Category Archives: Indie

A Chat With, Indie, Interviews, New Music, Pop Punk

A Chat With : Dara Quilty of Apella

Apella have released their much-anticipated debut album ‘1963’. I had a chat with frontman Dara Quilty to discuss the details of creating the album, his love of producing and crafting songs as well as the lengths he went to in order to create the right atmosphere within one of the songs.

‘1963’ is an album Quilty has been working on for quite some time. The album kicks off with Apella’s debut track ‘We Met At A Party’ which was released in 2016 and ends with ‘Point Of View’ last year’s release (with singles ‘Graceful Dancer’ 2016, logic 2017, City Limits 2018 in between). It’s a passionate album depicting Quilty’s journey since Apella’s debut. During this time Quilty’s love for production blossomed allowing him to experiment, hone his craft, and become comfortable with his style in order to create the compelling and dynamic collection of tracks within ‘1963’

“It feels wonderful to have it out there. Obviously, the circumstances in which it has been released are different. Usually, you would release the album, with a good PR campaign, a tour straight off the back of the album with a radio station tour and a press tour, and none of that happened. I’ve been in studios, pretty much my entire, well not my entire life but I started recording professionally, probably with my first band Fox Avenue. I would have been maybe 20 years old. Even at that time I remember when we were in the studio I was glued to Joe Egan, he’s the engineer who I’ve continued to work with all the way up and through Apella. He owns The Nutshed in Clara County Offaly. Joe and I have become really close friends and he’s sort of been my mentor in the studio in many ways because his musical ear is just astonishing so when we were doing Fox Avenue I was glued to Joe’s shoulder, I never left the control room. I wasn’t the lead singer of Fox Avenue, so [ with Apella ] I knew I needed to be the lead singer, purely not to have to rely on another person, if that makes sense. So I did vocal coaching for four years. Sinéad Flynn is my vocal coach and she is astonishing. Actually doing vocal coaching is like therapy. Sinéad Flynn encouraged me to do these exams and now I have a distinction in musical theater and performance from the University of West London. I’m not a musical theater person. I didn’t grow up in musical theater, I have no background in it. But I was learning all these songs, and she helped me to sing and get better at singing because some people are naturally gifted singers like Gavin James. I’ve recorded Gavin James several times in radio stations. He is a beautiful singer. I’m not that.”

“The reason I went with Sinead’s plan to do these musical theater exams…. because…it was so far outside of my comfort zone. The exams are, you in a room with a man who is 110 years old wearing a jet black suit. He is pale as the sheet of paper in front of him on his table and he sits there at this desk with all these sheets, you’ve paid piano accompaniment 50 euro so he plays for you for the day. Then you have to perform, whatever six or eight pieces. There is nothing more uncomfortable in the world than being alone in this room. You’ve got to act out the scene of each piece and you’ve got to introduce the song, discuss the composer and discuss the meaning of the song, the characters, all this kind of stuff and he’s just looking at you. He doesn’t have any expression. Then after you’re finished describing, he goes. ‘Thank you’ and then the piano guy starts playing. One song I did was, “Oh, Why am I Moody and Sad?” from Ruddigore, which was Gilbert and Sullivan from like 1890 something. The point is, it’s so far out of my comfort zone….people have fears about public speaking, people have fears of flying. When I was younger, my biggest fear was singing publicly. I think the most vulnerable a person could be is to sing in front of people. I don’t know why. I just think it’s such a vulnerable thing and I was never a great singer, so I worked hard on my vocals.”

