Category: Why We Love

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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
Pop/Indie Pop Why We Love

Why We Love: Saint Etienne

Sitting and listening to Saint Etienne, you may believe you’ve just discovered an exciting 60’s French pop band, but these incredible three with their totally addictive tunes are born and bred Londoners and are still writing fantastic songs today.

Their groovy TR-909 backbeats revive a classic club culture sound from the ’60s which they merge with elements of 80’s dance music and a pinch of rock, soul and whatever they’re listening to at the time to form an extremely energizing and nostalgic mesh of character. Their upbeat tunes certainly bring light to even the gloomiest days, which is why now is a perfect time to let yourself fall deep into their phenomenal back catalogue.

In 1990, childhood friends Bob Stanley, at the time an NME music writer, and Pete Wiggs, a journalist and DJ, set about to create a band which would have no lead singer, but instead a host of guests supplying voices for their club, synthpop and dance tracks.

As children, Bob and Pete together would create mixtapes of the many artists who would later inspire their music.

They moved to Camden and recorded their debut album ‘Foxbase Alpha’ which has since become a hit record in the underground world, featuring tracks such as ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart,’ a house-tinged cover of Neil Young’s classic hit, as well as many original tracks each as great as the next.

Some tracks on the album, especially the trippy ‘Wilson,’ use voice samples in place of a vocalist, looped sentences spoken by older women and children create a slightly eerie but also trance-inducing feel.

Very soon, Sarah Cracknell, who featured as a singer on the bands hit track ‘Nothing Can Stop Us’, became a permanent member and vocalist for the band and went on to sing all of their later releases, touring with them extensively.

Since their debut album first propelled them beyond the success of many artists which Bob and Pete had written about in NME and other papers, they quit their jobs to focus on the band full time and have been extremely prolific in their output. The quality of their tunes has never seemed to falter, with years of experience in their roles as music journalists, Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs certainly know a thing or two about how to make a great song, and they keep on amazing us today.

Their recent 8th and 9th studio albums ‘Words and Music by Saint Etienne’ (2012) and ‘Home Counties’ (2017) have started to explore different and more experimental avenues, with new production techniques being implemented, the band are very much starting to play around with their sound.

In an interview on the 25th anniversary of their third studio album ‘Tiger Bay’, songwriter Pete Wiggs said: “Most Saint Etienne albums are a product of whatever we’re listening to at the time.” Commenting on their third album he said, “At the time we were listening to folk music and techno at the same time.” A method which certainly gives each album its own character.

I’ve featured a lot of their music videos in this article because although I discovered them many years ago, Saint Etienne are just one of those bands who simply do not make a bad song.

It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything from the band since their last album in 2017, over lockdown many artists have been writing and writing hard, and we’re super eager for them to spill the beans about anything new they may be working on.

On Twitter last month, the band uploaded a picture of a cassette with ‘Tiger Bay Unreleased’ written on the cover, something which has excited fans intrigued to see what may be around the corner.

It looks as if we may have to wait a while for these three to treat us to new music, but until then we may have some unreleased content to hear!

Something we were also given this year was an awesome mixtape released by the band titled ‘Songs For The Fountain Coffee Room,’ a compilation album by Sarah, Bob and Pete featuring some of their favourite tracks which they describe as “fit for a bar in mid-70;s Los Angeles.”

The mixtape is available now on CD from ACE Records.

It’s great to see them work on a project which echos the roots of founding musicians Bob and Pete, and their days of compiling mixtapes together as children long before the band. This almost seems a special hommage to their long-lasting partnership and a reflection of how far they’ve come.

Listen to Foxbase Alpha now – it’s not an instruction, it’s a demand, thank me later!

Categories
Jazz/Blues New Wave Pop/Indie Pop Punk/Rock Why We Love

Why We Love: The Avalanches

It’s rare to find a band who you can say do things truly differently, who create new tracks from chopped up old ones and who utilise comedy throughout their music, but what’s even rarer is finding a band who do that all as superb as The Avalanches – a band who come out with great tune after great tune, even some that are purely hysterical.

The Avalanches have been releasing music since the early 2000s, and their music videos online have drawn in millions of views for their sheer class and creativity.

