Category: Indie/Indie Rock

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Indie/Indie Rock Reviews

Review: Nothing But Thieves – Moral Panic

If there were ever such a thing as a mic drop in the form of a musical expression, Nothing But Thieves’ third studio album Moral Panic would be it. Completely outdoing themselves, the band’s modern social commentary manages to absolutely blow your socks off, make you question the morality and purpose of the socks you had, and think about how to go about choosing socks for the future. Confused? You should be, this album has so much going on so bare with me whilst I attempt to process and take in all it has to offer because man does this record go *clap* off *clap*. 

The production is immaculate, somehow fusing rock, house and disco music together in a way where each element feels like it’s in a constant battle with each other, yet manages to work coherently in a whirlpool of exposure. Now Nothing But Thieves have never been a band to shy away from electronic and RnB influences within their music, ever since their debut we heard thumpers like Hostage or the title track from the band’s sophomore LP Broken Machine, which definitely have energetic electronic inspiration, but Moral Panic takes it to another level. Imagine the amount of Chemical X put into the creation of the Powerpuff Girls but on steroids, that’s this album’s DNA. 

Kicking off the album we have Unperson which is a beast of a banger, the clash of robotic monotone vocals thrashed against the screams of anguish all from Conor Mason, giving this dystopian feel of dread that fits in with the world we live in or at least the very direction we’re heading in the current climate. As I said in the review for this track back in September, it wouldn’t feel out of place in a Hacienda type venue and the more you listen the more it begs to be played in a club like venue through massive speakers to absolutely destroy you. This whole album is the perfect soundtrack to the end of the world. Swiftly keeping up the pace the album spits Is Everybody Going Crazy? At you, a corker we’ve had the pleasure of hearing since March that resonated with us all then, and absolutely still does now. From the menacing riffs and guitar work that cuts straight into your soul, to the melodic and rhythmic vocals that get stuck in your head, this track just heavily demands you to pay attention, gripping you closer to the edge of your seat before the chorus takes it four to the floor and gets you up to dance as the world starts to fall apart around you.

The title track Moral Panic starts off with a sudden change of tone, making you listen to this new perspective, much more a’la Graveyard Whistling, but after the first chorus when the bass kicks in, and drums pick up the tempo, UK garage-like piano lifts the song into a new ballpark that grooves with you with the haunting lines of “This is the last day of my life, yours too / Haven’t you ever seen the ocean look so blue? And if we’re running out of time, she said all of the children are so anxious they’re on edge / Yeah, it’s tense, so tense” with the choruses “Moral panic is setting in / Terror fever, it’s too late to begin”. The song almost feels as if it’s going through an identity crisis, but through that it matches the tone of the track and makes it all the more manic and exciting to hear. Real Love Song follows it and continues this changed tone but sticks with it’s set dynamic. A blissful ballad with some killer riffs that melt you down, it’s that defining song that all the indie kids will cover all year round but to it’s credit, it’s brilliantly deserved. 

Next up Phobia takes control and immediately at the start gives off a Billie Eilish vibe, from the 808ish kick drum loop to the quiet whispery vocals, there’s most definitely some inspiration from the gen Z giant, but 1 minute 40 seconds in the song gives us this meaty guitar part that begins to transform the song from Eilish enlightener to regal rocking anthem, which changes tempo later on transforming the vibe of the song almost conveying the feelings of mass panic so job well done lads. This Feels Like the End takes the uptempo afterburn and sticks it on a treadmill. The electronic drums are a great addition to the tonality of this track, and make the chorus pop out so perfectly, the 00s pop-rock guitar chords and acoustic drum kit leading the way for this almost nostalgic sound to match the idea of your life flashing before your eyes before your final moments. Whether intentional or not, the sound design for this album is ridiculous and contains so much reference and meaning you can’t help but listen in awe of the work gone into making it. 

We then get to experience a trio of tracks back to back with a much more calmer atmosphere. Free If We Want It is a much more chilled out dynamic, but yet again still showing some influence from the music of the 00s, perhaps subtle Kings Of Leon/Kaiser Chiefs inspiration with the chorus guitar hooks, but unmistakably Nothing But Thieves all the same. Impossible is the flipside to the coin that is Real Love Song, perhaps rivalling it’s online viral cover potential. Impossible is a sweet love song albeit with some twisted lyrics sure, but it conveys the message of how love is this heavy stigma of perfection that doesn’t seem real at first, with the quintessential emotions being flooded by lust “I could drown myself in someone like you / I could dive so deep I never come out /I thought it was impossible, but you make it possible”

There Was Sun continues the vibe but expands it, there’s more volume here, there’s more grit and it helps to convey this beautiful song. Funky melodies sung along to phased glittery guitar which almost signals the synesthesia of sunbeams into your head. This track delves into the realm of psychedelics, the ambience really forcing the space age noise out, and it’s a sound that Nothing But Thieves pulls off really well. The outro also smoothly transitions into the next track which dials the guitars up again ready for a Nothing But Thieves anthem. 

Can You Afford To Be An Individual? Happens to be my absolute highlight of this album, from the dirty riff to the perfectly timed melodies, emoting more like rap verses at times, to the actual content of the lyrics being sung. And my god the absolute anger and passion Conor has when he sings is just breathtaking. The pre-chorus breakdown with vocal chopping/sampling, ambient noises and euphoric build up just really nails that Moral Panic idea through sounds before climaxing to a dirty and beefy guitar riff that sends shivers to your bones. Talking of the lyrics, in an interview the band discussed and said “It’s completely pessimistic and lunatic, the lyrics are fantastic and Joe absolutely smashed it. It’s not even saying, ‘here are the answers’, it’s just holding up a mirror like, ‘this is you. Deal with it’. It’s disgusting and ugly”. I can’t really do it justice but I mean just listen to the song and hear for yourself. “So, how’s it bеing a prisoner of your own illusion? Upon a pedestal, revelling in your own confusion / I see you hide behind your altar or your constitution, but you can’t live forever in your own echo chamber” This song isn’t about subtlety, being so politically charged specifically at the state of America currently, but because of that it doesn’t need to be. The point is subtle political songs about what’s wrong with the world and its inhabitants have been done, and not enough has changed, we need more We Didn’t Start The Fire’s and Love It If We Made It’s because the message isn’t clear and it’s not sinking in. 