“Over the course of this record I could have used autotune and just sound like Kanye West, but I was doing the voice training and I was learning how to produce properly and use ProTools and the more I learned the more everything made sense. Ronan Nolan my drummer is perfect. He is the best at his instrument, and I have realized the importance of that now with my knowledge of production, ProTools, and creating a song, whereas when I was 21, I had no idea. When you go to record a song there’s an assigned tempo. Then there’s the loudest beeping noise out of the speaker and you have to play perfectly in time. You think you’re doing a good job and then the engineer says ‘no timing, go back to the start again’ and you’re like what!. I didn’t realize until I learned how to do it where you can literally see on the screen, Oh god that’s way out of time. So, I guess it was, probably a four-year journey. ‘We Met at a Party’ came out in 2016. The album was done by 2018, for sure, then it sat on my phone for two years and did nothing because I had this fear because I put all my own money into it, I paid for everything, independently. I won’t disclose the amount of money that I paid, but I could have put a deposit on a house…”

“I’ve had the great generosity of the Irish artists and community like Andrew Holohan, who has directed ‘We Met at a Party’, ‘City Limits’ and ‘Point of View’, even though we did it on a collaborative basis, but even still, you gotta rent cameras, lights, spaces… it was just so much time and investment. When it was finished, ‘We Met at a Party’ came out and that did well ‘Graceful Dancer’ came out that did better on radio. Then I was like, if I release this album, and I don’t become Brandon Flowers of The Killers overnight, I’ve failed, which is absolutely delusional. I think it’s just because I knew how much work I put into it but I didn’t do anything with it. We released another single, we did all the festivals, we toured Ireland, the UK, and all this stuff.”

“Obviously, now I’ve come forward. I had all this personal stuff going on in the background of my life. My perspective has just changed. I was in New York and my friend Aidan Cunningham runs a studio at there called Empire Underground and we reopened the album, and basically remastered the entire thing. Everything just sounded better and I made a decision… to put this out. All I want is this to exist. What is the point, If it doesn’t exist. There was a comedian I spoke to Mark Normand, he was a guest on my podcast and he said hey life is a catalog just keep adding to the catalog. Make a big interesting catalog and then die at the end. I thought God, he’s right, so I just wanted the album to exist. We completed the post-production in Brooklyn, and then I decided, with things going on with my mom, that maybe I can use this to help, or I don’t know maybe there’s something I can do or give it a meaning, or something like that. “

The album is named after the birth year of Quilty’s mother, who lives with Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer. Apella have decided to give 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the album to The Marie Keating Foundation specifically to help fund the outstanding support services they provide to women affected by Breast Cancer. It’s a really moving gesture as Quilty funded the making and recording of the album himself 

“It’s the money of the sales and it’s important to be very specific with this because Spotify pay 0.00437 cents per stream. So I think you need to listen to ‘Point of View’ 250 times for me to make $1.00. I wouldn’t have got CDs or vinyls made if I didn’t partner with the Marie Keating foundation.”

“It’s my art. I was doing the album before my mom got diagnosed with cancer. This is all happening anyway. So, the reason that I’ve decided to go for 100% of the sales is because there would be no sales if it wasn’t for the Marie Keating foundation so it’s only right to do it this way. And it’s also, you know, it’s not a cancer album.”

‘1963’ is an exhilarating pop-punk album filled with wonderful indie nuggets and electronic blends especially in tracks such as ‘Buried You’. Quilty has a knack for creating catchy hook-filled melodies that ooze pop sensibilities and easy on the ear charm while packing in oodles of emotion. With Ronan Nolan laying down the deft drumming foundation notably in ‘New Things Get Old’ the album is jam-packed with rich vibrant tunes. This album is by no means a soppy, sad collection of tracks; instead, it is a refined display of instrumental prowess and meticulous musicianship.

“Yeah, it’s not written about sadness. All I wanted was it to exist in the world, and I guess if you can do something with it, why not and if this flops on its ass that’s okay. I’m comfortable with that now. Whereas three years ago, I would have had so much anxiety. But if this flops on its ass then it flops on its ass because nobody can take it off Spotify and Apple Music nobody can take the body of work away from me because it exists. But on Friday when it came, just seeing Apella ‘1963’ on Spotify and Apple Music I was so excited.  When it was published to Apple Music and you could see it but all the songs are grayed out and it said coming January 29th, I thought that was the coolest thing. I get excited by the nerdiest stuff. I mean I posted today, a behind the scenes video, like the recording of ‘New Things Get Old’ and it’s just Ronan and I in the studio. I love the creation of a song. My entire childhood, even now, I just love watching the creation of music when you produce a mix or you know how production works, you don’t listen to music the same way as a person who doesn’t. Much like a classically trained musician experiences music differently to someone like me who would be a contemporary musician…which is fascinating. So I put up this video because, technically you go into the studio, a Pro Tools session starts empty. Silence, and then layer by layer you fill that silence with instruments and you can do whatever you want. There are no rules, yes there are rules in music but technically you can do whatever you want.”

