indie

Citizens of Yeah! Deliver a New Wave Masterpiece with “3 Little Piggies” – Single Review

12th Sep 2024 — Leave a comment

Combining a range of New Wave and indie influences, Citizens of Yeah! have produced yet another great single in 3 Little Piggies.

From the intro alone, I can hear the influence of The Smiths and New Order, particularly in the the sound of the synth strings, which reminded me a lot of There Is A Light That Never Goes Out.

The string flourishes throughout give the track a strong New Wave feel, adding an extra edge to the overall production.

Paired with sharp guitars and intricately gorgeous bass lines, this is an absolute treat. I particularly enjoyed the guitars in the chorus which fizz with excitement, contributing to the multiple satisfying payoffs in the track.

Lyrically, the track is quite unique, using the concept of the three little piggies in Red Riding Hood as a metaphor for fear which I found inventive in just the right way.

I particularly enjoyed the breakdown at the end of the song, with a great back-and-forth between the backing vocals and the main vocal, which reminded me of early ’80s post punk especially when paired with stark guitar tones. Overall, I loved the track and can’t wait to see what Citizens of Yeah! come up with next.

J.P Riggall’s “The Cabin Session EP”: A Soulful Journey Through Stripped-Back Folk – EP Review

2nd Sep 2024 — Leave a comment

J.P. Riggall’s new live EP showcases the folk singer’s powerful songwriting ability with a striking collection of atmospheric tracks.

The EP opens with Cold Cold Mountain, a song that sets the tone with its chilled production, placing the emphasis firmly on the performance.

Riggall’s North East accent pierces through the folk vibe of the track, providing authenticity to the passionate delivery of the track.

Overall, the track is a heartfelt tune, demonstrating Riggall’s talent as both a songwriter and a live performer. The stripped-back arrangement highlights his focus on emotion.

This theme continues We’ve Already Seen Him Dead, where stark acoustics and melodic leanings take centre stage. The slight echo provided by the venue adds nuance to Riggall’s voice, enhancing the powerful and beautiful performance.

Through this power, Riggall amplifies the already strong songwriting, squeezing every inch of emotion out of the song. The result is a moving performance of an outstanding track.

The EP closes with My Lovely Bones, a gorgeously touching tune. Once again, Riggall achieves a lot with a little – just an acoustic guitar and his voice, creating a captivating atmosphere. The emotion is palpable, bleeding through the soundwaves as Riggall delivers yet another great performance.

The track itself is wonderfully constructed, with a melodic core and a heart-wrenching chorus. It’s a beautiful way to conclude a stunning live EP.

Club Paradise Teases New EP with Summer Anthems ‘Years’ and ‘Chasing the Summer’ – SINGLE REVIEW

31st Jul 2024 — 1 Comment

Club Paradise have started the countdown to their new EP by releasing two great teaser tracks to whet the appetite before their October release.

The first of the two tracks, Years, starts with a bold guitar solo, which glides over a bright synth line.

The verses to the track builds the tension with reverby guitar swells intersecting a driving rhythm section which gains pace as it continues.

The chorus twinkles with a sparkly synth line driving the catchy eighties-inspired melody. It is here that you can hear the influence of bands like The 1975, as well as a range of other indie pop groups.

The song has a smart pop sense and a glittery production; but, it also knows how to deliver a punch with the crunchy guitar solos and dark lyrics, which contrast the light production.

Previous single, Chasing the Summer, has lofty ambitions, beginning with a huge intro featuring a big guitar solo and thumping drums.

The vocals immediately hit you and are delivered with passion and energy. These are joined by backing vocals in the verses, which once again reminded me a lot of The 1975.

The chorus is huge, with guitar lines which go hard over a thumping beat. Overall, the track is the epitome of an anthem with huge guitars and catchy melodies.

Together, these tracks do a great job of wetting the appetite for the upcoming EP, which arrives in October.

Big Romance’s New Single, ‘Self Medicate’ Blends Genres Beautifully – SINGLE REVIEW

21st Jul 2024 — Leave a comment

Big Romance’s latest single “Self Medicate” shows their ability to mix genres to excellent effect, blending shoegaze, indie and post-punk together in a rewarding mixing pot of gorgeous production and great songwriting.