Before We Drift Away closes the album and starts off with definitive Radiohead vibes that is a complete breakaway from the chaos that just ensued with Can You Afford To Be An Individual, like the comedown from a high. The twinkly guitars juxtaposing the staccato violins almost exist as an example on how two completely different and intense emotions and attitudes are pinned against each other all throughout Moral Panic, finally come together in a opposing ended dance, tied together by the final choruses of overdriven electric guitar, dropped off ambiguously to the jangly guitars from the beginning and Conor’s vocals singing “I don’t wanna grow old” ending the album on a note for retrospective.

I think in years to come people will look back on this album in two ways. One being its very of its time, the systematic themes it discusses and the messages it gets into your head, but also see it as an album ahead of its time. I guess it’s up to us as a species what we do from now for the future, whether it’s the division between classes, climate change or a global pandemic. To go forward with hope and ambition for a better tomorrow, in amongst the Moral Panic we are living in now, there will always be hope for those who seek it. But to finish off I mean what more can I say? Nothing But Thieves have made a fantastic album here, from the new sounds delved into, the smooth as hell production, the stench of the present day topics it digs into to just the absolute quality of songwriting that Conor Mason, Joe Langridge-Brown, Dominic Craik, Philip Blake and James Price have completely nailed down to a ‘T’. Only time will tell, but I think this may already be one of the greatest albums this decade has to offer. It’s young, prevalent, dirty, ambitious rock that’s sure to brighten up your day, no matter how dark times may be.

Listen to Moral Panic on Spotify now.

Categories
Indie/Indie Rock Reviews

Review: Beabadoobee – Fake It Flowers

Fake It Flowers the debut album by the ever so popular Gen Z icon Beabadoobee has finally dropped and it’s everything we could have wanted and then some. Bea’s transformation from indie bedroom pop artist to full on emotional grunge rocker is complete, if you’ve been watching Bea for a while now it’ll feel as if she’s finally turned super saiyan, I mean she has the blonde hair now so maybe. But I’m getting ahead of myself, this isn’t someone who’s changed randomly, the natural progression of Beabadoobee’s musical career is just her finding her true self sonically, she’s perfected her craft and the album is one hell of a bang to showcase that. 

Fake It Flowers is a river of 90s grunge majesty, but with slick modern production. I hear the term ‘bubblegrunge’ when referring to Beabadoobee’s material and it’s a pretty solid umbrella term I think we can all get down with, but 20 year old rock star goes down a treat just the same. Bea manages to gather an audience of listeners from so many different genres, from kids who adore the bedroom pop-rock sound to adults who can’t get enough of the modern grunge sound people haven’t really heard much of really since the 90s ended, but her fans come together and bathe in the tranquility of the tracks pinned down by Bea and her band. 

The album kicks off with lead single Care, a classically cutesy Beabadoobee verse that then quickly builds up to a monster of a chorus that begs you to head bang and dance around your room. A perfect opener that shows off the sombre guitars and beautiful melodies we’ve known to love, and then to turn that idea on it’s head and shove the heavier guitars and make the rocker chick really resonate with you, especially with the lyrical complexities of the track, and over the whole album. Care takes us straight into the absolute anthem that is Worth It that just makes you crave to be in a mosh pit again belting out to the bonafide deal of a Beabadoobee show. 

Dye It Red is another stomper to make you punch the air, where the sound of the album really makes itself present, the drums that bang around your brain complimenting the guitars so well, but interwoven with the glorious bass that together ground you whilst the shoegaze-like guitars wisp you away. The production is consistent and absolutely mental, the way tracks such as Worth It, Dye It Red and Together just pop out, it’s almost as if you can feel each instrument around you. Dye It Red (like most Beabadoobee songs) lyrically is on another level, magnificent melodies disguise the deeper lyrics upon first listens, and on a further inspection you hear fragments of Bea’s life. “Fuck me when I’m keen, not according to your beer”, a glimpse into the everyday objectifying of women, especially when it comes men under the influence of alcohol. “Let me cut my hair and dye it red if I want to, I haven’t felt myself so comfortable, I’m not stopping now” A poetically personal but genuine message that people, especially young girls should do what they want, for themselves that makes them feel comfortable. 

Charlie Brown confronts past struggles with self harm, the line “throw it away” in the chorus repeated is a real heart wrencher that hits in so many ways, be it referring to the struggles we deal with, or the literal tools we have to our hand. Bea stated in an interview that Charlie Brown was her first window into understanding mental health, so naturally it’s a bound link for her. Mental health in young people today has never been more crucial and if you are struggling, never be ashamed to reach out for help. No day, person or life is perfect and the sooner we as a society openly accept that, the sooner the stigma of talking about mental struggles can become normalised and more people can get the help they need. 

Emo Song talks about the effects that manipulative past relationships can have and hold onto you even far after those relationships have ended. With ambient sounds kicking off this track, with quieter dynamics compared to previous tracks on the album, it really helps hone in the vulnerability and sensitive state you can be left in after an experience like that, matched with the lyrics “I lost myself in cosmic dust”, “You’re coming back again/I don’t want you back again” and “Just the thought of you doesn’t stop, you’re not a person or a thing, just the thought of you on my limbs, it’s all your fault/It’s all your fault” really shatter your nerves in a way that can only be applauded to Beabadoobee but maybe a hug to her and whoever can relate. Sorry follows up the quieter dynamics from Emo Song but pushes it with strings that just blend every part of this track together. 

Further Away blissfully takes the quieter sounds of the previous two tracks but manages to become a sort of lullaby but again the actual nature of the song completely contradicts the sleepy sounds and melody that gently puts it’s arm over your shoulder as a masquerade for the twists of the lyrics of the song. Horen Sarrison takes what you’ve just heard but being a love song about Bea’s boyfriend and longtime creative collaborator Soren Harrison, really is the arm on your shoulder you almost need after the real rollercoaster that has been the emotional tones of Fake It Flowers, but all the same showing that vulnerable side to Bea. “Eyes so green, I don’t know what that means, but you make me feel like all this is real/But I don’t want you to feel comfortable, and I want you to know that I’m in love” patched with “You are the song that I need for my mental state, you are the bus that stayed when I thought I was late, so I’m convinced you’re from outer space”. All in all you really get a sense of the wanderlust and emotion between the potent pairing which is really quite beautiful to gauge an understanding of.

Together takes us back to the energy from the start of the album, with pretty intense Smashing Pumpkins and Pavement vibes that really come together (no pun intended) under the influence of Bea’s voice, melodies that enter the third dimension during the chorus that makes your chest tighten up and mouth grin with glee. 