The Australian electronic music group first became known for their highly creative use of sampling (using snippets of other records), something which was popularised in 80’s hip-hop music.

In recent years, sampling has perhaps been given a bad rep, mainly due to artists blatantly ripping off other songs and claiming it was ‘sampled’ (*cough* Drake *cough* Rizzle Kicks).

Avalanches, on the other hand, have truly brought this type of music back to what it was supposed to be, a band who truly use their brains to create new original songs out of the bits and bobs of other records.

Their debut album Since I Left You is considered by the wider music industry to be one of the best albums of the early 2000s – Robbie Chater, one of the founding members of the band, estimated in an interview with Sound On Sound magazine that the entire album contained around 3,500 samples, all of which were ripped from vinyl records using equipment at Sing Sing Studios in Melbourne.

The Avalanches are truly a band that offers something for everyone. Each of their songs seems almost worlds apart from the next, but each still retains that same playfulness we’ve come to love.

Their ever-changing lineup of multi-instrumentalists has changed frequently throughout the years and ensures their music never sounds the same.

Since the rise of YouTube, their viral music videos have seemed to play a more major role in people finding their music. Their mind-boggling video for ‘Frontier Psychiatrist,’ the band’s second-ever release, was the video that first caught my attention. Robbie Chater’s background as a film student at the time of the band’s formation may have been one of the biggest contributing factors to the creation of their now-famous videos. Since then, the band have won many film awards for their humorous, creative and at times positively bewildering concepts.

We’ve seen many bands ‘get big quick’ by releasing music videos which go viral. Today, for a lot of bands, this seems to be an attractive way to getting yourself noticed (if your video concept is good enough that is). Bands like PSY and OKGO are a prime example of artists whose music you probably wouldn’t have heard if it weren’t for their online presence.

Although The Avalanches videos are just as brilliant, they’ve proven that unlike other bands, people come for the videos but stay for the music.

Since the release of their second album in 2016, which followed a long hiatus since the band’s debut in 2001, we’ve seen them to be incredibly active this year; releasing single after single and collaborating with various artists including Denzel Curry.

The Avalanches have often relied on playing with the sounds of other artists, but this is the first time we’ve seen them extensively collaborate with established acts.

We’re very excited to see what lies in wait for this awesome band and hope that their next album lives up to their previous 18-22 track LP’s. The Avalanches music is quite simply a treat, from their lyrics to their videos, their creative, playful personas shine through in almost every aspect of the band, and we’re glad to have them back!

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. 

Categories
Indie/Indie Rock Why We Love

Why We Love: Beabadoobee

I first discovered Beabadoobee when she was a humble acoustic solo artist early last year as she opened for The 1975 for a small show. And with most opening acts, you’re not really in the mindset to listen, let alone to one girl with an acoustic guitar trying to hype up 600 people for one of the biggest indie/pop bands of the decade, but something about her really struck a chord with me. It may have been the unique use of alternate guitar tunings, giving a somewhat exotic feel to her songs, which is missing in a lot of mainstream bands and artists these days, or her beautiful vocals sprinkled superbly onto her songs. One thing that I thought was quite bold was despite being a relatively unknown artist, whilst being humble to her audience listening to her, she had banter, and attitude which really made her stand out as a support act.

After I came home that night, I went straight on Spotify to find her work and discovered her EP’s Lice and Patched Up. The latter featuring the brilliant bedroom pop ballad Dance With Me, and rocker tune If You Want To. Instantly I was hooked, simply brilliant songwriting, with clear inspiration from people like Elliot Smith and Alex G, and already with those two songs I realised just the range of her ability to write. Her lyrics are something that really resonates with people today, including myself. Being just seventeen when writing at this period of her life, the struggles of being a teen is obviously something unanimous that we all go through, the struggles with love and mental health issues such as depression, self image or even insomnia, Bea beautifully manages to encapsulate all those feelings through her music and it makes every listening experience feel so personal and intimate.

Later in 2019 she dropped another EP titled Loveworm which showed some fantastic sonic development, showcasing a more grungier sound, like the perfect progression from 2018s If You Want To. Loveworm contains the blissfully sad Disappear which even now I think is one of her best tracks. It also gave us Angel, a dark slow punk song, that’s instrumentation makes you reminisce about what life would be like if you grew up in the 90s, and if you were lucky enough to experience the music of the 90s, then Loveworm should take you right back. Loveworm isn’t all doom and gloom though, with You Lie All The Time and Apple Cider, being upbeat indie songs to dance around with your friends at the party where half your mates are on the floor spacing out from the stench of cheap beer sticking to any and everything. It’s the quintessential teen soundtrack. 

Later in 2019 STILL she treated us to the lead single from her EP Space Cadet, with She Plays Bass, and goodness me, 2 years and 4 EPs with ridiculously unique sounds, honestly, the production on Space Cadet is astounding. Every instrument pops out and you can appreciate each layer. She Plays Bass has a fantastic bass riff, a wonderfully cute message within the lyrics and is just such a glamorous indie banger. And it doesn’t stop there, the opener Are You Sure is a phenomenal way to kick off an EP with such a natural progression from the sound from her previous efforts. The wonderful ode to the likes of Pavement with the song I Wish I Was Steven Malkmus, which just gets more addictive the more you hear it. The title track is the perfect closing theme to a coming of age movie, better yet it’s actually the EPs closer so listening to it from start to finish feels like a real cinematic experience, and you might just be walking to the shops, it doesn’t matter, Beabadoobee makes you relish every moment of your life. The unsung highlight of the EP for me is Sun More Often. It feels like a song from Loveworm, but with the fantastic production of Space Cadet, the alternate guitar tuning and open chords just make you feel like you’re in a saucepan with heroes such as Pavement, Mac DeMarco and Ariel Pink. It was around this time Bea announced her live performance lineup, and how her music would be more like a band than solo artist, both sonically and creatively, to which I will now dub as, Beabadoobee: The Band. Which by the way, are all fantastically talented musicians who you should check out as well. 

Since her EP’s, after waiting long enough, we have been granted with the most wonderful news of Beabadoobee’s debut album Fake It Flowers, due out October 16th, as well as being treated to singles during the lead up to the album. It all went off with the first single Care, initially teased on her instagram in August of last year, devoted fans finally got the chance to hear the song in full and with all its glory. The near perfected sound of Space Cadet has been finished and the production of Care is delicious. The melody being crazily catchy, and the guitars making you involuntarily want to head bang. It’s crazy hearing how her sound has evolved from the days of her earlier work such as Lice and Patched Up but it’s fantastic to see young artists be able to develop their styles the same way that we consume art, by jumping onto something new as soon as something ends, whether that’s intentional or not. Beabadoobee is a very modern artist, but knows exactly how to pay homage to her heavy influences. With the likes of the next singles Sorry and Worth It, we really get to wrap our head around the sounds we’re to expect when the new album drops next month, and I cannot wait.

It’s wonderful to see a young, non-male, non-white artist get recognition and thrive within the music community, keeping things fresh but having a distinct sound that gets you nostalgic for someone you may not have even known about for very long. Beabadoobee is helping to revive the sounds of the 90s to a brand new audience and it’s brilliant because the sounds of the 90s rarely get a modern look in, due to the height of the demand for 80s new wave, pop and rock soundscapes. People know about Oasis and Nirvana, but delving into the deeper sounds of the 90s, bands such as Pearl Jam, The Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden, Porno For Pyros, Sonic Youth and Pavement that ultimately become the hidden gems to young music consumers that really should be household names and instantly recognisable sounds and brilliantly, Beabadoobee is making that happen. People are finding a new found love for this modern grunge sound, and so people inevitably want more and actively go out to listen to their new favourite artists influences.

The combination of that oh so angsty grunge sound is deeply complimented by longtime friends and collaborators Bedroom, who pair the evocative instrumentations with retro filmmaking, shooting their videos on film with Super 8 and Bolex 16mm cameras, and also utilising a lot of homemade props and sets, a lot of hand drawn elements that feel like they could have been made in, well a bedroom. The entire atmosphere of Beabadoobee’s world is so unequivocally raw and vibrant, the performances, the music and the videos, there is no stone unturned with her, and it’s pretty awesome to see.

