While we wait with bated breath for Jessica Luise’s debut EP, Going in Blind, to release on July 9th, the stunning songstress has given us some ear candy to play with until then. A light, 90’s rock-inspired track, “a.m.” begins at the same clip that will carry it through the entirety of its 3 minutes and 28 seconds of existence.
While reverb plays along through the chorus, you find yourself daydreaming about your next road trip or adventure into the unknown. Her mellifluous vocals pay homage to flings, bringing in a bittersweet string of lyrics to consume from the inside out. A welcome treat for our ears, this track makes it more enticing than ever to venture out into the world (for the first time in what feels like forever).
Says Jessica of the upcoming EP:
To think that I would be the proud creator of a piece of work like this after being in this industry for such a short time baffles me. ‘Going In Blind’ comes from how I was blind to the red flags in relationships I’ve encountered over the years, and a bit of a comment on how when I first started in music I knew nothing. I am still learning, but maybe I’m not as much of a newborn in this industry as I was a year ago.
This week has been mighty hectic on our end. While retrograde season is still upon us we’re pretty sure you’re feeling it a bit too. Luckily, we’ve got your first listen to the beautiful, wandering new track from Grey Fields. The Chicago-based trio – composed of Alex Dzamtovski (vocals/guitar/keys), Adam Repp (bass/vocals), and John Polischuk (drums) – has created quite a bit of magic with this one. Titled “Weather the Storm,” it creates a sense of support and calm, the instrumentals ebbing and flowing like ocean waves enveloping you.
Explains the band: “‘Weather The Storm’ is a song comprised of three sections that flirts with ideas such as the hero’s journey, The Myth of Sisyphus and most importantly fortitude in the face of struggle.”
Check out the exclusive premiere below. Then give the band some love over on good ol’ Facebook.
A slow, organic build. Percussion that speaks directly to the heart and soul while light-as-a-feather vocals dance lightly along the soundscape. This is how we find ourselves introduced to the intricate selection of tracks on Brady Grey‘s new full length. The ten-track compilation – titled Three Crows – is somewhat of an adventure, made up of beautiful, easy listening tracks.
Expands Grey on the project: “It’s told from the perspective of being in a relationship that ends up being more complex than I thought it was going to be. Being a husband, a lover, and sometimes a caregiver, which is just different than what you expected.”
Perfect for an outdoor adventure or beautiful night on the patio surrounded by glistening lights, we have your first listen to the independent release in its entirety in advance of its Friday release.
Funk rock outfit Slam Band & Sam is revving up to release their latest single “Don’t Know Why” this Friday. Through a web of well-produced instrumentals and harmonizing brass, lead singer Adam Vasko’s raspy vocals explore desire in a whole new light. While Vasko and his cohorts can certainly provide quite the ambiance for a night of dancing, you must want to participate. Your emotions and your wants are paramount in how the evening goes, and no one else can provide you with what you want the way you can.
So relax, perhaps loosen up a little bit, and get your exclusive first listen to the track right now!
PRIDE is such a fabulous time of the year. But, honestly, we’re trying to push the feeling and the amazing people behind it every day of the year. Today, the genre-bending GIULIA. releases her new track “Baby D*ke,” written about the outpouring of love and the welcoming feelings she had when embraced by the LGBTQ+ community for who she is. Expands the artist:
It recognizes that – hey, you’re new to this, you’re a ‘baby’ in our eyes, but we’re happy to have you. So yes, I’m just a baby dyke, and I may be self-conscious and unsure of how to navigate this, but at least I’m here, and I can finally say that much, which is better than saying nothing at all.
With light-as-a-feather vocals, she puts your head in a space that makes you feel like anything is possible, while simultaneously making you want to dance. Lines like “we’re so afraid to be forgotten” hit hard emotionally, especially after the pandemic. It’s heart-wrenching and also incredibly beautiful. And all delivered with Giulia.’s impossibly positive energy.
Sometimes fate finds us crossing paths with someone who will ultimately become our partner. Partner in love, partner in business, partner in creative endeavors… We see this fateful crossing within the music of Gawain and the Green Knight, a folk duo that is comprised of one of the most artistic engaged couples we have encountered. As Brooklyn-based Alexia Antoniou and Mike O’Malley rev up to release their forthcoming EP A Sleeping Place, the release of their new track “Fingers” gives us insight into what’s to come.