The album closes with Yoshimi, Forest, Magdalene, a song that manages to combine the dreamy soundscapes from the likes of Sorry and Further Away, with the noise and exclamations of Together and Worth It, all whilst starting with Bea saying the vocals sound like a fart? Absolute insanity, and the even more crazy part? It kinda works and just adds to the tonality of the entire song, and after the adventure that is the experience of Fake It Flowers, the playful intro is quite a satisfying start to the song and end of the album. Lyrically Bea talks about the love of her life and how she knows what her kids names are going to be, being Yoshimi, Forest and Magdalene. Which if you didn’t quite catch there, you’ll be pleased to know there’s quite a few reminders of that throughout the song. It’s a fun more uplifting song that still captures the softer side of Bea in the verses but manages to stay fun in the typical Beabadoobee manner. 

The level of music within this album completely outshines previous work, the production by Joseph Rodgers who’s work has been on Beabadoobee’s prior work as well as with The Kooks, Graham Coxon and Liam Gallagher. As well as Pete Robertson producer and former drummer of the incredible band The Vaccines. Together they’ve managed to help mould Bea’s sound and create something breathtaking that just makes you wanna sit back and admire in awe before the beat of the songs convince you to get up and dance. Bea’s band are also phenomenal on the album, nothing feels like filler, every instrument has a reason for being there and playing what they play. Drummer Louis Semlekan-Faith really get to flaunt his talent throughout the album, especially on tracks such as Worth It and Sorry. Lead guitarist Jacob Bugden adds some firey licks all over the record, the riffs in Care and Dye It Red, as well as playing almost countermelodies to Bea’s vocals and bringing out another dimension to the world that is Fake It Flowers. And wrapping it all together is the chick who plays Bass, Eliana Sewell. Who’s playing just completely sticks out and almost becomes a part of the percussion at times, intricate Bass lines that just go straight to your head and carry the song like the foundations of a building. And all of this is snuggly embedded within the mind of Beatrice Laus to create a wonderful band experience and listening escapade. This was an album where a lot of love and care was put into it, a lot of raw emotion and quite obviously, a lot of fun making too. 

Fake It Flowers is an LP for the young adults of today (especially young women), the intimate and internal struggles we go through, soundtracked to your favourite 90s films. It’s a record that is just so brilliantly constructed from start to finish, that explores such heavy topics, all whilst staying such a wonderfully quirky collection of songs. A stoner rock lullaby, that keeps you slow dancing till the early hours of the morning, but on loud will definitely keep up your parents and neighbours, and give you the adrenaline rush needed to boost your mentality to get you through whatever else this year has to throw at us. 

Categories
Indie/Indie Rock New Wave Why We Love

Why We Love: Working Men’s Club

If you’re currently missing proper, atmosphere-filled nights out (and let’s be honest, who isn’t given the current state of the world?) then fear not as I’ve found the perfect antidote and their name is Working Men’s Club.

I recently read The Hacienda: How Not to Run a Club by Peter Hook and thanks to the part-owner/bassists amusing accounts and vivid imagery, craved nothing more than to experience the iconic venue back in the day. However, I reluctantly came to terms with the fact that that was never going to happen and so decided to seek out the next best thing- some top acid tunes. 

I listened to everything that I could find from the time but having grown up in the home of the club it was all quite familiar so didn’t fully satisfy this newfound buzz; I needed something fresh and exciting that still contained the original heart. This was harder to come across than I’d first anticipated but finally had a Hallelujah moment at the beginning of this month when Working Men’s Club released their self-titled debut album and answered all of my prayers.

I was hooked (pardon the pun) from the second that opening track Valley’s first kicked off but at the 1.50 mark (0.30 in the video should check out below) something really special happened when the pounding bass cuts for a synth riff just before the lyrics kick in. In that moment I felt the closest that I believe I ever will to first experiencing the height of the movement back in the 90s and from then on I was in a trance for the rest of the record; treated to further squelching acid infusions as well as many more musical delights…

Falling Somewhere between the two bands that helped to fund the legendary ‘Hac’, Working Men’s Club clearly have a post-punk edge (just give Cook a Coffee a listen) but despite having a natural ability for creating this sound they didn’t play it easy and simply follow the classic Joy Division route; instead incorporating synth and electro to give things a New Order-esque spin. 

It would be a crime to only liken these guys to other bands though (no matter how great) as they seem to be exploring everything on the spectrum in between and actually credit the Detroit house scene as major influences. The result is their own new sound that can leave you charged and ready to dance one minute then lost and daydreaming the next.

Encapsulating the sounds that I grew up with but bringing something from my generation into the mix, I felt a kindred spirit in the band. There was something in the name and listening to their first few tracks that gave me the feeling that they were fellow Northerners (and once I saw that their third was titled John Cooper Clarke I had absolutely no doubt about it). I figured that this might have also contributed to that close connection because despite being from Yorkshire rather the home of the punk-poet and FAC51, things growing up in Todmorden feel just as small and grey (but equally hopeful). 

Like all great bands from the North, you can really hear this in their sound; the bleakness and claustrophobia in lead singer Sydney Minsky-Sargeant’s lyrics; being ‘trapped inside a town’ ‘running out of time’ but also the sense of working pride and excitement that there’s something beyond, in the sounds that they’re backed by. 

Minsky-Sergeant is now the only original band member left standing but at the fresh age of just 19, commanding you to watch him in his SOCIALISM print t-shirt he’s definitely not backing down any time soon. Originally joined by guitarist Giulia Bonometti and drummer Jake Bogacki the first line-up released debut single Bad Blood in 2019 which gained comparisons to the Totally Wired band The Fall and flows into B-Side Suburban Heights, a song filled with a jangly Smith’s-like sound. The tracks were greeted with great acclaim but success didn’t mean that Syd was ready to settle and he eagerly continued to explore and develop.

The fired-up front-man gravitated towards a new electronic noise however, this wasn’t for everyone and led to the departure of Bogacki, whilst Bonometti also moved on to focus on a solo career rather than the evolution of WMC. This, in turn, forced him to change things up even more than anticipated; sequentially swapping out the drum kit for a machine and expanding the club’s membership to three new musicians in the form of bassist Liam Ogburn, Mairead O’Connor on keys, guitar and vocals and Rob Graham joining Syd on guitar and synth.

Together they took on this new angle drawing them in; each member boldly bringing their own flourish and when combined with production from Ross Orton- the same Yorkshireman behind tracks from the Arctic Monkeys (and rather ironically The Fall), bedroom-recorded demos were transformed into a well-polished LP.

Wise beyond their years, you can already hear that the band know what music they want to make and have a great skill for executing it. The tracks on their album come together to create a cohesive experience but each is individually fresh with a mix of elements.

There’s the Stand out Acid House infusion on the likes of Tomorrow and plenty of upbeat rhythm in White Rooms and People. In addition to this optimistic sound, you’ll also find balance in a darker side; where they channel the grit that’s sung about on Teeth in its grunge guitar and evoke doom in the striking beats of Be My Guest. 

Also incorporated is a touch of afrobeat, funk and even indie on Outside where they sing about reminiscing in the sunshine, delivering lyrics about a ‘technicolour daydream’ whilst hardly needing any words at all on the pulsating A.A.A.A…That isn’t all either, as just when you think they’ve proven their capability they top things off with Angel, a 12-minute journey filled with swooping psychedelic sounds that creates a deservingly epic finale.

Speaking the honest truth and producing music that’s simultaneously nostalgic and now, they’re only one album in and hard not to love. Although they might have captured the sound of the North and named themselves after the places they originally strived to play in, Working Men’s Club look well and truly set to take on the wider world.

Check out Working Men’s Club on Spotify

Categories
Indie/Indie Rock Punk/Rock Why We Love

Why We Love: Courtney Barnett

With albums like IDLES ‘Ultra Mono’ and so many other spectacular artists from the same vain currently dominating the UK charts, it’s safe to say we could be on the very edge of a new era for music and the true revival period for 80’s grunge. If hearing this makes you jump for joy, then the songs of guitarist Courtney Barnett from Melbourn are certainly ‘must-haves’ on your playlists.

After first hitting big on the underground rock scene in 2012 with her self released EP, ‘I’ve Got a Friend Called Emily Ferris’, Courtney Barnett has since grown to become one of the most talked-about rising modern rock stars of today. After two studio albums and a host of incredible singles, Courtney has earnt phenomenal praise and worldwide recognition for her garage rock sound and muddy ’90s style. This is an artist who certainly never disappoints and a woman who truly embodies the spirit of ’90s MTV Nostalgia – talented AF, cool as hell, she might just be the Kurt Cobain of her generation.

Home-made and humorous, not only does Courtney Barnett produce smashing tune after smashing tune, she continues to amaze us with her terrific funny music videos.

Along with her neutral wit and creative humour, Courtney has brought something we love about music back to the world; a feeling on authenticity, high-school DIY band vibes and a persona inspired by her classic rock influences. Commonly pictured with a Fender guitar around her, the attributes of Barnett’s grunge pioneer predecessors Johnny Marr, John Squire and Thurston Moore are not lost on this extraordinary talent.

Her early experience in music as a guitarist in several garage and psych-country bands still shines through in her music today, both in the melodies and production of her songs and through the southern twang in her slumberous vocal style.

Old school and modern at the same time, one of her more recent tunes ‘Nameless, Faceless’ from her 2018 album ‘Tell Me How You Really Feel’, along with the songs animated video, is very much in the spirit of ’90s MTV and also reminds us of Franz Ferdinand’s ‘Take Me Out’ music video from 2004.

Since the release of her last single ‘Everybody Here Hates You’ in 2019, Courtney has been quiet about any new material she may be working on since Woodstock 50 festival had to be cancelled at the start of the year, but we have seen a great cover of Kev Carmondy’s ‘Just for you’ as well as many great new songs emerging from artists signed to her self-founded record label, Milk! Records.

Courtney has been known to collaborate frequently with other artists, this week she appeared in Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy’s creative lockdown music video for his new single ‘Gwendolyn.’

We’re dead excited to hear Courtney Barnett come blasting back onto the scene with new material soon, but for now at least we can rest assured that artists like Courtney exist in the world. We can sleep easy knowing that grunge is not truly dead.

Courtney Barnett is on tour in the UK with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds from April 13th. Get your tickets here.

Listen to Courtney Barnett’s most recent single Everybody Here Hates You on YouTube and Spotify now.

Categories
Indie/Indie Rock Why We Love

Why We Love: Post Animal

If you’ve ever experienced the psychedelic odyssey of sounds produced by Post Animal then I’m sure you’ll be happy to join me in this celebration of their cosmic creations. Alternatively, if you haven’t yet had the pleasure of delving into their discography then I strongly urge you to find out a little bit more about them right here and join the trip…

I can still remember feeling as if I’d hit the jackpot when I discovered Post Animal in the same week that I moved to London back in 2016. At this point, they only had a handful of songs on their Spotify but those few special tracks were enough to recognise the gem that I had on my hands and have me hooked. Played out on repeat, their merging melodies became the soundtrack to my new adventure, discovering their rich sounds as I discovered my way in a new city.

Best described as ‘current psychedelic meets classic rock’ the six-piece progressive outfit formed in Chicago two years prior to my discovery. A variety of members contribute to vocals and consist musically of Dalton Allison on bass, Wesley Toledo on drums and Jake Hirshland on keyboard and guitar; joined on the latter by Javi Reyes, Matt Williams and Joe Keery (a name that you might recognise from a little-known Netflix series called Stranger Things). 

Around the time that I discovered the guys, Keery’s breakout acting gig almost brought everything to a halt, but fortunately, they managed to work around scheduling and were able to carry on producing more of their sonic soundscapes. However, as his role (and hair) on the cult show began to get bigger and some time was set aside to pursue solo project Djo (check out the album ‘Twenty Twenty’ for another fantastic listen), Keery decided to take a break from touring with Post Animal. Since his partial departure, the band have continued to go from strength to strength, flowing along like their music and realising second full-length album ‘Forward Motion Godyssey’ earlier this year.

Although collectively coherent, Animal’s songs span a broad range of sounds and an extensive array of influences creep in across tracks. Upon initial listen, it’s hard not to feel like When I Get Home is cut from the same cloth as many well-loved Tame Impala tracks- but it’s by no means a copy thanks to the incorporation of some 70s rock elements. There’s also a Reckoner-Esque sound driving their eponymous track as well as songs like Safe or Not; kicking off with an initial acid house hit and transitioning into something reminiscent of Two Door Cinema Club and funk-fuelled How Do You Feel all on the same album. Not to mention the poppy stand out single Ralphie from the first album ‘When I Think Of You In A Castle’ and the likes of earlier track Lonely Jones that at times evokes a hint of ‘Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds’ (I could go on but I think you get the gist).

