Mali Hâf has all the potential to join the likes of Marina and the Diamonds, Cerys Matthews and Nina Persson in the ranks of iconic Welsh artists. She’s already in possession of strikingly sultry vocal dynamics which don’t just pull you into a sonic experience, but the emotion it was created with. She’s definitely one to watch.

Refreshing is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast