by Veronica DeFeo | Feb 28, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
Two-piece band The Lagoons (brothers Joey and Ryan Selan) are back at it again with a perfect single, “Close My Eyes (And I Wonder)”. Originally from Los Angeles, they moved to Austin, TX and started The Lagoons together. After the success of their 2016 track, “California”, the duo is gearing up to release their EP, Escape, on April 6th. Now, they have released “Close My Eyes (And I Wonder)”, which will appear on Escape.
Full of smooth-synthy indie pop vocals and sax, The Lagoons have cooked up quite a fantastic track with “Close My Eyes (And I Wonder). Fans of Fitz & the Tantrums or COIN will definitely vibe to this song, as well as fans who are new to alternative/indie music. One of the best aspects of “Close My Eyes (And I Wonder) is its universal appeal to a variety of ears. Older listeners will appreciate the 70s nostalgia of the track, while a younger crowd will inevitably dig its on-trend indie sound. Keep an eye out for The Lagoons’ new EP, Escape, out April 6th.
Stay connected with The Lagoons:
Instagram – Twitter – Facebook
by Veronica DeFeo | Feb 28, 2018 | 5 to 7
Amsterdam based singer-songwriter VanWyck (irl Christine Oele) dropped her album, An Average Woman, in January of 2018. The LP features not only the insane talent of VanWyck, but the accompanying vocals of Marjolein van der Klauw and bass player/arranger Reyer Zwart. Having a widespread musical background ranging from classical piano to jazz-dance to rap and hip hop, VanWyck released An Average Woman as an answer to her own longings to share an authentic and creative thoughts on women today through a musical canvas. Her songs bring on chills as the listener delves into the all-encompassing soundscape of the album.
We were lucky enough to catch up with VanWyck to discuss her latest album, thoughts, and message.
The title of your album, An Average Woman, instantly caught my attention. How’d you come up with the name?
I wrote the song – that is the title track – a while back. It was during my one song a week project, where I tried to write and record one song every week for a year. I instantly knew it was a strong song, but also a difficult one to record properly, so I kept it for myself until the recording of the album. In a way it is a response to the way our media celebrates success in terms of uniqueness and individualism. I was so tired from the bombardment of perfect superwoman everyday, all the time. Sometimes it feels like only perfect women are allowed to be visible and to have a voice. There is so much pressure on women to be a certain kind of way and it so hard to rid yourself of that pressure, to find your own voice and your own values. It’s almost impossible. But in a way that was my assignment for this album.
What do you want to be the biggest takeaway from your music for your female listeners?
Maybe I hope for two things – one is that they feel supported in allowing themselves to be who they are – to free themselves from the pressures of having to be every woman, or to live up to certain ideals. That they find the strength to seek out their own ideals.
Next to that I hope they enjoy the magic and enchantment that I felt when I wrote these songs. After a lot of struggle and hard work I’ve come to the conclusion that there is this pool of infinite joy and creativity inside all of us – that we can always tap into that, but that we are often sidetracked by all the humdrum of modern life and obligations. I really think that inside each of us there is this river of knowledge and strength – we just need to find ways to tap into it.
Listening to tracks like “Red River Girl” gives me chills – how do you pack so much emotion into a few minutes of song?
Well “Red River Girl” was a very special writing process for me too. It really felt like someone else was writing the song. That I just had to let it wander through me. I think the subconscious really plays a big role in songwriting and the better you become at surrendering yourself to it – the stronger the songs will be that you find there. I think for this song I surrendered myself completely and maybe that is what you feel as well.
What’s your favorite view or landscape?
Anything wild and free will do. But I live in The Netherlands and we have hardly any wild and free left. It’s mostly cities and cultured grounds here – so sometimes I really have to free myself from that. Luckily we do have an amazing sea here with beautiful beaches and dunes and I try to travel to mountainous areas whenever I can.
The music video for “An Average Woman” is so beautiful! Where did the inspiration for it come from?
Thank you! I was very lucky to have met the artist and photographer Koen Hauser who directed the video. He was so moved by a song on my first EP that we got in touch. I was also very moved by his work and I guess there was this instinctive feeling between us that our work is connected in some ways. Like it deals with the same sort of themes. He also had strong opinions about how social media makes so many people feel like they are not good enough. So we decided to make a video with as many normal everyday woman we could find and to just let them be.
Where’s the best place to create music?
I can do it almost anywhere! As long as I have a guitar – but getting away from other people and noises is always good. I sometimes need some sort of silence and calm to be able to better hear all the voices in my head. But then again sometimes it’s the excitement of new experiences and new people that bring on new ideas.
If you could describe your music in a single word to someone who’s never listened to you, what would that word be?
Moving?
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Keep up with VanWyck: Website I Facebook I Twitter I Soundcloud I Spotify I Bandcamp
by Katie Pugh | Feb 28, 2018 | videos, wolf tracks
Brooklyn-based indie quartet
RANN just released the second track from their upcoming EP,
Renegade Holiday.