It’s hard not to shout about all of their songs, as each holds a place in my heart but it is clear to see that the band have grown over their years together. Certain elements of their self-produced tracks like captivating hooks and arpeggios came naturally to the guys from the get-go. However, a determination to cover such wide experimental ground meant that some of their earlier work was lacking a little lyrical direction. There was never an issue with this as their songs were still strong and got the ball rolling; it’s just more evident since they’ve truly come into their own. Progressing with a real ‘forward motion’ they’re now displaying more introspective lyrics whilst channelling a slightly darker sound which makes for an engrossing departure from the dream-like one fans were used and really dazzles.

It’s exciting to know that Post Animal have the self-awareness and skill to evolve as they have. This, combined with their ability to transport you to a summertime by a lake in the States (even during British autumn) and distort the lines between genres proves that they’re a class act and provides me with the faith that you’ll love them just as much as I do.

Check out Post Animal and Djo

Categories
Indie/Indie Rock New Wave

Tenacity: Live Music is Back! (For Now)

Last Saturday I was invited to a gig at The Amersham Arms in New Cross by London band Tenacity, who were about to play their very first gig since the start of lockdown in the UK.

This was one of the very first gigs I had been to myself post-lockdown and sitting back in a venue was strange to say the least.

Tenacity met while studying together at The BRIT School in South London, formed of band members Ula Wodarz, Tim Burghaus, Daniel Lazenby and Simba Jindu, despite being locked inside for several months, they certainly haven’t lost their ability to put on a show. Though sat at tables spaced a meter apart, their sold-out audience gave phenomenal praise to these incredibly skilled young musicians and their very sophisticated style of music. The band love playing around with loop pedals and synthesizers which this band have used to truly develop their own original sound.

The distance between members of the audience most certainly did not diminish the atmosphere of the room once the band began playing, and although I love a good mosh pit, this time it was nice by the end of the night not to be covered in beer.

Distanced crowds at The Amersham Arms

At 10 pm, as the rules state, it was kicking out time for bars. Standing outside in the lashing-down rain, I spoke to two members of the band, singer and keyboard player Ula and guitarist Daniel, along with their manager, Alessia and a few of their close friends, all of who were back out at their very first gig in seven months!

We spoke a bit about how they found getting back on stage and their thoughts on how this year has changed the music industry.

How does it feel now to be back on stage?

Ula: It felt great, I mean we were a little scared because it was a new set up and we were playing loads of new songs, I thought ‘oh no what if I’ve completely forgotten what it’s like to perform in front of people? But it felt really good.

Dan: I wasn’t so worried about the technicalities, I thought ‘you know we’ve rehearsed this, this is fine.’ But going up there I suddenly felt like I couldn’t remember what I was supposed to do when people look at me, it was quite unusual having all that attention on you again. We’ve been doing so much online and so much in our room that it felt really weird… but weird in a good way.

What have you guys been up to over lockdown?

Ula: We’ve been working on the new album which we were meant to record and release over the summer, but because of Corona we weren’t able to go to the studio and record so we were just writing loads and loads of new songs. We’ve got twice as many songs as we need for the album so we’ve been polishing those demos. We made a website, we made merch, so we’ve just been trying to do as much as we can from home.

Was it weird playing a gig with the audience spaced out like that?

Dan: Honestly for me, it felt quite good really because that’s the best the promotors can do in this situation, there’s not much else you can do but they still managed to retain the real-ness and authenticity of live music without breaking the rules, the promoters did a very good job.

Can you see this being able to continue or do you think there may be another point in the near future where you won’t be able to gig?

Ula: I think that’s very possible, we can’t really tell, obviously we love to play live and play as much as we can and we hope there will be more events like that happening but no one knows for sure, so we’ll see.

Talking of strange gigs, what was the worst gig you’ve ever played?

Dan: Oh my – wow – there’s been a few…

Ula: There were quite a few where the lineups were very strange, where the artists were say for example an indie singer with a guitar, then a metal band, then us who are pop-rock then some guy with a banjo… we’ve had some gigs that nobody came to also, it’s been quite a journey, especially at first. There was a time in the beginning where we were just playing so many gigs that our friends said ‘sorry we don’t have money left to buy tickets.’

Whats the best way to prepare for one of these gigs?

Ula: Well, for this one we’ve been rehearsing for the past two weeks every day, even just sitting in our rooms practising our parts, dress rehearsals in our rooms at home so that I wouldn’t trip over my heels or trousers on stage.

At this point, the bouncer came out of the venue and pushed us away straight into the rain, where I continued the conversation with the band’s manager, Alessia.

This is the strangest interview I’ve ever done, hello you must be Alessia. So what’s it like managing a band at this time?

Alessia: It can be really challenging, I have to think about and create new ways to promote them and new ways to do all sorts of stuff, but at the same time it’s also exciting, I mean we have so much technology to make use of.

How did you feel as a manager seeing them go back on stage?

Alessia: I was really proud, really happy to see them back up there after all this time.

In six weeks time, where do you hope you’ll see the band?

Alessia: Hopefully back on a stage again, but if that’s not going to happen, on as many blogs and in as many press articles as possible.

So right now as a band, do you feel very home-made?

Dan: I think in the last seven months particularly yeah, I think that we do a lot for ourselves, I mean we’ve very lucky to have Alessia now who’s helping us out with managerial things, but prior to that we were just trying to push ourselves in every way that we could, we were sending out a lot of emails and sending out applications for festivals and things like that, so I think that we’re kind of making our own way, and as I say we’re lucky to have our manager too.

Do you think your generation has missed out because of lockdown when it comes to the opportunities available?

Dan: I think that in a sense we’re lucky because we have more of a chance now to been seen than in the past, but in the same sense there are so many people doing music right now and struggling, and the algorithms today don’t really work in the favor of small artists. We’re kind of in the thought process of a music video right now, we’ve written a lot of songs over lockdown so we’re just kind of figuring out what to do with those. We recorded our last music video over lockdown in my bedroom, luckily we had someone clever enough to make it look good.

Ula: I think it will affect every band but not in a bad way, yes you’re not able to perform at the moment but this is a really good time to write and be creative, stuff you wouldn’t have time for if all your energy was focused on playing gigs.

If 2021 ended up being the same as 2020 and lockdown went on into the new year, do you could survive as a band and would your audience still be able to support you?

Dan: I feel like life goes on, and honestly in a way it sucks but the thing is; if you don’t carry on what are we going to do with our lives? If things get bad and you just stop and mope about it, yes it’s ok to be sad, it’s ok to be upset, but you mustn’t let it stop you. That’s very hard sometimes, but in the end, we have to persevere because if we don’t and live music doesn’t then what are we gonna do?

Leah: I think we’re all creative as well, we’re all good at adjusting to weird situations, we improvise, and also because music is our lives so we don’t have a choice not to do it, as musicians, we’ll find a way around anything.