Expands Alexia:
This is one of the only songs I’ve ever written just about myself. Usually, when writing songs, I’m a little shyer. I take an emotion I’m feeling but give it to someone else to sing, so to speak- a frustrated medieval woodworker’s apprentice, a jealous French king, a determined 19th-century dressmaker.
But I was on an airplane with Mike a few years back. We hadn’t been able to get seats together. I had been reading Madeline Miller’s Song of Achilles and finished it mid-flight and was just completely emotionally devastated. I wasn’t just teary-eyed, I was outright weeping- so much so that the woman next to me took one look at me and started turning up the volume on her little headrest tv. I managed to make meaningful eye contact with Mike across the aisle, and with a few gestures of the head, he agreed to meet me near the airplane toilets so I could cry some more on him. “Fingers” was inspired by that whispered conversation that came out of reading Song of Achilles. It’s a love song for my bandmate and fiancé, simple as that.
One of the first things of note – aside from the inescapably beautiful melody – is how the lyrics and instrumentation rely just as heavily on the space between the notes. We are absolutely enthralled with an artist that knows how to utilize the space between the notes as well, inspired of course by Debussy’s famous quote. (“Music is the space between the notes.”) Mike further affirmed our goosebumps by talking about just that:
As for arrangements, I picture so much of this song occurring in the void of space? Or some equally airless oblivion. So sparseness and reverb seemed the order of things – a little Rhodes piano here, a little bowed bass there. I wanted to ride the line of all-the-way-in-love and all-the-way-scared. And I wanted Alexia to sound like she was alone in the dark with a torch.
If you’ve ever experienced love at any capacity, this song is for you. Short and sweet, it is a testament to simple acts of support leading to a lifetime of love.
On May 14th, folk/Americana artist Bradley Scott Malone will release his latest single, an absolutely enchanting audible ride called “California.” The artist’s eastern location is reflected in his soulful yet rough vocals that balance the rhythmic composition of the instrumentals. Such a fantastical collection of sounds.
“I want honesty and sincerity to come through in my music. These songs are reflections of my travels,” admits Malone. And, quite honestly, this is the best way to describe this track. Occurring at a clip befitting an expansive road trip, the song wreaks of summertime adventure. And we’re ready to dive in.
The outside world is getting more vivid, as more people get vaccinated and the days get longer, summer quickly approaching. Take this time to get outside, get grounded, and love on yourself a little bit. But in the in-between, feel free to play our May soundtrack in the background of whateverthehell you’re spending your time on and with these days. We promise you’ll find some gems to add to your personal collection, and there might be some fun ones built-in for your next vacation playlist! 🙂
One of our favorite singer/songwriter extraordinaires – alt-folk artist EVVAN – has released a dreamy new 5-track EP, Home, and we’re certain it warrants a listen from music lovers of all genres. Never have we felt so much attitude without a hard blues influence in a folk track as we did with the initial track “Wolf.” (Wolf tracks are our favorite though. ;))
Second track “I’m Not Done Yet” is delivered with the fervor you expect from someone who is fully prepared for the next chapter of their lives. “So many times in my life I’ve heard the exact phrases I wrote in the song from friends who’ve experienced the same, from people who I thought were friends and didn’t accept me, from absolute strangers on the street who noticed I was different,” says EVVAN. “It is exhausting, and while there are times I feel beaten down and without hope, I remember this is who I am, and I should be proud of that.”
A track born from the emotions around wanting to come out, Evvan carries intense emotion with each word delivered, creating a beautiful ballad that feels like a torch held by and for all of those who feel other at times. If nothing else, this track is a testament to the artful soul of its creator.
“Hurricane” comes at a more steady clip, as EVVAN details a tumultuous relationship situation. “Falling Over You” speaks to a similar relationship, as the thoughts early in a relationship take over and confuse the hell out of our protagonist. Undoubtedly, this is a highly relatable track for the listeners. It’s also got a beautiful cadence that is absolutely captivating.
The title track rounds out this new release, more simplistic instrumentally than its predecessors, just as impactful. It really is the most freeing way to end the collection. If you have the opportunity, we highly suggest listening to the work in its entirety – as a full and honest adventure – below.
