video
SEE: Yves Jarvis – ‘For Props’: a soulful, acoustic maverick
THERE’S something in the Canadian water at the moment: something that seems to promote one-man artisans, off crafting a chiming and exploratory pop, one in which they fuse elements as instinct tells them, searching, finding new colours and textures. Toronto’s Sing Leaf is off fashioning this synthy-psych-folk odysseys such as “Sunshine” (and his September album, …
SEE: Bearcraft – ‘Outside In The Morning Snow’: Modish synthwave burrowing into your dreams
A two-finger synth melody is picked out, melodically precise, in that way Depeche Mode wrought so many classic hooks from as they shifted through Construction Time Again and Some Great Reward, striding out of the pure pop of the Vince Clarke era and heading for the proto-goth sampling of Black Celebration. It’s a pop melody …
See: Moscow Apartment release gorgeous video for ‘Halfway’
Moscow Apartment‘s EP ‘Better Daughter’ (recently reviewed by Backseat Mafia) is packed with brilliant melodies, and the single ‘Halfway’ epitomises what makes this Toronto duo so special. Yearning vocals and a simple but catchy riff that are spine tingling and fresh. Moscow Apartment have just released a video to accompany this song about the bonds …
SEE: Slow Pulp – ‘Idaho’: graceful and languid guitar pop
I MEAN, as if the depredations of the coronavirus weren’t enough; try having the year that Emily Massey, singer-guitarist of Wisconsin-formed, Chicago-based, languid guitar venturers Slow Pulp has just lived through. Off the back of their Big Day EP – their fifth release, but their first venture into the physical format, they began work on …
NEWS: The Lathums announce 2021 UK tour, see their latest single
ISLAND’S heart-on-the-sleeve Wigan indiepopsters The Lathums have announced a string of shows for April and May next year, taking in their biggest venues to date – including the historic Manchester Ritz. Tickets for the 13-date British run of dates go on sale at 10am this Friday, July 31st. The full list of dates for the tour are …
NEWS: Doves announce UK dates for 2021, reveal Comet is Coming remix
MUCH-loved Mancunian trio Doves have announced a UK tour for 2021. Jimi and the boys will include a homecoming at Manchester’s O2 Apollo, Brixton Academy and Glasgow Barrowlands visits among the 13 dates, set for next March and April. Tickets will go on sale at 10am this Friday, July 31st. . The band has also unveiled …
SEE: Becky and the Birds – ‘Paris’: awesome Swedish future soul
LEAVING aside the Anglophone countries, there’s a cast-iron case that no other country has engaged with the world of post-1955 popular music quite like Sweden. There’s that acronymical band, two As, two Bs; you’ve probably heard the odd tune by them. But look past them at Avicii, Lykke Li, First Aid Kit, The Cardigans, The …
SEE: Sofie – ‘Georgia Waves’: elegant piano songsmithery
VIENNA’S Sofie Fatourechi has moved from behind the scenes at California’s ice-cool Stone’s Throw imprint to hog a little of the spotlight, with a very finely crafted album of sophisticated, wholly European pop, Cult Survivor, released in June. We reviewed it here, found much to love in the autobiographical, nuanced songcraft; we said of it: …
SEE: Jerry Joseph – ‘Sugar Smacks’: tellin’ it like it is with The Drive-By Truckers
JERRY JOSEPH is a singer who’s been there, got the tee-shirt; hell, got the entire arm-sleeve tattoo. He made his first steps into music after living a little on the wild side as a kid growing up in San Diego and, in order to quell his waywardness, his folks sent him to boarding school in …
SEE: Winter Gardens – ‘Tapestry’: dark, velvet dreampop
THE song hums in quietly on the faintest guitar shimmer. One deep keyboard chord lends heft and depth. And then vocalist Ananda appears, a ghostly image, made more eerie yet by mime make-up: she’s some shade here to sing, bringing forth a tale. Her voice is beguiling, breathy. And so we’re into the ethereal world …