Left to right: Leah and Charlie (guests and friends of the band), manager Alessia and her boyfriend Federico, Ula and Dan from Tenacity – taken after their (very soggy) interview for TWM.

Thanks so much to the band being open about how lockdown has affected them and for inviting me along to their phenomenal gig. I look forward to going back to see them in future. You heard it here first folks, their new album is in the works, but if you can’t wait that long check out Tenacity on YouTube right now.

SET LIST:

  1. Doubt Me
  2. There/Gone
  3. False Warning
  4. 410
  5. Drone Chords
  6. Way To Know
  7. Nothing Else
Categories
Indie/Indie Rock Reviews

Review: Pillow Queens – In Waiting

It’s a real surprise that after the release of two impressive EPs and supporting several big-name bands from IDLES to Future Islands that Dublin based Pillow Queens haven’t had people shouting about them left, right and centre. Nevertheless, their experience with fellow artists fronting the current rock movement and a knack for turning out sonically rich songs in their own right has proven that they’re an indie force to be reckoned with. All things combined they’ve just delivered a record you didn’t realise you’d been ‘In waiting’ for but after a listen won’t be the same without.

The album encapsulates a hazy sense of hope and instantly has you hooked on all manner of components from sweeping melodies, flourishing tones and lo-fi layering. Together, the result is ten all-star tunes from the female foursome that met on a basketball court in their hometown (a fact that I had to drop to further emphasise that they’ve been cool since the get-go). There’s an almost magnetic draw in the first few twinkles of the haunting ‘Holy Show’ and you’re instantly connected as soon as Sarah Corcoran’s crooning voice pierces through. From that moment up until the last echoes of closing track ‘Donaghmede’, the band take you on a journey where you can’t help but feel all of the emotion that their songs are created and delivered with. Each track seamlessly melts into the next; ushering you into a new stream of thought before you even have the chance to realise, leaving you in a dreamlike trance-ready to become the monarch of your own pillow. 

The journey doesn’t just happen as one tune flows into the next though; you’re taken on a voyage with each individual song. Not only are they gentle and melodic but also fierce and rocking, transitioning as effortlessly as one of this era’s most iconic alt bands Wolf Alice. ‘Handsome Wife’ is a great display of how they start gracefully, then seamlessly build to raspy exclamations and when ‘A Dog’s Life’ gets going it delves into even edgier territory with grungy guitars and more punk-like chants in a prominent Irish twang. Overall, I’d compare the Queens’ arrangements to a crisp winter morning, sun piercing through the clouds and glistening on snow; bright and refreshing but not without a hint of gloom and bite.

There’s an abundance of stand-out elements besides their progression too, like the poignant folk cries repeated at the end of the self-love reminder ‘HowDoILook’ that help to provide a shining example of their flawless transitions into the emotive melody that is ‘Liffey’. Further messages of positivity can also be heard in fan favourite ‘Gay Girls’; a wake-up call to people of strict religion and those alike that there’s no need to worry when it comes to different sexualities, featuring a catchy hook and accompanied by a cracking music video. It’s exciting to hear more top tunes from such empowering female representation in the rock industry, using their talent to draw attention to causes that many listeners will care about just as much as they clearly do. I also love that they have a rock ‘n’ roll attitude with regards to their opinions and approaches, saying “feck em” to any critics of Corcoran and accompanying vocalist Pamela Connolly’s accents for example and instead embracing their roots; using them to their advantage in adding to the raw emotion to their sound.

I believe the ride that is listening to ‘In Waiting’ can best be described in the final words of ‘Harvey’ as the expansive sound truly leaves you feeling as if you’re ‘floating ten feet off the floor’. Earnest and atmospheric, claims of coming up short in the heartfelt ‘Brothers’ evidently aren’t in reference to their album as it’s an absolute beauty and I can’t wait to watch Pillow Queens flourish like their songs and take everyone by storm.

Categories
Indie/Indie Rock

Hidden Gems: Montoya – On The Hill EP

Sometimes, bands will only stick around for a short time. They release an album, an EP or maybe just a single before dropping off the radar completely. But I don’t believe that should stop people from discovering and sharing the songs they made.

And sometimes, bands will even ‘break-through’ years after they’ve split. In the case of Indie-Pop band Montoya, they very well did.

I first discovered their EP ‘On the Hill’ after their one and only music video, directed by Damien Bonnaire, gave them big exposure on Vimeo back in 2016. Instantly gripped by their uplifting melodies and stunning vocals, I have since remained a loyal fan of Montoya and their charming sound.

The next few years, I very eagerly awaited to hear more tunes from the Parisian band, but it now seems that day may never come.

I read up on them recently, just to see what happened, only to find that their social media had gone quiet and their website had been taken down.

I reached out to them via email hoping to find some answers, but their mailbox no longer exists.

After some digging, I found the Instagram profile of the band’s guitarist, Hugo Rattoray, who told me the band had split due to each member’s prior commitments.

After years of hope, this was terribly sad to hear, especially from such a promising band, but an understandable reason nonetheless. Sadly one of the biggest reasons most bands today don’t last long is that at the end of the day, whether your music is good or not, you still have to pay the rent.

Unless you’re a student nowadays or have bundles of time on your hands, putting a band together and managing to hold down your life at the same time is more arduous now than at any point in the last 50 years.

Part of the reason so many great bands from the ’70s and ’80s were able to do so well (in the UK at least) was because at a time of such high unemployment, there was f*** all to do.

I worry now that after the recent pandemic, with so many venues being forced to close, that it may have become near impossible for small bands to get by. Not to mention with a sharp decline in job security, some people might see that time spent writing songs is not worth their while. It’s a shame when you imagine how much great music will be lost to the world because of this.

As for Montoya, I feel somewhat strange writing about a band whose music always ends up back on my playlist year after year, but who I hardly know anything about.

It was great chatting to Hugo, who assured me that the previous band members were all still working on their own solo projects, including singer Cécilia Bonnet, the incredible voice behind their songs. Montoya’s first EP will foreseeably be their last, but one I will certainly still be listening to for a long while to come – and who knows, maybe one day this group with so much talent will crop up again under a new name with more great tunes to give the world.

Listen to Montoya’s EP ‘On The Hill’ now.