If you’re in the UK you can see Beabadoobee on tour next year, or catch her at Reading and Leeds festival 2021. The bottom line here is that Beabadoobee is here to stay, and is here to get big. It’s pointless to not delve into her music because you’ll be in for the ride regardless, just you wait. Prepare to listen to 4 insane EP’s, witness a lot of hair colours, and experience album #1 as it unfolds. We can’t wait to see just how much Bea will grow in the coming years with the release of Fake It Flowers, and can’t wait to rock with her for many years to come.

Top tracks (so far) are Coffee, If You Want To, Disappear, Apple Cider, She Plays Bass, I Wish I Was Stephen Malkmus, Care and Worth It. Catch her on Spotify, Apple Music, and Instagram (@radvxz), because you will not be disappointed.

Categories
Jazz/Blues Soul/R&B Why We Love

Why We Love: Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears

James Brown has been reborn – Black Joe Lewis is quite possibly a music legend out of his time. It’s been a long 16 years from his days as a seafood delivery man and pawnshop employee to the now multi-album success he is today, and that journey hasn’t been easy. In March this year, Lewis and his band ‘The Honeybears’ hit back with their single ‘Five Dollars’ after a 2-year break since their last studio album, The Difference Between Me & You. They bring back with them their immense soul sound and Lewis’ phenomenal voice. It’s made us incredibly excited to hear what other music could be in the works.

Sometimes I find myself listening to a Spotify playlist sent to me, enjoying all the songs that come up one by one, and then a song comes on which just hits differently. A Soul classic which has escaped my radar? No, a song released only this year – Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears.

Their music layers Lewis’ evocative lyrics over fantastic guitar riffs and striking horns which are reminiscent of Charles Bradley’s Menahan Street Band. You wouldn’t be able to tell if these records were recorded today or decades ago, the inspiration of classic artists like James Brown and Howlin’ Wolf are so heavily embedded that the classic sound of old soul records is weaved throughout.

Joe Lewis first picked up a guitar whilst working in a pawn shop in Austin Texas in the early 2000s. After discovering classic blues records and teaching himself to play, he spent years performing at open mic nights, small venues and bars, never making much of a name for himself. It wasn’t until the release of his debut EP Black Joe Lewis and The Cold Breeze, that he had a hit with the truly incredible ‘Bitch, I love you,’ and thereafter, everyone seemed to know who Black Joe Lewis was.

In subsequent years, Lewis toured alongside the band Spoon, the drummer of which, Jim Eno, then produced Lewis’ debut album ‘Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is!’ which quickly alerted the rest of the music industry to his presence.

This peak of success was shortlived however, things soon began to decline for Lewis. A combination of band and management conflicts resulted in a drop in album sales, the loss of festival bookings and a collapse in the band’s name and popularity.

It wasn’t long before Lewis found himself back where he started, having recently released their 2018 album The Difference Between Me & You, it was met with almost no attention, sales or interest.

Along with this, Lewis’s costly recent divorce, his newborn child and an outstanding debt of $50,000 in management fees, Lewis nearly saw an end for his music career. He debated giving up and finding a ‘real job’ in order to pay for all this and to take responsibility for his child.

But as so many of his musical inspirations have found, in hard times, music was the only light at the end of the tunnel and the only way forward.

Now under new management, Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears are making a powerful comeback with their smashing new single ‘Five Dollars.’ Bringing back with them their fantastic guitar and horn-driven sound to a track which has seemingly reignited their careers and caused a rush of discovery for their recent album which almost went unnoticed, giving it the attention it was denied at the time of its release. Once again, Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears have got our attention, and this time I don’t expect they’ll let that slip away once more.

As soul and blues music once made its way across the Atlantic and ignited a fire across the world, Black Joe Lewis has been inspiring the second revolution of blues, soul and rock and roll.

This is great music, dancing music, and above all, music that makes you feel good, something the world desperately needs right now.

There isn’t a single song of theirs I can say I dislike. Listening to them is like jumping in a time machine and travelling back to the golden age of Funk and Soul, something I wasn’t around to experience but can now fully appreciate. Unlike those past music legends, Black Joe Lewis is still very much a living, breathing man who I’m excited to go and see live once I have the chance to. To all those Soul, Blues and Rock and Roll fans who think music isn’t what it used to be, take a listen to Black Joe Lewis and transport yourself.

Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybear’s new single ‘Five Dollars’ is available to listen to now, and if the incredible story of his past few years hasn’t inspired you, the feeling in his music will.

