Falling behind is becoming a bit of a habit it seems… no matter, the music remains as good as ever! Here are a few of the songs which most impacted me in June and July. Both were very strong months for new music (yielding 72 and 60 songs for my lists, respectively), and so this selection was again very hard to narrow down… The full playlists are linked here.
JUNE
"For the first few seconds of CATTY’s latest single, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re hearing a straightforward, fuzzy and fierce pop/rock song; there's an unsettling fade in, gently menacing vocals, and chugging power chords. But CATTY takes it much further, mixing in masses of colour and liberal sprinklings of surprise. There’s an organ and a piano appearing in the mix, well-judged vocal effects, pace changes and silences galore - plus a “woo-hoo” motif made for top-volume crowd singalongs. The result is an irresistible and fast-paced revenge-themed power track that crosses boundaries. It’s catchy enough to drive you mad, but you’ll love the process." [Listen here.]
Five O Fives - Short Changed So good to hear this band again! Their June release is gorgeously fuzzy and thumpy, funky and pure rock-and-roll too, and all with that pared-down directness that characterises the band. But they've been honing their skills clearly, as this one feels notched up: more together and confident. Expect a lot more from them over the next few months... [Listen here.]
Hana Lili - Figure It Out A superbly energised track which sees Hana once again bursting through the gates with her uniquely warm and dramatic alt-pop sound. There's a trailblazing feel here, but it's clear that Hana is standing on the shoulders of giants, too. [Listen here.]
Hannah Mazey - Wish U Felt The Same A chiming, melodic and beautifully paced indie rock song: full of open hearted honesty, and a committed and passionate kind of approach. [Listen here.]
Imogen and the Knife - Red (is my colour) In 6/8 time ... You'll know what that means to me if you've read much of this blog! The song is intensely delicate, turning into dramatic and powerful; full of simplicity and poetic lyricism. In fact it's something of a miniature masterpiece. [Listen here.]
Lizzie Esau - Cool Lizzie once again proving she’s firmly in the top tier of alt rock world. This song is firm and grungy, strongly messaged and, yes, genuinely cool. There's a superb, fading and sweeping intro, a second building intro before a drop-away into a jittery yet powerful verse, which leads inexorably into a crashing refrain. [Listen here.]
Mistine - IDEK Resonant, rich alt-pop, with a really appealing, fresh aesthetic. A minimal start sets the scene with a stripped back, R&B kind of rhythm, and additional layered are added with admirable patience. The track comes from a new and very well-rounded EP. [Listen here.]
Soot Sprite - I Went Swimming A great track for this band to come back with after a bit of a hiatus. Like Five O Fives, this band have a strikingly honest sound, with a DIY aesthetic on the surface but a definite and highly-skilled depth. The song is expansive, giving an ecstatic feel of wide open, promising spaces. [Listen here.]
JULY
Nottingham's alt-rock stalwarts are nobly flying the flag for high quality indie music from the region. Their latest is this fabulously balanced brooding, alt-rock heavy hitter. At almost 5-minutes long, there's plenty of time to expand and develop, and the band make the most of that.
There's a start infused with noise, but never too much, opening into an intensely delivered, prowling main section, which feels mature and important. Deserving of your precious time. [Listen here.]
Halsey – Lucky After 'The End' in June, which was incredibly moving, Halsey moved on to produce this equally emotive song, moving to a region of hopefulness. She uses her unique voice and musical approach very effectively to share something very personal and also all-encompassing. [Listen here.]
Odd Beholder – Dahlia Over the past few years of writing my blog, Odd Beholder (Swiss musician Daniela Weinmann) has become one of my solid favourite songwriters. The way she captures mood so accurately and adroitly is second to none. This track is no exception: it's pure and shimmery yet draped in a kind of sonic haze and sprinkled with miniature earworms which make you feel totally at home. [Listen here.]
Roots Manuva / Skitz – Blessed be the manner RM is in my eyes the king of independent British hip hop. His beats are always dark yet crisp -- he never fails to find new bars which are so dark and cold they have me hopping around the room in ecstasy. This new one is very, very good and almost drives me mad with glee to listen. [Listen here.]
Saint Sappho - Blue Jeans I’m in love with this band's raw meets smooth sound: it's lo-fi and garage yet resoundingly high quality and rich. Just a great track. Saint Sappho have been slowly and surely building up, each release an incremental step forward on the last one. Their time is definitely coming. [Listen here.]
TOMI - @myphone The "zombification" subject may not be unique, but here TOMI takes modern-day tech-deluged angst and drives it in a new direction. It's a banging tune which I realised I was becoming totally obsessed with with each listen. It’s clamorous, unsettling pushiness meeting psychedelic post-punk in a rich stew of guitary goodness. [Listen here.]
Wrest – Amber I’ve come to realise that when Wrest release a new song, it inevitably makes its way onto my monthly playlist. This is the kind of song that slams into your mind instantly - announcing its intention to overwhelm and transport you - and absolutely follows through on that promise. The song is beautifully structured and performed, with a really firm on-the-beat feel from guitar and drums, and those heartfelt vocals which speak directly to your heart. [Listen here.]