Categories
Indie/Indie Rock Pop/Indie Pop Reviews

Hidden Gems: Soul Punk – Patrick Stump

Next year marks the 10th anniversary of Patrick Stump’s first solo album ‘Soul Punk’, released during Fall Out Boy’s hiatus, this record is a favourite of mine and at the time, really showed off Stump’s talent in a way that no one had ever seen before. People knew he was a phenomenal singer, but this album showed off his skills in so many ways. Stump made a soulful, RnB, pop album, and played every instrument, wrote every song and produced every track. After being known as the singer from Fall Out Boy, here we got to see just how much talent was waiting to burst out of just one man. But despite generally positive reviews, the album didn’t do as well as it should have, and to this day is hardly known about unless you’re a pretty die hard Stump or Fall Out Boy fan. Stump commented on the record saying “When it comes to pop music, there’s this perception that all you have to do is press a button on your iPad, but I wanted to make it with love and put a lot into it. A lot of people asked, ‘Where did you get the drum sounds?’ I played them. ‘What synth plug-in was that?’ I played all the synths. ‘How’d you get that bass tone?’ It’s a bass. I really wanted to put in the effort, even if people might not notice.” to the extent of the album art as well, making a point of using real materials and not just photoshopping shapes onto the artwork. The record as a whole talks about greed and paranoia and the effects of which and how they influence each other, as well as dealing with innocence and even death. So on that cheery note, join me as I go through the hidden gem that is Patrick Stump’s Soul Punk. 

A complete U-turn from the pop punk roots of Fall Out Boy, now on hiatus, Stump sought out to make an album with a sound he wanted to make, with nothing out of bounds. Citing icons such as Michael Jackson, Prince, David Bowie and Bobby Brown as lifelong inspiration, Soul Punk delves into the thick sounds of the ’80s. After having the album finished, two version of a lead single released, and the album ready for a February release, Stump wrote ‘This City’, which made him decide to completely redo the record, releasing the equally brilliant EP ‘Truant Wave’ in it’s place and leaving the album to be released later on in the year. With this, Stump really outdid himself just with the quality of music we were yet to be teased with. We were teased with a version of ‘This City’ featuring Lupe Fiasco, a love letter to the city of Chicago, where Stump was born and raised. A catchy soulful pop song that talks about the ups and downs of your hometown, but how no matter how hard you try, “you can never take my city away”, giving off similar thematic vibes to the previously released ‘Spotlight’. Although these tracks talk about being yourself and who you are, Stump stated the album was written a lot in character rather than self retrospectives, which is rather a thankful sign when the likes of ‘The “I” in Lie’ is on the album, a song about being unfaithful to your partner, but tracked to a sugary suggestive sounding instrumental. 

‘Explode’, the albums opening track goes off with a bang unsurprisingly, an upbeat banger with Stump singing the oh so addictive hook “Clap if you’ve got a ticket to the end of the world”, a song that hints at the issues and pressure of commitment, something no doubt everyone has felt at some point, singing “If I’m never your hero I can never let you down”, metaphors about cutting the red wire to defuse a bomb. A song that definitely speaks volumes about being the lead singer of a band that just went on an indefinite hiatus. But the album is filled with wonderful moments such as ‘Run Dry (X Heart X Fingers)’, a song about drinking, with lyrics being slightly concerning talking about how you know that it’s unhealthy, drinking to forget, making mistakes and by taking “one more shot then I’m quitting forever – cross my heart, cross my fingers”. There’s some, kind of deep stuff sung over beautiful funk songs all across this album, it’s really quite something. 

The track ‘Dance Miserable’ is a really solid pop song with a filthy sounding synth-bass riff. Lyrically it’s wonderfully relevant about feeling hard done by, fed up and angry with the world, talking about the issues of climate change, unemployment, depression, government and politics. “The right side’s in the wrong – And what’s left’s just holding on – And the public has been privatised – But I believe in something here on earth” talking about the power of people, despite wanting to “Dance like you’re disappointed in the world” Later in the album we get the bittersweetly uplifting song ‘Coast (It’s Gonna Get Better)’, a brilliant song with the message of not giving up, how things get bad, but no matter how bleak things get, that things will get better. 

Track 9 on the album and we’re given the sexy hunk of a song that is ‘Allie’, a funky pop song with a powerful pop punk style riff and killer guitar solo in the later half of the song. In fact this album shows some of Stump’s brilliant guitar work that wasn’t so obvious during the earlier days of Fall Out Boy. Tracks such as previously mentioned ‘Run Dry’ and deluxe bonus track ‘Bad Side Of 25’ shows some stellar solos, something generally missing from mainstream pop songs, especially of the era, yet Soul Punk combines so many genres so fluently, nothing clashes or doesn’t work, it’s ridiculous how well put together this album is from start to finish. The song ‘Everybody Wants Somebody’ showcases some bombastic trumpets, a singalong anthem for anyone going through the motions of liking someone that doesn’t feel the same way. Altogether this album is just an hour of feel good crescendos, almost laughing at the shitty parts of life in defiance whilst you sing along to scenarios from how awful people can be to searching for animals you’re unsure whether they even exist.

‘Run Dry’ encapsulates the hidden/bonus song ‘Cryptozoology’, an interesting song thematically, exclaiming “I don’t have to prove myself to you”, begging the question of is Stump singing from the perspective of the animals whom existence is being examined? There’s a lot of metaphors spilled throughout the record, some even I haven’t figured out yet. This album is a little bit mad but it makes for a very interesting, but mainly fun listening experience. There’s just some things in life that can’t be explained all that well and are better off letting the work speak for itself and sometimes I feel that way about Soul Punk. 

I will briefly touch upon ‘Truant Wave’ as well as it’s almost the foreword to Soul Punk, it’s other half if you will. And if you like what you hear across Soul Punk then you should definitely go and check out that EP too because no doubt it’ll quench your thirst for more Stump funk. As stated earlier, before Soul Punk was completed, Stump wrote two versions of his song ‘Spotlight’, and subsequently, one version ended up on the album, with the other on the EP and both songs are brilliant but the slower pace of Truant Wave’s version of the song ‘Spotlight (Oh Nostalgia)’ just really melts you to the bone, it’s a really sincere song about how you don’t need something or someone else to prove your worth, and that “You can be your own spotlight”, a message that I think is still relevant today that far too many people don’t think about. 

The Soul Punk era may have only lasted about 2 years in it’s entirety, with Fall Out Boy starting to write music together again just a year after the release of Stump’s solo outing, and for that it’s too bad because it’s a fantastic record with a groovy sound that may have been ahead of it’s time. But in retrospect, it’s wonderful to see and listen to as a gateway to the past, and the one good thing in hindsight of it not being particularly well known is that there’s a whole album (and Extended Play) of music that people can discover and enjoy even 10 years after it’s release. 

