WATCH: APRE - 'All Mine'

Happy Monday! Before the musical rambles, a quick thanks for the patience and kindness I've been shown of late. I'm attempting a return to posting on the blog (forgive me if posts aren't quite as frequent as normal, just yet...) with a song that has been on repeat on my Spotify account (no, not ABBA - but you should listen to them) and in my earphones for days now. The track is All Mine by APRE - I love these guys and I'm delighted that they're back, bringing with them one of my favourite songs of theirs so far. There's more what that came from too, as they're releasing a few more singles this year, with a mixtape due to arrive early next year.  

On the origins of the new track, the duo share: "when something becomes so good we can't help but look for the flaws, drowning our minds with false anxiety, as we lie in disbelief that we've found the one person that understands us. In other words it seems too good to be true. This song speaks of the never ending sense of joy another human being can give you."  

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LISTEN: Gold Baby - 'Betty'

Happy (drizzly) Thursday... here's a new track from North London grunge-pop trio Gold Baby, one of my favourite releases from last week. With some songs and a band name in tow, songwriter Siân Alex moved to London from Nottingham in 2018, setting about finding fellow musicians. She found Sweden-born bassist Sara Kleppe and Bristolian drummer Scott Hislop and the rest is.... glorious indie-pop history. New track Betty is taken from their forthcoming EP, due on 26th March, which was produced by Ian Flynn at werkhouse.uk, mastered by Pete Mayer and is supported by Help Musicians. 

On the EP, Siân shares: "Art is a reaction to, and a reflection of, the world we live in. Even in such politically crazy times, when you're never leaving your house it's harder to make sense of anything - isolation is stressful, and a hard place to reflect on anything from. That said, keeping up a creative practise has been really therapeutic and given me focus. My hope is that when real life starts up again society can rebuild better with a reordered set of priorities, and with a world of people more finely tuned to the things that our bodies and brains need to feel okay. It has been a devastating time, but there's a lot that can be turned into positive change, and I'm optimistic about that." 

Gold Baby · Betty

On the character of Betty within the song, she shares: "Betty is a representation of all that is beautiful and feminine. She's like a Disney princess and I'm the creepy kid watching her, all mixed up about where I want her to be my mum, or my girlfriend, or whether I want to be her. She reminds me of my mum and I'm thinking about the ways that we're different, wondering who I'm supposed to be growing up into. An amalgamation of memories and fantasy, Betty is an exploration of identity told through a tantrum: that's not who I am, that's not who I am!" 

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WATCH: Arlo Parks - 'Caroline'

If you're not on the Arlo Parks train yet, don't worry - there's still time. You've got a couple of months to catch up before her debut record Collapsed In Sunbeams releases on Transgressive Records on 29th January. She's been one of my favourite discoveries of the year and if I had a "ones to watch" list for next year, she'd top it. I am so so excited for the record and wishing away the days until it arrives. 

Premiering on Monday night as Annie Mac's Hottest Record on BBC Radio 1, new track Caroline gives another delectable taste of the record. On the track, Arlo comments "Caroline is an exercise in people watching and seeing situations unfold without context. It's an exploration of how something once full of healthy passion can dissolve in an instant." 

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LISTEN: Sunflower Thieves - 'Hide and Seek'

I've been vaguely aware of Sunflower Thieves for a year or so, as I kept seeing press photos posted online where they were wearing my favourite ethical clothing brand/item, dungarees from Lucy & Yak. My interest was peaked and I kept meaning to listen, and finally did once this track made its way into my inbox a couple of weeks ago. Hide and Seek is an ethereal, magical wonder. You can almost tangibly sense the sixteen years of friendship that the Leeds-based pair have had through those harmonies. Lovely tune - this is exactly the sort of song I need right now.

Sunflower Thieves · Hide and Seek

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LISTEN: DREUW - 'Heavy'

Having only first picked up a guitar while living in university halls, what started as an emotional outlet for a student has become the long-term dream for DREUW. Taking inspiration and finding comparisons with artists such as Bon Iver and RY X, he has played shows alongside the likes of Adam Barnes and Archie Faulks, and recently moved to Leeds to further pursue a career in music. Heavy is the first new release since the move, and a beautiful tune it is.