Categories
Indie/Indie Rock Pop/Indie Pop Why We Love

Why We Love: Inhaler

Just when you thought Dublin couldn’t possibly produce any more incredible bands, you suddenly discover the music of Inhaler. This four-piece rock band, fronted by son of U2’s Bono, have a more unusual beginning than most. They met and first began playing together in 2012 while still at school in Ireland. Their first ever gig together was the school’s talent contest, where they performed a cover of Nirvana’s ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit.’

In 2015, they became Inhaler after being given the nickname by their school friends due to lead singer Elijah Hewson’s struggles with Asthma. Three years later, the band released their debut single ‘I Want You’ and the boys quickly gained popularity, becoming known for their dirty bass lines, heavy rhythms and psychedelic melodies which are highly reminiscent of early 2000s bands like The Killers. Despite this relation in sound, the boys dress sense and album artwork actually bare a strong resemblance to an early version of The Smiths.

Hailing from a regular Irish college rather than one that specialises in music, the band have said their ‘weird’ style and music taste was ‘poles apart’ from their fellow peers, which naturally meant the boys had to stick together.

After recording a demo of their single ‘Ice Cream Sundae,’ they quickly gained the attention of none other than Antony Genn, producer and former member of Pulp, who nurtured the band, giving them the studio space they needed and forcing them to practice harder. This school talent show band soon began playing sold-out venues in and around Dublin, and after releasing six more singles, have become the fully-fledged band-on-tour they are today.

Inspired by their parents vinyl collections, which included bands such as The Stone Roses, Depeche Mode and New Order, they’ve managed to produce a sound of their very own including the best bits of all these inspirations. They possess a psychedelic structure similar to Interpol, a drop of New Order’s synthesizer experimentation and a splash of Sonic Youth’s kick.

Robert Keating (Bass), Ryan McMahon (Drums), Josh Jenkinson (Guitar) and Elijah Hewson (Vocals) together have gained industry-wide attention, being featured in The NME 100 and finishing 5th in The BBC’s Sound of 2020 vote, incredible achievements for such a young band.

As the son on music legend and U2 frontman Bono, lead singer Elijah Hewson has clearly learnt from the best. For the sons and daughters of established musicians, there always comes a certain amount of pressure, but it seems Elijah and his band have managed to pioneer something new and blow those expectations out the water.

Inhaler have now gigged with the likes of Noel Gallagher on their first American tour. They began this year with the release of their single ‘We Have To Move On’ a song I haven’t stopped listening to since it’s release. Later, they released the double-sided single ‘Falling In’ in the build-up to the launch of their debut album which is yet to be announced. The band released this awesome video filmed during isolation of 2020, a time where they should have been gigging:

This is a band we can’t stop listening to, a true must-have on the playlists of fans of The Killers, The Smiths, Oasis, Pulp or any of the other bands mentioned above.

We look forward to the release of their album, but until then, indulge yourself in one of their fantastic singles.

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

Why We Love: Maya Delilah

It’s so rare to find a proper up and coming artist to really dig into, but god am I glad I found Maya Delilah. For fans of Sycco, Her’s, Gus Dapperton, Clairo and The 1975; Delilah is someone you absolutely must get familiar with. Her debut EP Oh Boy was released at the start of July, a smooth, lofi, chill pop EP that just makes you wanna bathe in the sun and forget about your troubles, and experience the inner thoughts of Maya’s wonderfully playful world. 6 tracks of pure majesty, with phenomenal production, elements that sound inspired by Tame Impala, crossed with John Mayer adding the soundscape of Her’s baked into the musical pie that is Delilah’s Oh Boy. And the even better news? She’s already been teasing snippets from her second EP, yet to be officially announced, but damn does her new material sound just as slick as the songs on Oh Boy and I am genuinely ecstatic for it.

The fabulous video for her song I’m Just Stupid was shot from home during quarantine, and to help make the video, she asked fans to send in drawings to feature in the video, and as you can see, she got a LOT of drawings, which is a wonderful thing for an artist to do to engage with their audience, and something I sincerely hope she doesn’t grow distant from as time goes on.