I shall leave you with the video that started it all, the sneak preview at Stump’s solo work from 2010, that later became ‘As Long As I Know I’m Getting Paid’ from ‘Truant Wave’, which is essentially the genesis to Soul Punk, which features the original version of ‘Spotlight (Oh Nostalgia)’ mentioned above. But please make sure you check out this wonderful record that really should have seen the success of it’s emo band cousins. Top tracks here are ‘Explode’, ‘Dance Miserable’, ‘Run Dry X Heart X Fingers’, ‘Greed’, ‘Everybody Wants Somebody’, ‘Allie’ and ‘Spotlight (Oh Nostalgia)’. Soulful songs you absolutely cannot go wrong with. Get in touch and be a part of the conversation. What did you think of Soul Punk? Any hidden gems that you think we should know about? Any artists you think we’d love? Let us know. 

Categories
Indie/Indie Rock Soul/R&B Why We Love

Why We Love: Steve Lacy

Steve Lacy man, straight out of Compton and what a talent. Not only being just 22, but starting his career when he was just 15. Absolutely ridiculous. Multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, singer and producer. This man has produced music for ‘Denzel Curry’, ‘Mac Miller’, ‘J Cole’ and ‘Kendrick Lamar’. (Just to name a few), as well as being the guitarist for the band The Internet, he’s collaborated and guest appeared on tracks with ‘Kali Uchis’, ‘Vampire Weekend’, ‘Thundercat’ and ‘Tyler, The Creator’ (Again, just to name a few). He writes his own solo music and oh, he records everything on his iPhone. Yeah, I’ll give you a moment.

Lacy started young, making beats using Garageband using an iRig cable and his phone, and today is a highly respected professional producer and musician. Steve uses a technique he calls ‘The Bare Maximum’ which explains how you can create brilliant content, even with only the most basic set up. He cites ‘Thundercat’, ‘Black Moth Super Rainbow’, ‘Erykah Badu’, ‘Pharrell WIlliams’ and ‘The Neptunes’ as his major influences, and crediting ‘Mac DeMarco’ as one of his biggest influences in terms of production, all of which is evident throughout his work. He also describes his sound as ‘Plaid’ like the material due to him seeing a plaid shirt and stating it ‘looks’ like his music ‘sounds’, with there being ‘loads going on’ but ‘none of it clashes’. 

Back in 2017, Steve released his first solo work, a project referred to as a song series, ‘Steve Lacy’s Demo’, an EP compiled of songs written and produced since 2015. The year before his solo debut he released the single ‘Some’, which was an immediate hit, showcasing indie, soul and lo-fi elements. ‘Some’ showcased his work through minimalism production  and simplistic craft, but in a way that stands out and makes a big impact especially upon your initial listen, all recorded and produced on his iPhone, really showed and proved his theory of the bare maximum. Later the following year we were treated to ‘Dark Red’ which was his most notable work of his solo material. Darker sounds, tight drum loops, a groovy bassline and killer vocals. Upon the release of the EP, Lacy dropped the music video for ‘RYD / Dark Red’. 

The same year he co-wrote and produced Ravyn Lenae’s EP ‘Crush’, and with the drop of Kendrick Lamar’s Grammy winning album DAMN., the song ‘Pride’ was produced by him, where you can really hear the styles of Lacy’s work, from the swirling guitar to the programmed drums, Lacy’s presence is practically in the room with you. 

It’s with all the work Lacy has been a part of where you really get to experience his ‘Plaid’ style, and understand just how much his influences have had on him. But after releasing more music with the Internet and working with many more artists, in 2019 he dropped his first solo LP, Apollo XXI, released a day after his own 21st birthday. The album flaunts off a subtle expansion of the sounds from his earlier solo work, but with the sheer amount of songs he’s been a part of, dedicated followers will have been able to see and hear his sound develop as he integrates such revolutionary elements such as a second phone, or Ableton drum patches, all the while staying true to his plaid practice. The album received quite obviously well deserved acclaim, being nominated for a Grammy award for Best Urban Contemporary Album. 

Apollo XXI is a whirlpool of funk, RnB, indie and soul, as it talks about Lacy’s life after the release of his first EP, topics of break-ups, success, his evolving style and image of himself, as well as views on the world. The track ‘Like Me’ featuring DAISY is a notable one, split into a three part journey that explores and talks about Lacy’s sexuality, something DAISY and himself connected with during the writing and recording process. Lacy has openly announced that he is bisexual, and the struggles of coming to terms with that being raised as a Christian. All of which is evident in the song with lyrics such as “This is about me and what I am – I didn’t wanna make it a big deal – But I did wanna make a song, I’ll admit – Uh, I just wanna, just see who can relate” and “How many scared to lose their friends like me?”. Something that fans part of the LGBTQ+ community can definitely relate to. 

The single ‘Playground’ from the album shows off some real dirty funk that really makes you wanna dance, matched with a music video heavily influenced by music video’s and effects from the ’70s, all while staying modern and crisp. 

Over the last five years we’ve seen a surge in bedroom pop artists, the indie scene has never seen so much creativity and it’s a wonderful thing to see, hundreds of young musicians who would once never attempt to complete their dreams of being a creative due to the lack of resources, but Steve Lacy proves that in the ocean that is the next generation of young homemade artists, you can make beats, produce and make your own songs from absolutely nothing, you can make it big with some basic free software on your smart phone, Lacy doesn’t just make music, but he inspires so many people, to follow his footsteps and do the same, figure out their sounds, discover new artists and create. I cannot wait for the next project Lacy works on because the man has the Midas touch, there’s a thrilling part about discovering Steve because of the pure magnitude of work he’s been a part of, you discover so much more than one artist, you get the whole Argos catalogue. Do yourself a favour and start listening to the biggest record producer and musician we’ve seen in way over a decade. Get in early, experience plaid, experience Lacy and get comfortable for the ride that will be his evolution. 

Comparisons to icons such as Brian Eno, Dr Dre, Mark Ronson and Calvin Harris do get mentioned when talking about the likes of Lacy, but between you and me, I have a pretty strong feeling Steve Lacy will be a bigger household name in the years to come. We’ve only had Lacy’s prowess for five years, and he’s already done so much. The sheer thought of what’s possible in the next 5, 10 or even 20 years gives me shivers. This is somebody you do not want to sleep on. Lacy’s top tracks will be right down below, check out just a small taster of his work on the ‘This Is Steve Lacy’ playlist on Spotify, and get ready for the future.