The track was written from the viewpoint of an individual supporting the mental health of his partner, to the detriment of his own. The subject matter feels reminiscent of Bear's Den tune Hiding Bottles, which looks at the affects of addiction on those close to the person. Writing about Heavy, DREUW posits that "the attentiveness shown from society on those who suffer with mental health is hugely important, as it should be, yet we sometimes forget to consider the weight that it can place onto those closest to them. I guess it's a feeling of isolation and helplessness that is consuming the romantic partner in this instance. They're yearning for a sign that the love once there is not lost." The track feels like a timely reminder to not only care for the wellbeing of those around us, but to look out for ourselves and seek help if we need it.

DREUW · Heavy

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WATCH: JONES - 'Giving It Up'

Rewind to late 2016, when I was spending most of my university life at gigs, I caught JONES twice supporting Jack Savoretti in Southampton and London. I was struck by her impressive vocals in the live setting, and enjoyed her debut album New Skin which had just been released. Three and a half years later, she's back with the first taste of new music (with more to come across the next few months) in the shape of certified pop anthem Giving It Up.

Recorded with Mike Spencer (Rudimental, Zara Larsson) and artist/producer Fyfe (whose own debut Control soundtracked some of my time at university after I saw him performing at a Communion showcase), the track is a feel good pop tune, with JONES' vocals oozing effortlessness and confidence as always. She explains that the track "is a chocolate addiction confessional turned audio diary entry about a story where I found love in a very unexpected person... it also feels like the start of summer." Perfect listening for lounging in your garden.

The video, directed by the Bosnian-Canadian filmmaker and musician Nina Ljeti and edited by Vern Moen, places shots of JONES looking stylish as ever on a beachfront location among shots that a nature documentary would envy. Escape into it for 3 and a half minutes...

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LISTEN: Moscow Apartment - 'Halfway'

This is really wholesome. Excited to share a new track from the Canadian duo Moscow Apartment, who I featured way back in November 2018 with their single Orange. Mostly I was overwhelmed at how talented Bridghid and Pascale were, at just 15 and 16. Now 17 and 18, and just as talented (more?) they're sharing Halfway, produced with Guillermo Subauste and mixed by Scotty Hard. 

The track is quite a grown-up response to a teenage falling out between the pair, who are both best friends and a musical partnership. They explain that "our deep friendship developed as the band formed, so there were some growing pains in the first year as we figured out how to process stress, anxiety and disagreements. One day we had a big fight and Pascale wrote the beginning of our new single, as a way to ask Brighid for forgiveness. Brighid wrote the second verse and worked on the chorus, giving birth to this song." 

They go on to explain that while the situation seemed hopeless, with the added stress of needing time apart while needing to work together musically, they were "given the opportunity to play a walk-on role in Stars' play, Together, and see the intensity and deep love that a band who've been together for two decades has [...] we had to remember that we really care about each other and have each other's best interests at heart." 

The duo will be releasing more music from the upcoming Better Daughter EP soon.

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WATCH: AURORA - 'Exist For Love'

Occasionally, and increasingly so at the moment (a good sign I think) I get moments of imposter syndrome via the blog. I keep finding unreleased tracks and videos from some fairly well loved artists, and the idea of getting to listen to them before the majority of people is a little overwhelming... so, with over a million followers online between her Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts you could say that AURORA fits the bill there. I found her brand new track and video Exist For Love in my inbox yesterday and was blown away a little. Having started the year on the Oscars stage performing her hit Into the Unknown from Frozen and now being cocooned in isolation she is back, opening the third 'chapter' of her music with her first ever long song.

In a self-directed video (which is aesthetically gorgeous) we see AURORA undergoing an awakening, blossoming into a woman touched by love. She explains that "I thought I didn't have a love song within me, until one day a few years ago, when I realised what a heavenly thing love is. Yes, it makes us human, but it also makes us divine. What you're using that love for. Or who. The touch of it will leave a print in us. It may be newborn love, it might be grief. But still we dare to love. Again and again. And when we get to experience that love, I think we understand why we exist. We exist for love." 

Also worth mentioning... my interest in the track was initially very much peaked in finding out that on the track, AURORA's dreamy vocals sit atop a string arrangement from award winning composer Isobel Waller-Bridge (Fleabag, Emma). Iso is a legend and the track is stunning. Having collaborated on the track in isolation, Aurora writes that "Isobel understood and respected the spirit of the song. I'm very grateful to have her as another mother to the project." 