Opening with a reverb-heavy 90s feeling introduction, I was immediately reminded of the Siamese Dream era Smashing Pumpkins with its dreamy production and vocals.

This is quickly interrupted by a laid back verse with a real slacker vibe, fitting well into the established vibe of the track.

The pre-chorus shifts gears as the distantly distorted guitar stalks the vocal melody with fuzzy distortion and precision.

Eventually, the tracks anticipation pays off, unveiling a twinkling guitar solo that reminded me of dream pop bands such as NewDad.

The spacious nature of the production throughout illustrates the band’s love of shoegaze whilst highlighting their focused songwriting.

The introspective lyrical approach that the track takes examines coping mechanisms and relationships with sharp lyrical quality.

When the chorus hits, it hits hard. I can hear the influence of Slowdive in the production through the heavenly feel brought by the backing vocals, and the swirling guitars drenched in distortion and reverb.

A crunching guitar solo fires through the crescendo of the track, adding an appropriate ending to the song, before its distortion blends into the mix, allowing the song to sail off into the sunset.

Overall, the song combines the best bits from various subsections of indie music, making it easy to get on board with production you can sink into and sharp songwriting.

Hannah Robertson’s ‘Blissfully Miles Away’: A Gorgeous Dream Pop Single with a Bite – SINGLE REVIEW

19th Jul 2024 — Leave a comment

Hannah Robertson returns with yet another gorgeously dark single, taking her dream pop sound in a more twisted direction.

Beginning in a realm of dreamy and hypnotic guitars, the track quickly awakens you with a rush of distortion and drums, bringing a gnarly edge to Robertson’s dream pop production.

The influence of groups such as NewDad and Slowdive is evident within the dreamy shoegaze-inspired production. However, an underlying darkness brings a nasty edge to the ethereal track, making it more dream rock than dream pop.

The anticipation built up through the verse explodes in the chorus, which musically acts as a dark counter balance to the airy intro.

Throughout the track, the performances and production are exceptional, helping build a dark, dreamy atmosphere with their crispness.

If you love groups like Wolf Alice and enjoy hypnotic, dreamy production, then this track is perfect for you!

The Avelons Deliver A Catchy Summer Anthem With New Single”Since Monday” – SINGLE REVIEW

15th Jul 2024 — Leave a comment

The latest single from The Avelons illustrates the band’s confidence and ability to develop catchy anthems perfect for the summer (even one as depressing as this summer).

An intricate, reverb-drenched guitar opening immediately greets you, starting the track off on an etherial note. This is immediately interrupted by a cacophony of drums, which bring energy and focus to the track.

The overall production of the track is crisp and energetic, allowing the band and the track to shine. Its anthemic nature shines through the massive chorus, which feels tailor-made for festivals and arenas. Complementing this is a gorgeous guitar solo, which ploughs through the track like a wrecking ball.

As the song continues, it only builds momentum, leading to a singalong ending reminiscent of tracks like Seventeen Going Under.

If you like the vibe of groups like Arctic Monkeys, The Wombats, and Oasis, then you’ll love this track.

Social Youth Cult Reach New Heights with Gothic Double A-Side “Black Lipstick/ Different Language” – SINGLE REVIEW

11th Jul 2024 — Leave a comment

Social Youth Cult deliver their most confident and assured set of singles with their new double A-side offering.

The EP begins with Black Lipstick, which introduces the running voicemail intro that connects both tracks together nicely on the double single.

Care has been taken to give the track a unique production. I particularly enjoyed the drum track, which sounded distant in the mix, giving the song a distinct feel.

Gothic guitars surround this in the mix, drenched in heavy reverb that echoes the early work of The Cure. Decorating all of this are the gorgeous vocals, which bring gravitas to the track and a haunting energy.

Overall, the track emphasises the gothic edge of the group’s music, with dark lyrics and a stark vibe reminiscent of groups like Siouxsie and the Banshees.

The second track, Different Language, buzzes with energy and an almost live style of production, bringing immediacy to the track.

It’s clear that across the two tracks, effort has been made to make the production stand out among their contemporaries. With its sparse yet raw feel, the group succeeds in crafting an intriguing sonic palette to complement their songwriting.