Maya’s silky voice serenades you throughout the EP, taking you on a journey that just takes your breath away, which is ironic when you consider the title of the closing track, Breathe Easy. Delilah manages to blend such familiar sounds in such unique ways that make it feel like such a fresh sonic experience in the abundance of soundcloud and bandcamp chill hop artists looking for homes within your music libraries, Maya defies this, spreading a bubbly narrative of her life. Her songwriting ability is absolutely killer too, catchy hooks and riffs that just cut right through the mix, melodies that you just cannot get out of your head, it’s infectious. Not to mention the fact that she’s a ridiculously talented guitarist, with the comparison to John Mayer mentioned by fans on multiple occasions. I mean just listen to the solos in I’m Just Stupid and Breathe Easy and try to deny it. You can’t. It may be bold to say, but it’s true and that’s the tea sis. She even managed to write and release Safe, a quarantine inspired track back in March, so power to you.

She was featured on an artist spotlight for Marshall and it’s there where you really get a vibe for who Maya is, and you really start to see from the music she grew up with and how it’s moulded her style. It’s brilliant to see young musicians buzz with genuine creativity, who really know their stuff, appreciate the cultures and genres they’ve been introduced to, and be able to experience the glee that is their talent, not in uptight way, but to really see them have freedom and crucially, fun and enjoyment in their own music, all the while staying humble. Honestly it’s crazily inspiring.  She also delves into how she started writing, and like we’ve seen with the likes of Georgia, shows how these days you don’t need to know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy to get signed and get your music out there. You can carefully craft your art at home, or as simply as singing and soloing over looped chords from a Boss Loop Station, you can build a following through apps like Instagram and TikTok. You can use your art and your passion and make a career out of it, and it’s wonderful to see.

She’s also been doing a fantastic job at inspiring young girls to pick up a guitar and get into music, utterly proving that girls can rock a guitar just as well as the boys thank you very much. Give Maya a guitar and a looper pedal and she could inspire anyone for hours, there’s just something so present about the way she writes, plays and sings her songs that can’t really be described. Whether it’s the relatable lyrics from waking up wondering where your cat is, to ignoring what others think about your relationship because you know it’s right.

Delilah is an absolute delight, and you’re a fool to not listen to her music and keep tabs on when more is due to arrive to melt our ears. You can follow her on Spotify, Instagram and even TikTok (@mayadelilahh) where you may even get a sneak preview of upcoming songs such as Moonflower.

Maya Delilah leaves you wanting more, and gives you this floaty optimistic feeling. Someone who really knows and has perfected their craft already at such a young age, the future for Delilah is going to blow up and we can’t wait. A hidden gen Z gem that you’re sure to revel in.

Top tracks are I’m Just Stupid, Tangerine Dream, Gato, URU, Breathe Easy and Safe. 

If you’re not listening to Maya Delilah, then Oh Boy… are you missing out. I leave you with the music video for her EP’s closer, Breathe Easy and just see for yourself. An upcoming artist that is not to be reckoned with.

Categories
New Wave Pop/Indie Pop Why We Love

Why We Love: Georgia

Georgia is a producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who is lighting a fire under the feet of Electro-Pop fans in the UK. Her self-titled debut album, released in 2015, was recorded and produced single-handedly at her home studio in north-west London. After years of silence perfecting her sound and a nomination for a mercury prize under her belt since then, Georgia hits back with her brand new album ‘Seeking Thrills’ and has quickly gained recognition as one of the UK’s most exciting up and coming new talents.

Georgia’s music is exhilarating and energetic. Her sound combines the best of modern technology with classic synthesisers used on some of the most legendary 80’s records from Depeche Mode to Yazoo. Her rich, catchy melodies twist through Electro-Pop and House groves creating something irresistible to stomp along to. Both her albums are a true homage to the 80’s club scene. In many ways, Georgia’s sound feels almost a blend of the very best parts of older bands such as New Order and modern artists like MIA. This unique amalgamation has quickly earnt Georgia great attention from the UK music industry.

Growing up as the daughter of Leftfield co-founder, Neil Barnes, it’s clear that many of the inspirations of her father have influenced her own music. But make no mistake, Georgia has been pioneering her own fresh ideas independent from her fathers legacy.