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LISTEN: I See Rivers - 'How'

Continuing on the theme of sublime harmonies kicked off by my MICHELLE post yesterday, here's the latest from I See Rivers. The Norwegian (via Liverpool and Pembrokeshire) trio have been a favourite of mine since I saw them supporting Cosmo Sheldrake a couple of years ago - complete with the band selling their freshly knitted and limited edition merch from the stage. I loved the music and their personalities shone through in the performance. With help from PRS Momentum Fund, Music Norway, PRS Women Make Music, BBC Launchpad and a fan campaign on Kickstarter, they've recently finished work on their debut album. How is the fourth single to be taken from the album.

I SEE RIVERS · How

The track uses the legend of Perseus and Andromeda to tell a turbulent love story, with the trio's trademark multi-layered harmonies sitting atop synths to make another brilliant electro-pop track. In their words - "through Andromeda's eyes, the song echoes her deep understanding of her connecting to Perseus and her belief that even through hardships and turmoil, they have always been destined to be together - even after death she and Perseus are to spend the rest of their existence as constellations in the sky. 

"Although drawn from the Greek myth, the deeper and more personal message of the song is about the need to make sense of things whilst battling the fear of losing face and understanding."

The debut album from I See Rivers is due later this year.

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WATCH: MICHELLE - 'The Bottom' (Live at Atlantic Records Studio)

There's a couple of record labels that have consistently impressed and excited me with their output, ones which I feel like I'm in really comfortable hands when they announce a new signing. The first is Communion (... of course) and the second, Transgressive. They've worked on albums with the likes of Foals, Cosmo Sheldrake, Johnny Flynn and Gengahr and I am really intrigued by latest signing, New York collective MICHELLE, who fuse R&B, 80s synth pop, jazz and indie into their own unique style. The group are working with Transgressive in the UK and Canvasback Music/Atlantic Records for the rest of the world.

They released their debut album Heatwave last year, but they're a new name to me. The new live video they've just put out of track The Bottom, recorded in February at Atlantic Records Studios, is a gorgeous watch. The harmonies!!! Talking about the track, lyricist and vocalist Emma Lee says that "the song is an ode to the East river. Whispering worries to my mom by the river, mustering up the courage to dive in without fear - diving into what scares me, or into this loyal body of water."

If you're into those harmonies (of course you are) then check out this video from a Sofar Sounds NYC show last year - the stripped back environment makes the vocals even more impressive. I'm very intrigued to see what comes next from this group!

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ALBUM NEWS: Dizzy - 'The Sun and Her Scorch’

I've been receiving submissions to the blog for almost five years, and love that I still get excited by emails about my favourite artists. Always a treat! News of a new Dizzy album and an early watch of their new video yesterday? Sign me up. The Canadian four-piece are today sharing news of second album The Sun and Her Scorch, due for release via the dreamboats at Communion Records on July 31st. It features recent single Sunflower alongside The Magician, which is releasing today. 

The new record was recorded at Mechanicland Studios in Quebec and in frontwoman Katie Munshaw's mother's basement, produced by the band themselves and mixed by Craig Silvey (Arcade Fire, Florence + The Machine.) Talking about the differences between this and the band's debut, Katie explains that it was "all about the confusion and sadness of my late teens [while] this one is more about the qualities of myself that I'm not very proud of. I wanted to be completely honest about the things nobody ever wants to admit, like being jealous of your friends or pushing away the people who love you. So instead of being about romantic heartbreak, it's really about self-heartbreak." Lyrically, it all sounds a little sad, but those reflective and pensive lyrics are always paired with the band's sunny melodies, courtesy of the trio of brothers Alex, Mackenzie and Charlie Spencer - it's what makes the band's music so loveable. 

New track The Magician is also released today, with a video filmed in Katie's childhood bedroom by herself and Charlie during isolation. Pretty impressive, huh? On this track in particular, Katie says that it is a song "about wanting to magically bring a friend of mine who passed away back to life. To me 'The Magician' reeks of naivety and innocence in a way that really hurts my heart. Hoping she'll walk into my gig at the local pub, hoping to see her mom at Sobeys just to remember how similar their laughs were. Hoping for magic. It's a really emotional song for me but is masked by tricky, pretty production to make it sound almost joyful." 

Dizzy play London's Lafayette on November 18th (tickets here) - pre-order the record here.

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LISTEN: MarthaGunn - 'It's Over'

Two exciting pieces of MarthaGunn related news to share today. First up, a brand new (ish, I'm slow to share it) track, called It's Over. I'm really digging this one. Over to frontwoman Abi to tell us about the track... "We might not be able to play shows right now but that's won't stop us releasing music! I felt empowered writing this song. I was bored of writing sad break up songs. This one is a reminder that not every break up has to be sad, sometimes it's the best thing that can happen to you." Listen below!