RANN’s sound has been described as indie rock, dream pop, and psych punk which all seem fitting as their latest release, “Renegade Holiday,” has a variety of musical elements creating the perfect eclectic mix.
“Renegade Holiday,” the album’s title track, starts with a heavy drum rhythm that eases into an electronic synth instrumental. When the vocals appear, the song takes a dreamy, ethereal direction that is both calming and exciting at the same time. The song’s pounding rhythm and uplifting instrumental propel the song forward as the airy vocals create the perfect indie atmosphere. RANN’s “Renegade Holiday” cohesively blends instrumental and vocals to create an impeccably constructed track that makes the perfect edition to any playlist.
by Jai'Tyria Hatton | Feb 28, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
UK based musician Superheart recently released his follow-up to “Count On Me”, the surprising bit of necessity titled “After Midnight”. A song you would listen to outside in the cool summer breeze late at night or during a late night drive. The song has this “cool” tropical sound to it with a guitar sound to add to his vocals.
The song is warm, a soundscape like a comforting blanket.
Keep up with Superheart here.
by Madison Blom | Feb 28, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
LUME is taking her chances on stage in order to pursue a dream that is right at her fingertips! Although she has yet to release very many tracks, the music that she has produced speaks for itself. Not only is it the modern sound that not only resonates with the young generation, but it also addresses topics that are very relatable among several demographics. Not only does she have a strong presence musically, but also among fans and followers on social media. With her skill talent and a team of highly dedicated supporters, there is no doubt that she will be able to take her career to a whole new level with the release of her newest single, “Skin.”
This track not only reaches a level of vocal sophisticality that is rare for an artist so young, but it also is sure to be put on repeat with its catchy beat and message. Laden with heavy loops and beats, it mirrors the same style of some of the most well know pop artists of our time. At this point, where many other artists would be struggling to define their sound, LUME has outlined a style all her own and it running towards a bright future.
Keep up with LUME here.
by Jai'Tyria Hatton | Feb 28, 2018 | albums, wolf tracks
Vivian Leva – who uses her country roots to bring life to her music – is set to release her new album Time is Everything on March 2nd, a ten track collection. In latest single “Bottom of The Glass”, Leva talks about a lover that has left and done her wrong. The characters in the song were engaged, and Vivian sings about the wedding ring being at the bottom of a glass she was drinking from.
“Sturdy as the Land” slows the pace of the album quite a bit. The song is about losing something that you originally thought would last forever. The song reflects on the love that was once there but is now lost. “Sturdy as the Land” shows that time and love are not sturdy.
Time is Everything is an album full of love, lost love and heartbreak. Each song on the album is universally relatable and pulls at the listener’s heartstrings. Make sure to nab it quick, and keep up with Vivian Leva here!
by Jai'Tyria Hatton | Feb 27, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
Los Angeles-based singer songwriter Trace is set to take over 2018 with her new single “Blood and Bones”, which has a bit of R&B embedded into it. The song is mesmerizing because of its beat, but Trace’s vocals make the track exactly what it is: amazing.
“Blood and Bones” is about being infatuated with someone, as those feelings of infatuation can sometimes be misinterpreted causing the love to be unrequited. The song talks about the perception of someone you love without actually knowing them first. You can make your crush out to be this amazing person when they are actually the total opposite. “Blood and Bones” opens up about love going off course when it was once on the right track.
Keep up with Trace here.
by Kayla Hutton | Feb 27, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
“Shiver” wastes no time getting to the point, and is the debut single from Whitelight, a duo from Birmingham. Impressive that this track is made by only 2 people. “Shiver” begins with a dusty gritty distortion then turns the corner into a verse that commands the spotlight with the singers’ wonderful accent. For fans of Royal Blood, Blue Oyster Cult, and Radiohead, Whitelight is best defined as true Indie Rock N Roll. The middle section of the song does have a neat echoing bluesy guitar solo, which pulls the distortion off the bass guitar giving a loungy feel. In its simplicity “Shiver” is a really catchy tune. No explosions or an intense build up its a straightforward track that is easy to swallow.
As I walked away from it, I found the chorus line still reverberating in my head so much so I had to give it another listen. Whitelight is proof that you really don’t need to over produce a song to make it great, you just need to write it well. When searching there isn’t too much information about WhiteLight. The alluring mystery and the availability of only 1 song has me definitely wanting more and I will be waiting to see what these guys are all about. Can’t wait to hear a full release and hear all that they have to offer.
Keep up with WhiteLight here.
by ImperfectFifth | Feb 27, 2018 | soundtrack
From New York City – Wendy Escobar curates groovy, soulful, underground house music. Good for the OG New York House Heads and for the noobs.
Keep up with Wendy Escobar here!
