Electric Circus’s new single goes hard. With its massive production and hard rock riffs, the single comes together as a thoroughly satisfying package.
From the outset, you’re greeted with a punch of distortion, with guitar lines layered on top of each other, each contributing to the cacophony of noise the band is creating.
These are joined in the mix by a thumping drum track, adding even more power to the track, building the hype before the vocals kick in.
Lyrically, the song addresses the current societal decline that the Western world is experiencing, with references to the Doomsday Clock amongst other pointed commentary the band makes.
This unfolds over an ever-steady blend of riffs that complement the track’s thematic focus.
The overall effect is reminiscent of rock titans like Queens of the Stone Age and Foo Fighters, with a nod to heavier groups such as Bring Me the Horizon.
The expertly executed breakdown towards the end of the track particularly brought to mind some of those heavier groups, sounding primed for a live setting.
Overall, this is a great rock track that skilfully combines a variety of influences. If you like your riffs hard, then you’ll love this single.
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 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 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!
Specky Cult’s sophomore album blends rock and folk together to craft a unique voice with a truly North East perspective.
The first track, Come Back Kid, immediately sets the scene for the record with a folky feel reminiscent of groups such as Fleetwood Mac. The acoustic guitar on the track immediately establishes this, as gorgeous piano lines drive the track forward, opening the LP in fine fashion.
Love Crap then takes the LP in a different direction, embracing more of an alt-rock sound while maintaining a folk edge. Just imagine a hard rock Lindsey Buckingham, and you are along the right lines. These are joined by synths in the mix, which enrich the listener’s palette.
The LP takes another twist on the third song Seriously, which begins in a manner which echoes About A Girl by Nirvana, before opening up into an interesting melodic flow and a refrain of “seriously” which imbues the chorus.
The group channels Bob Dylan with a lovely mouth organ beginning on Alibi, continuing the folky vibe of the record. The chorus of “I’m not your alibi” sends out a defiant message, hammering home the theme of the track.
Everything Is Awesome brings back the rock guitars, along with a beautiful MOOG synth line that mirrors the vocal line. The song’s lyrics are deeply personal in tone, with the chorus sending a hopeful message to the listener.
Lovely guitar swells adorn Hell Before Breakfast, building towards a great chorus. The track is then immediately followed by Anthems and Tantrums, which takes the folk vibes up to ten with its gorgeous production.
Pull The Plug bursts to life with dominating guitars, surrounded by lyrics that tackle the challenges of living in the internet age, injecting some sharp social commentary into the album.
The track that follows, Pie and Mash, continues along these lines, commenting on the mundanity of everyday life and stating that all singer Carol Stephen needs is “pie, mash and a pint of ale”.
Pie and Mash – Specky Cult
The title track, A Different Kind Of Difficult, begins with a heavy guitar riff, leaving behind the folk vibe that dominates the album for a classic rock feel filled with nice MOOG lines and gorgeously crafted riffs.
The album then comes to an end on Big Shop, which opens with a fake shop closing announcement that I thought was a nice touch. The track’s instrumentation is warm, contradicting the lyrics that complain about the mundanity of ageing, life, and doing the shopping on a Friday.
Overall, this album showcases the band’s strengths as well as the breadth of their musical influences. If you love classic rock and folk, then the band will almost certainly be for you.
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.
The latest single from Alastair James combines the very best of Rock and Americana to produce a delightful foot stomping anthem.
Taking influence from the likes of Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen, the Middlesbrough singer-songwriter blends genres and ideas on the track to excellent effect as he continues his comeback after time away from music.
James addresses his personal struggles in the lyrics, singing about the vertigo he suffered as a result of surgery on his hand and leg, and the mental strength it took to get him back to doing what he loves.
Both musically and lyrically, the track is defiant, opening with a distorted guitar intro that is guaranteed to get your foot tapping. This driving guitar line perfectly complements the lyrics about moving on, triumphantly gliding through the track.
The influence of heroes such as Springsteen and the Kinks is evident by the time the song reaches the soaring anthemic chorus.
The overall effect makes you feel as though you could be on a road trip down Route 66, with a real uplifting heartlands feel.
A beautifully played guitar solo adds to the tracks positivity and builds anticipation for an amazing climax.
Overall, this song radiates positivity and heart, with James defiantly moving on from his struggles and, with music as good as this, into a bright future.
Last Case Scenario’s latest single is an energetic ode to youth, combining pop punk riffs with singalong choruses to great effect.
The Newcastle group combines a number of different influences on the track, from the riotous energy of bands like Green Day to the pop punk delivery of groups like Sum 41.
Altogether, this leads to a song that yearns for the good times and spontaneity, something reflected in the energetic nature of the track.
Opening with a distorted guitar riff, the track immediately hits you with a party vibe, something reflected in the lyrics celebrating having a good time with friends.
This is all powered by in your face drums and a punchy bassline that propels the track forward. The singalong nature of the chorus reminded me of Green Day and very much puts the “pop” in their pop punk sound.
The give and take between those two influences is further emphasised by the gorgeous guitar solo, which is played with precision and energy, adding a touch of rock energy to the already raucous track.
New elements are regularly added to the mix to draw the audience in, with the use of repetitive guitar lines adding a different flavour.
Overall, the track is a great pop punk track, which will delight fans of bands such as Blink 182 and Paramore.
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.
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.
Humbug North East 