Secondly - you're free at 6pm tonight, right? Where else would you be? The first week or so of lockdown should've seen the band touring the UK, so Abi took to Instagram to play a track or two live each night of the tour, with her bandmates and other guests (Flyte, Bear's Den, baker to the stars Frances Quinn and the like...) hopping onto the streams to play and chat. It was a great run of streams, and has no doubt led to the Into The Song idea. Curated by the band's label Communion Music and happening on their Instagram, Abi will be hosting the likes of Dizzy, Flyte, Willie J Healey, Samantha Crain, Night Flight and more, playing and discussing a track each. Tune in from 6pm on the Communion Instagram.

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ALBUM NEWS: Haux - 'Violence In A Quiet Mind’

With a string of singles and a couple of EPs under his belt, the first of which was released back in 2016, it seems surprising that Haux (AKA photographer-turned-musician Woodson Black) is only just announcing news of his debut album. Delve deeper into his story, and you'll find the reasons for the wait; the album is an intensely personal collection of tracks which reflect on his experiences of cancer, substance abuse and an accidental overdose within those close to him. Black describes the record as being about "being honest after hiding for so many years [...] like a self-guided therapy session [...] an album for people who naturally hide their true feelings; people that look OK on the outside but are struggling on the inside, people who think they don't deserve to get the help they really need."

The first taste of the record arrives in new single Heavy, a track recalling the moment that he discovered that his Aunt Alice had died of an accidental overdose. He shares that "I remember I was walking back from a show in Boston and I got a phone call from my mum and I kind of just crumpled there on the sidewalk, tearing up. I wrote 'Heavy' about that time. I kind of stepped into her shoes for a little bit and wrote it from her perspective, or at least what I imagined it to be." It's a stunning track and, although it's bound to be a heartbreaking listen, I'm really excited to hear the record in full.

The debut album from Haux, Violence In A Quiet Mind was produced by Thomas Bartlett (Rhye, Sufjan Stevens) and is set for release via Color Study on June 26th. Pre-save it here.

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LISTEN: MF Tomlinson - 'You & Me, Babe'

"You and me are always going to have a place called home." 

One of my favourite discoveries of last year, MF Tomlinson has been gradually releasing singles for a few months now, and has just released the final piece of the puzzle, You & Me, Babe, alongside the full Last Days of Rome EP - listen to the EP here. On the track and the EP more widely, this project calls on a community of collaborators - with MF travelling from London and LA to his homeland of Australia, with Japan's Ami Koda on flute, UK's Connie Chatwin on violin and backing vocals, Finland's Viljam Nybacka on bass and Turkey's Yigit Bulbul on guitar and percussion. It's a big old family, and it sounds lovely. MF adds "during my time in London I've been lucky enough to meet all these amazing people - it's an honour that they wanna play music together." 

Talking about the final track, he explains that it is "a story of how I (and many others) live now in love, surrounded by people they love - about how people, not places, are your real home no matter where you are. About the happiness we find in each other, romantically, and in friendship. Some of the most powerful & important feelings we have aren't ruled by the big forces that shape the world, they're sparked and expressed by little moments. That's what I'm trying to capture." 

"I wrote this song about my wife, each line in the song relates to something specific but I wrote in broad strokes because I like to think that everyone has someone close to them who this song could be about. I want whoever is listening to be able to think about their own memories and fill these moments in with their own details." 

Follow MF Tomlinson - Facebook | Twitter | Instagram.

LISTEN: SKIA - 'IDWTAI'

"Are your thoughts like mine, coming with you to bed?"

Let me introduce SKIA - Norwegian alt-pop newcomer and honorary Liverpudlian. Following the release of debut single Anyone, she's back with IDWTAI, released today via Heist or Hit. Focusing around the title lyric "I don't wanna talk about it" the track is an ode to overthinking - or more specifically, not overthinking - I can relate. There's a debut EP due later to arrive later in the year with some live dates to follow, so dig your teeth into this one for now.

Talking about the track, SKIA explains that it is "a track about all the feelings I don't wanna talk about. It can be stress of the future, fear of moving on from something, or a flashback to something I've done that makes me cringe and that I really don't wanna talk or think about ever again." 

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LISTEN: Winnie Raeder - 'BABY'

Winnie Raeder was one of my favourite finds of last year - her voice is incredible and she arrived onto the scene with her stunning debut Don't You Dare and the From Here EP, before selling out her first headline shows and supporting Charlie Cunningham and Tamino on tour. Self-producing for the first time, new cut BABY is a gorgeous first release of the year. Stunning and enthralling vocals sit atop a combination of piano and subtle electronics.

