indie tracks
EP Review: Spirit of Play – Apocalypse EP
Smart, literate and good natured, Spirit of Play’s new EP is shot-through with the book-smarts and approachability you might expect from a four piece band consisting of employees of the Times Literary Supplement. While you’d be right in not expecting visceral rock and roll thrills from such a self-confessed geeky group, the uncharacteristically aggressive Apocalypse …
See: CRITICS – Key Lime Pie
Dirt-pop trio Critics have just released the follow-up single to their debut ‘All I Wanna Know’, bringing a fresh perspective to their tunes with new track ‘Key Lime Pie’. The track takes an optimistic turn on its predecessor, exchanging those darker tones for funky vibes in preparation for summer heatwaves and that cool festival atmosphere. The new …
EP: Joe Brown – Lemonade
Some music you don’t skip past: some music, one small drop in a vast ocean of sound, can take you away for a moment when you simply listen to it, uninterrupted and completely immersed. You don’t often get music with that quality, but Joe Brown’s EP Lemonade, in three tracks, managed to achieve it. The …
Track: The Last Dinosaur – All My Faith
Hewn from the emotional turmoil of personal tragedy and challenge, The Last Dinosaur (aka London-based soundscape artist Jamie Cameron) releases new album “The Nothing” on 7th July via Naim Records. It’s been 8 years since debut release “Hooray! For Happiness” and a triumphant return. The first single from the new album is the beautiful, gentle …
Track: The Van T’s – Fresh Meat
The Van T’s serve us epic guitar soundscapes and huge harmonies with new single ‘Fresh Meat’. 2016 was a huge year for The Van T’s – they released earworm after earworm that embedded themselves in the minds, and hearts, of listeners everywhere. Their stupendous ‘Coming Of Age’ EP and riotous ‘Fun Garçon’ single were accompanied …
Track: Baywaves – Gliss
Gliss, the new single from Madrid quartet Baywaves, is a follow up to last years debut EP Only For Uz, which saw the band garner support from the UK and beyond, not least here on Backseat Mafia. The band recorded the song during their last tour, which saw them play at Primavera, Benicassim, End Of …
Track: Sorry Escalator – Generation Winter / Street Corner Absurdity
Out now on Imagination Engine Records, the Leeds label specialising in limited Cassette releases, comes a two track EP from Middlesbrough quartet Sorry Escalator. Opener Generation Winter is this brooding, almost menacing slice of alt rock. Built on this edgy post punk verse, it flowers into something more straightforward and melodic as it hits the …
Track: Girl Ray – Don’t Go Back At Ten, plus UK tour news
Girl Ray announce their eagerly awaited debut headline tour and share an ode to friendship with new track ‘Don’t Go Back At Ten’. The North London trio – comprising Poppy Hankin (guitar/vocals), Iris McConnell (drums) and Sophie Moss (bass) – recently announced details of their highly anticipated debut album ‘Earl Grey’ (out 4 August via …
Track: Nadine Shah – Yes Men
Taken from her upcoming third album, Holiday Destination, out via 1965 Records on August 25th, Yes Men is the new single from Nadine Shah. Whereas her previous (and lets not forget, brilliant) second album Fast Food examined those closest to her, and relationships in general, Holiday Destinations widens her scope as she attacks the political …
Track: Serol Serol – Cadeyni
Out today on IKACHING records, is the debut single from North Wales ‘space pop’ band (the inverted commas come courtesy of the very brief press release, so I’m using them) Serol Serol. Called Cadwyni, which, according to my rudimentary research (that will clearly be proved to be embarrassingly wrong, but hey, I gave it a …