If you’ve been looking for an aesthetic that is vibrant, intricate, and akin to some of the video games you’ve been besting your PR at all pandemic long, then the EELS’ latest video for “The Magic” might just be your cup of tea. While we’re particularly fond of the music itself – with its mass, danceable appeal, and borderline-eery instrumentals – the adventurous layer that the music video adds to the concept is really quite intriguing.
While we’re quite aware that the magic we’re experiencing is CGI-based, it’s interesting to see how much detail went into the 3 minutes and 19 seconds of visual beauty that is presented.
If this is any indication, the EELS have something quite enigmatic up their sleeves for the new year. And I’ll ride that submarine anytime.
Emerging as a solo artist after her time as the frontwoman of surf-pop band High Wasted, Jessica Louise Dye returns with a new side to her musical persona under the moniker Hello Lightfoot. Taking cues from her experience DJ’ing at clubs and throwing chaotic themed parties, her solo work takes listeners into a more intimate look at herself while keeping a gritty and high octane indie-pop sound. Hello Lightfoot’s sophomore single “shame” is no different, serving as an anthem for personal release.
Backed by a punchy synth-pop instrumental, the track rebels against trauma with an emphatic drive to take back control of one’s own emotions. The beat and vocal melodies in this song does a great job of sonically painting a turbulent journey out of a storm- psychologically speaking, as if Hello Lightfoot and the listener fights through their demons with a sense of optimism and relentlessness. Whereas other songs on similar subjects captures a feeling of suffering, “Shame” feels like a middle finger to your inner self’s spiritual attacker, daring it to try hitting again. On the single’s message, Jessica explains:
The concept of feeling shame is one I can relate to and is distinctly tied to feeling embarrassed or even just shy in social situations. It’s something I’ve worked on a lot. I consider myself an extrovert with introvert tendencies. The line “muzzle be damned” is a reference to silencing your own opinions around others as a means to be more amicable. It’s very easy to lose yourself if you’re catering to the likes and dislikes of others. Being a nice guy can be a curse sometimes.
“Shame” is out on all platforms and stay tuned for Hello Lightfoot’s upcoming project.
Toronto-based R&B artist Dylan Sinclair returns with new music to provide much needed warmth to listeners with sentimentality towards past and current lovers over the incoming winter season. Fresh off the release of his JUNO award-nominated debut album Proverb and subsequent release 3511, the 20-year singer-songwriter has seen his career soar with features on tracks such as “Hindsight” by Motown Records artist Emanuel, appearances on CTV News’ Etalk with Tyron Edwards, and music placements on TV shows like The CW’s The Republic of Sarah. Sinclair continues his artistic growth by capturing experiences of his newfound independence as a young artist facing a rise in his profile. In collaboration with producers Jordan Manswell, Zachary Simmonds, Bryan Allen, and Jason Amos, Dylan drops a silky smooth single with “Regrets”.
With a minimalist and piano-driven mid-tempo groove, the ballad recalls the earnest introspection of peers such as Brent Faiyaz, Giveon, and Snoh Aalegra. Sinclair delivers a painful retrospective on a soured relationship, with lyrics such as “No, I don’t think that I should be/Way back where we started three years/If you get how I feel right now/Don’t feel forced to come back around”. His stacked harmonies and pitched vocal effects adds to the track’s brooding atmosphere, the soundtrack of a moment of pained reflection in isolation from others. The single’s solumn yet soulful vibe embraces heartbreak as much needed healing for R&B fans in turbulent relationships.
Check out “Regrets” on all streaming and music platforms!
Regardless of how much effort you put into a relationship, sometimes it’s just not meant to work out.
San Francisco-based songstress Floyd expresses this painful reality with the video for her latest single, “Shadow Self (The Best That I Can).” The alt-country pop track, produced by Ed Clare and Georgann Ireland for Nova Noir Productions, is the first offering from the singer-songwriter since she released the holiday-themed “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” last year.
As her musical influences range from feminist pop icon Tori Amos to new wave rocker Cyndi Lauper, it should come as no surprise that the visuals radiate a sense of vigor and determination as she performs the song in all-black attire.
Regarding the title of the single, Floyd says that the shadow self has to do with how everyone is doing the best they can in every moment and how sometimes their best is frankly not good enough for someone else. “That is a hard truth, but it’s an honest one,” she said. “And I think being honest should count for something.”
Watch the video for “Shadow Self (The Best That I Can)” below!
Comprised of vocalist/guitarist Matt Connelly and bassist Will O Connor, Wilmah aims to make listeners think while simultaneously creating grooves to make them move. Blending blunt introspection in their approach to songwriting with some humor and multi-genre fusion, the band’s alt-pop sound attempts to make sense of life’s intricacies while retaining some uplifting vibes. Using the opportunity from the pandemic in creating new music, Wilmah returns with a growth in their sound that fully represents themselves as individuals. In succession to the romance and nostalgia based “Television ” and politically charged “Welcome to America”, their new single “Wait Until Tomorrow” aims to reach the psyche and spirits of their audience.
The track immediately hits with a burst of upbeat mix of acoustic and electric guitar licks with the rhythmic punch of 80s new wave-esque drums. The production of this song can automatically get one to think it is a breezy feel-good anthem, while the lyrics seem to tell a different story. As heard in the passionate hook “If you’re gonna break my heart, can it just wait until tomorrow”, Wilmah makes a plea to push off negativity for the time being to revel in temporary happiness. The juxtaposition of the single’s sonic bubbliness with its therapeutic subject matter makes for an interesting anthem that can comfort listeners while not sugarcoating their true feelings.
“Wait Until Tomorrow” drops on November 19th and check out Wilmah’s preceding singles.
This past year has disrupted how I understand the concept of time within our society.
Staying inside for weeks felt like months, and primarily interacting with my peers via Zoom merely emphasized the ever-increasing feelings of physical alienation I was experiencing. However, in retrospect, I wish I had done more during this dark period the world was and continues to endure. Everything has made me realize how no matter what’s going on outside, life doesn’t last forever, and we have to enjoy the time we have while we still have it.
English indie heroes The Wombats illustrate this realization with the fourth single off their upcoming five studio album Fix Yourself, Not The World titled “Everything I Love Is Going To Die.” The harmonious guitars and punchy drums are captivating from the start, backing the lyrics sung by frontman Matthew “Murph” Murphy that focus on how everyone needs to acknowledge and appreciate how beautiful their lives are in the moment before they are simply memories lost to time.
When explaining the song, Murphy described the song as being “about the impermanence of life and the beauty of each passing second.”
“The key line for me is ‘Icarus Was My Best Friend, So I’m Gonna Make Him Proud In The End,’ which I guess is a playful take on living life to its fullest even though the consequences of that might be dire,” he said. “Certainly not a call to Nihilism, however, but perhaps a call to being present and the joy that can be found in appreciating each moment we find ourselves in.”
All in all, the song is another jangly, electro-pop anthem from the band that won’t stop giving. Their new album Fix Yourself, Not The World comes out January 7, 2022, and you can pre-order it here. Less than two weeks later, they plan on starting their worldwide tour in support of the album in North America before heading overseas to Europe and the UK later in April and May. All dates are below.
North American Dates: January 20 – 9:30 Club, Washington, DC January 22 – The Fillmore, Philadelphia, PA January 25 – Terminal 5, New York, NY January 26 – House of Blues, Boston, MA January 28 – Corona, Montreal, QB January 31 – St. Andrew’s, Detroit, MI February 1 – Newport, Columbus, OH February 3 – Park West, Chicago, IL February 4 – The Fillmore, Minneapolis, MN February 5 – The Truman, Kansas City, MO February 7 – Cannery, Nashville, TN February 8 – Buckhead, Atlanta, GA February 10 – House of Blues, Houston, TX February 11 – Emo’s, Austin, TX February 12 – House of Blues, Dallas, TX February 14 – Ogden, Denver, CO February 15 – Union, Salt Lake City, UT February 17 – Showbox Market, Seattle, WA SOLD OUT February 18 – Venue Nightclub, Vancouver, BC SOLD OUT February 19 – Revolution Hall, Portland, OR February 21 – The Regency, San Francisco, CA February 22 – The Observatory, Santa Ana, CA February 25 – The Wiltern, Los Angeles, CA
European/UK Tour Dates:
April 14 – First Direct Arena, Leeds April 15 – The O2, London April 16 – Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff April 18 – Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow April 22 – Mountford Hall, Liverpool April 23 – Mountford Hall, Liverpool April 29 – La Machine Du Moulin Rouge, Paris (France) May 1 – Carlswerk Victoria, Cologne (Germany) May 2 – Übel & Gefährlich, Hamburg (Germany) May 4 – Slaktkyrkan, Stockholm (Sweden) May 5 – Rockefeller Music Hall, Oslo (Norway) May 6 – DR Koncerthuset, Copenhagen (Denmark) May 7 – Huxley’s Neue Welt, Berlin (Germany) May 9 – Gasometer, Vienna (Austria) May 10 – Backstage Werk, Munich (Germany) May 12 – Estragon, Bologna (Italy) May 13 – Fabrique, Milan (Italy) May 14 – Komplex 457, Zurich (Switzerland) May 16 – De Roma, Antwerp (Belgium) May 17 – Paradiso, Amsterdam (Netherlands) May 18 – De Oosterpoort, Groningen (Netherlands) May 19 – TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht (Netherlands) May 26 – Open Air Theatre, Scarborough