Talking about the track, Winnie explains that "BABY is about wanting to clean your apartment because you know its not good for you to live amidst mess and disarray, but at the same time, there's a voice in the back of your head that reminds you that's how you've always lived and what you know. Throwing away some of that garbage would mean having to get rid of some of the clutter you've learned to love. It's basically that, but instead of your apartment, it refers to you mind. I've always been interested in [...] what makes us tick and behave the way that we do." 

On producing the track herself, Winnie comments that "there are some brilliant female producers making music at the moment, but there aren't enough and that's partly because women aren't encouraged at a young age to explore production. A lot of female producers tend to feel a sense of imposter syndrome when they write and produce their own music and that has to change. [...] I've always paid a lot of attention when I've been in with other producers because I knew that one day I wanted to try and do it myself, so that's definitely helped the process." 

If you'd like to catch Winnie live (why wouldn't you!) she's just been announced for this year's Great Escape Festival and is playing the upcoming BBC Music Introducing showcase at The Lexington alongside Plested and Eloise this Thursday, 5th March.

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LISTEN: Dizzy - 'Sunflower'

Completely over the moon about this - Dizzy are back with their first new music of the year, Sunflower. The track follows up their recent Heavy / Twist EP and the 2018 debut album Baby Teeth which I absolutely adore. They were a random discovery for me as a friend took me to their set at a festival and I am so grateful for that introduction - I love them. The new track was produced by the band themselves and mixed by Craig Silvey (Arcade Fire, Florence & The Machine). With lyrics that see singer Katie Munshaw drifting between self-loathing and self-care, Katie describes the track as "a three and a half minute 'snap out of it!' to myself when I'm feeling low, unconfident or not myself." 

The band are about to head on a support tour in the UK and Europe with Oh Wonder but they've also just announced a London gig of their own at brand new venue Lafayette (sister venue, if you will, to Omeara) on November 18th. Tickets are on sale here today!

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LISTEN: Ed The Dog - 'Everybody, I Love You'

Can't stop listening to this one. High Wycombe indie-rock band Ed The Dog may have passed you by with their debut album Shame back in 2018, but fear not - they're back with brand new track Everybody, I Love You and it is a certified tune. Frontman Ed (naturally) describes the track as being "about honesty. Total honesty really, and how accepting yourself as you are can have consequences on your relationships." It's a lovely little nostalgic tune with some cheery indie vibes that bring about memories of early Vampire Weekend and the like, juxtaposing with darker lyrics which explore themes of loneliness. Go forth and listen...

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WATCH: Arlo Parks - 'Eugene'

"We've been best buds since thirteen, but that don't change the things I feel." 

I'm absolutely loving this. I caught onto Arlo Parks being a bit of a legend a month or so back with her feature on the Easy Life mixtape, where she sings a duet on Sangria. She's just shared new single and video Eugene via the ever lovely folks at Transgressive. In a beautifully choreographed and edited video from the Coyle Larner Brothers (musician Loyle Carner and his brother Ryan) the "complicated feelings and ambiguous relationships" of the track are brought to life by Arlo and her co-stars Theo and Amelia. Watch it!

Arlo plays some UK dates in March with Matilda Mann supporting - lots are selling out quickly, so get on tickets quickly here.

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WATCH: Red Moon - 'Dogma'

This one is a debut and a half. Norwegian-Swiss pop artist Red Moon has released her first single, Dogma. Sold to me as somewhere between Florence Welch and Aurora, my interest was instantly peaked and I'm enjoying the track. It is hypnotic in nature and her vocals are stunning... the track invites the listener close, creating a safe space reflective of that which Red Moon feels through her artistic name. She explains that "using a name that isn't a real name makes me feel there are endless possibilities, and a safe place, where I can show my vulnerable sides." 

The track revolves around the original meaning of the Greek word 'dogma', which translates as "that which one thinks is true" or "to seem good". Talking about the track, Red Moon asks "can we live an unfiltered life? One where we can be open. It seems pretty unthinkable that it would be possible or make sense, since without all the knowledge and experience from ourselves and our ancestors, who would we even be. Can we be better? And I am not talking about the advanced technology that will bring us to a different level, but the spiritual levels, shared bonds and knowledge and understanding for each human..."

Red Moon makes her live debut at London's Ja Ja Ja on 13th February. 

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