A bumper two-month edition of my highlights post this time, as I missed publishing the last one ...
MARCH
All these and more on my March playlist
amistat - same old eyes One of my top tunes of the year so far, this a beautiful piece of timeless songwriting. It's from a rich, sparkling EP full of music in the US folk/roots tradition but given a fresh twist.
The artists are twin brothers originally from Germany, bringing a really interesting infusion of cultural influences. [Listen here.]
Holly Humberstone - work in progress (EP) Holly's newest EP was released on 15 March, bringing together previously unreleased demos as a follow-up and compliment to her autumn album. Her choice to do this rather than create a "deluxe" album version was a typically generous and honest one.
The newest songs seem to fit perfectly into the arc of her work to date, despite where they fit in the actual song-writing timeline. There's buckets of warmth, confidence and self-expression, and some fantastic lyrical touches. 'Down Swinging' is a standout track. [Listen here.]
Platinum Mind - 1974 A sub-2-minute gem of a track created and produced by Platinum Mind (aka Del Owusu) which caught the attention of Marianne Hobbs and got airplay on BBC 6Music. It combines a spoken word vocal from Marina Florance, reminiscing on life in '70s London, with real-world samples, swirling synths and a crisp beat. Brilliantly done and hopefully a sign of more music to come in this vein from this producer. [Listen here.]
Sea Girls - Midnight Butterflies Sweeping and expansive; absorbing but upbeat; reflective and yet standing firm as a harbinger of a summer of outdoor music. [Listen here.]
Francis of Delirium - Lighthouse (Album) Even after writing a full commentary, I can't stop listening to and generally thinking about this record. It brings together four of my previous favourite songs, and adds seven more besides. From an instrumentation point of view, the drums really stand out to me, both sonically and rhythmically; and this melds beautifully with Jana Bahricht's lyricism and mellow but passionate vocals. [Listen here and read my full thoughts here.]
Sophia Alexa - Losing by a landslide A brilliant, richly layered, dreamy, exposing yet inspiring track. I keep falling in love with the song each time I hear it. It's dreamy and absorbing. [Listen here.]
APRIL
All these and more on my April playlist
Ber - Better Man Absorbing, heart on sleeve, empowering and atmospheric. That's pretty standard for Ber to be honest. She writes with such honesty and accompanies every release with passionate connection with her fans.
This song, a forerunner to her May EP, sees her exploring relationship issues, discovery of hard truths, and perhaps, ultimately, liberation. (right) [Listen here.]
Chappell Roan - Good Luck, Babe I fell in love with this track as soon as I heard those opening synths – pure 80s sounds which come bouncing in, before wending and developing through multiple layers to reach a surprising and unique climax. [Listen here.]
Dictator - Stan Smith This one was a surprise release near the beginning of the month from Dictator. It's soaked with the sonic riches that typify the band. Exquisite and careful writing. [Listen here.]
Fräulein - Pruning Crisp production which puts you right in the scene (that drum sound!!); subtly quirky writing; fabulous, clever jazz-inspired drumming; grungy vocals and guitars. This feels like a new wave: preened garage rock vibes. Fascinating but still loads of fun, too. [Listen here.]
Lizzie Esau - Wait Too Late Another powerful track, but not only that, it's (typically of Lizzie) imaginative, too. She has a fantastic knack of writing genuinely interesting as well as kick-ass tracks. Her hard work is also plain to see, in the instrumentation and production as well as the writing. [Listen here.]
Noga Erez - Vandalist An all round incredible listen. It's so different from the norm, the artist showing herself and her approach unashamedly, fusing rap, alt-pop and punk influences seamlessly. From the opening lo-fi strings, you know this will be an epic listen, but there are still countless surprises to be found. [Listen here.]
philiine - green A new discovery for me, Dutch artist philine clearly has extremely well-honed songwriting skills. Combined with her fragile, intimate yet direct vocal approach, this creates memorable listening. This song is absolutely stunning: tender, vivid, and imaginative. [Listen here.]
The Felice Brothers - Crime Scene Queen After a quiet patch, it's great to hear more music from this band, who have been dear to my heart since I began the blog. This is American roots music at its finest: intriguing story-telling, engaging musical devices, and more than a touch of melancholy. [Listen here.]
It's a simple, gentle tune riding on currents of loneliness, while snatches of poetry float across your consciousness "...get out while you still can ..." This feels comfortably familiar on one hand, and brilliantly unsettling on the other.
If you ever need to explain the beauty of sadness, point to this song. [Listen here.]
Quiet Houses - Call You Later Superbly expansive, a song which layers jangly guitars into reverby vocals, forming warm waves of euphoric sound almost effortlessly. [Listen here.]
Quiet, The Art - Monochrome This is a band who aren't afraid to take time and space to reveal their music. It's skilfulness set to chords: weaving strong and soft sounds, generating and driving emotion, and displaying well-judged patience to build to a hard-hitting peak. [Listen here.]