Georgia studied music at The BRIT School where she developed herself as a drummer. I remember first hearing about Georgia while I myself was a student at BRIT. So I suppose I was given a very unique insight into the excitement she created at the school when she first hit the scene. After her single ‘Started Out’ was released, word spread through the school, and indeed around the rest of the industry, like wildfire. A proud moment for her peers, and by the time I had left, her picture was hung proudly inside the school.

I had the pleasure of meeting Georgia at BBC Introducing Live last year where she spoke in great detail to a room of young musicians about her process of writing and recording. It was an incredibly enlightening talk that she gave, and she showed these young creators that they no longer need to be able to hire a studio or sound engineers if they want to create music. I could see the confidence she installed in the eyes of the audience and she seemed to genuinely care about hearing the stories of young artists.

My favourite part about her talk at BBC Introducing was hearing her nerd out about her collection of classic synths. I especially love artists who know their stuff, and it’s that knowledge which has allowed her to create her special sound.

I think the biggest thing that Georgia and her music represent is the shift in the music industry over the last 20 years – no longer do you even need to leave the house to have a hit record, but don’t let it be said that it’s any easier. The thing that sets Georgia apart from DJ’s or other producers is her knowledge of classic production techniques and her talents for mixing songs as well as playing and singing, not to mention her incredible ability for lyric writing, which she says finds most difficult but takes inspiration from her idol Kate Bush.

I also need to mention her incredible on-stage performance. This is definitely what intrigued me about her – and whoever said a female drummer couldn’t perform live on Jools Holland AND sing AND look totally cool doing it?

At least through what I’ve seen, Georgia has been so incredibly inspirational to a lot of young musical, especially female talent, and shows that a young woman from London can accomplish so much without the need of assistance – Georgia is an artist who deserves our attention.

Her new album ‘Seeking Thrills’ is available to listen to right now.

Categories
Pop/Indie Pop Why We Love

Why We Love: Sigrid

Norweigan pop star Sigrid has been hitting the airwaves since 2017 with her debut single Don’t Kill My Vibe, but has been making noise in and around her hometown of Ålesund since she was 16. Since her EP’s ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’ and ‘Raw’ as well as her 2019 debut album ‘Sucker Punch’, she’s been building up to be one of the most iconic and talented young artists we’ve seen in a long time, being crowned BBC Music’s Sound of 2018.

 

In a pop world dominated by men, manufactured stars, overproduced inhumanity and sadboy folk cheeseballs, Sigrid is a breath of fresh air. Firstly she’s incredibly natural, from the way she dresses showing she’s a person just like you and I, the way she’s not oversaturated in makeup and product to make her look as perfect as ‘humanly’ possible, to the way she moves and dances around the stage to her own music like anyone in their bedroom would to their favourite band. Secondly, the amount of talent that resides within this one woman is insane, not only does she know how to write a tune, she actually writes her own tunes, spending time writing songs on her piano, and transforming them into synth pop anthems in the studio. 

She’s given us songs like Strangers which in the charts reached the top 10 the week it was released, and Don’t Feel Like Crying, which turns a sad breakup song into a banger that makes you wanna dance with the biggest grin you can produce. Her vibe is infectious and her talent is undeniable. After hearing a few of her singles, her performance of Strangers on Later… with Jools Holland was what grabbed my attention and made me fully start to appreciate her as a pop musician. Her confidence and the way she absolutely owned the stage despite being fairly unknown at the time, her vocal performance which was completely on point, a voice that has incredible range, tone and even some raspiness when she wants to really shout, and her live music. Oh her live performances, not just some woman singing with a backing track, but with a full live band, which actually expands the sounds on her album, with electric guitars, vibrant synths, acoustic drums and her wonderful backing singer Kristina Skyberg who compliments Sigrid’s voice breathtakingly. Sigrid live is someone who deeply cares for the sound and ingenuity and it shows, her live band bringing her songs to life in a way that no upcoming pop star has done for years. 

Quickly Sigrid became my favourite artist of 2019, and one of my favourite artists of all time. She’s someone who cares, cares for her art, her audience and works hard to make sure every aspect of it is fantastic. Here’s to a bigger and brighter future of Sigrid’s music. You can see her at the Reading and Leeds festival 2021 next year, but if you ever see gig tickets going for a Sigrid show near you, I implore you to just go, you won’t be disappointed.