The strong vocal delivery continues in this track, with a touch of Nick Cave in the delivery, especially in the first verse. Lyrically, the track alludes to love turning sour, twisting this theme into a dark and moody vibe.

The guitar work on the track is incredible with a more aggressive approach which complements the overall feel well.

Overall, these latest two tracks from Social Youth Cult find the band continuing to mature and grow to excellent effect.

Northern Hospitality’s ‘Break Free’ Is A Thrilling Punk Rock Anthem – SINGLE REVIEW

5th Jul 2024 — Leave a comment

Northern Hospitality’s latest single Break Free, sees the group snarl their way through a punk-inspired energetic track. From minute one, you are greeted by aggressive and snarling riffs, perfect for getting the mosh pit started. This is before the drums fade in, creating a full frontal assault on your ear drums.

Frontman Gaz Price snarls over this terrific backbeat, which never lets up, venting his inner turmoils and frustration at life.

Each verse is interrupted by another expertly crafted riff, which matches well with the thunderous drum beat.

From listening to the track, it is clear why the band is starting to pick up attention, having played alongside the like of Pete Doherty, Kaiser Chiefs and Feeder, building a name for themselves within the region.

If you’re a fan of punky melodies that are as catchy as they are aggressive, then you should definitely check out the track.

Joyland brings the summer vibes on single, Leaving Tonight – SINGLE REVIEW

23rd Jun 2024 — Leave a comment

Joyland brings the summer vibes with their slick new single, Leaving Tonight. Combining a number of different influences, the track’s shiny production hides a set of yearning lovesick lyrics.

Hailing from Newcastle, the five-piece has slowly gathered momentum over a number of years, something evident in their latest single.

Over three sun-kissed minutes, the group cultivates a catchy yet sophisticated vibe, drawing from various influences in the indie and pop genres.

The piano opening of the track echoes The 1975‘s If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know), with its stark, reverberated keyboard intro. This gives away to a guitar line washed in distortion and reverb straight out of the Sam Fender playbook.

The piano leads the track front and centre of the mix, alongside the amazing vocals, which are delivered with emotion and are well integrated into the track’s aesthetic.

As the buildup to the chorus begins, you can feel the band’s songwriting ability shining through as they expertly weave their way through the song, demonstrating their knack for producing a catchy indie pop melody.

The track’s strengths lie in its ebbs and flows, with various breakdowns building tension that is effortlessly released by the time of the chorus.

This gives way to a gorgeous guitar solo that sounds effortless. This is all enhanced by the excellent production, which boosts the track’s already strong songwriting.

This all leads to a really catchy, strong single from Joyland, perfect for the hazy weekends of festival season. The group are definitely ones to watch, and this is a bandwagon worth jumping on as they continue to head in one direction.

That Clare Weaves a Tapestry of Sound with Her Powerful New Single ‘Consciousness’ – SINGLE REVIEW

13th Jun 2024 — Leave a comment

The latest single from That Clare is a gorgeous tapestry of sound and positivity, confronting toxic attitudes while delving into the personal and emotive issues that have shaped her.

The trans singer-songwriter combines a number of different influences on the track to amazing effect, boldly confronting toxic influences within her deeply personal lyrics.

That Clare In Concert – Photo by Andi Christ – @andichrist19

The track begins with a beautifully worked synth, reminiscent of the work of artists such as Mitski. The synth bed sets a dreamy vibe of the track, further enhanced by a lovely arpeggio guitar line building on the instrumentation. Combined, the instrumentation echoes of post-nineties Radiohead with its atmospheric tone.

The musical landscape of the first half of the track is stark and ominous, reflecting the lyrics which reference feeling lost.

The production by Lisa Murphy does an excellent job of building the atmosphere and growing the momentum of the track.

This momentum pays off around the halfway point of the track, where the song goes up a gear, upping the tempo and bringing a fullness to the instrumentation that matches the defiant nature of the lyrics.

Self love is very much the message from this point on, with That Clare shutting the door on negative influence and embracing herself. “You can do it without them” is the overriding message and acts as a powerful, empowering declaration.

Consciousness does an excellent job of weaving a number of diverse influences together to create something unique and personal. The defiant message of the song will resonate with many and illustrates the Teesside singer’s bold voice, which is endlessly captivating.