“For Apella, I started with music. There are some new songs that I’ve written. I’ve started with an idea or a concept, or an emotion and I’ve taken that to the instrument. So I’m going to the instrument with the emotion. I’ve never done that before. It’s a new way of writing like let’s say you’ve been through a breakup. I know it’s the cliche hit song. But you go to the song with the idea of the broken heart. This is what I’m writing about and that will have a different result. But with Apella, I would compose everything. There are co-writes and stuff on the album not that many two or three songs I co-wrote with other people. But yeah I would do it all in my home studio, there’d be MIDI drums on there and I’d record all the vocals and guitars and come to the studio with a session. Then, Joe Egan, who co-produced this record with me, his musical ear is unbelievable and because it was mostly Joe and I in the studio and Ronan there was never any arguments, tension or ego. It was like, if you can imagine a whiteboard and everybody’s trying to solve a puzzle and it’s whatever’s best for the whiteboard. Doesn’t matter who said it or who came up with it but if it’s the best thing for the board. It goes on the board. That’s what we applied to this record. I might have a part in and Joe would say, that’s not right, I think you can do something better. That happened for ‘Little Bit Less’, track 11. The middle section of that song was totally different then Joe said, This just isn’t right. I think you have something better, and he sent me home for the weekend. He gave me a U87, and I went home and rewrote the middle section and recorded the vocals, with the U87 in my closet. I came back to him with that idea… Actually, we never ended up re-recording. The whole middle section of ‘Little Bit Less’ wasn’t done in the studio… the vocals and everything were recorded in my bedroom.”

“There are ideas or something I didn’t like on a track like an idea Joe would come up with and I was like I don’t know if I like that. We’d all listen and Ronan would say I think, that adds a lot to the song and whatever was best for the song went on the song. Ronan is the most positive person to be around. He’s so funny and he lights up every room he goes into. There were days where Joe and I were doing vocal mixes or recording guitars, but you know they can be 12 hour days, some days, we would literally call Ronan, because he gets all his drums done in one take and a second take for alternative parts, he’s so good. But he would come down and just be funny and kick chairs over and tell us we’re pricks. Ronan actually sings an awful lot on this record. All the high stuff, all the falsetto. There’s a song ‘Deja You’ and if you really listen closely in the chorus, you’ll hear Ronan, way up in the octaves or the intro of ‘New Things Get Old’. All the high stuff is Ronan he’s a great singer. He’s an angel. He’s a choirboy, but then he provides a contrast because I do all the other harmony so it’s good to have contrast and vocal because the texture is different. My voice layered five times, it’s gonna have a similar texture, no matter how you treat it so Ronan singing adds something different.”

There’s a lot of heartfelt emotion within ‘1963’. ‘Graceful Dancer’,’Buried You’, and ‘Point Of View’ exude heart-stopping melodies and meaningful lyrics. However, for me, it’s ‘Shadows Of My Personality’ that is the standout tune. This snappy glistening 80’s-hued track shimmers like a radiant glitter ball with sparkling electronics and zesty guitar flirtations providing an uplifting bounce through jazz-esque keys and hearty production. Quilty discussed with me the influences behind these songs and the interpretation of lyrics.

“They are personal songs for me and everything is authentic. The thing about music and I’m not the first person to say this, but lyrics are open to interpretation and you find solace in them. I’m sure you have your go-to songs for when you have a sad day or when you’re going out or before a date because that song means something to you and you sort of applied the lyrics to your life.‘Shadows of My Personality’ was a big one for me. I didn’t realize I was writing that song about anxiety, until after it was finished. That song was actually called 80‘s song. That was the name of the session. Each song on the record I hadn’t had an idea of how I wanted to approach it from a production point of view. ‘Point of View’ and ‘Graceful Dancer’ are clearly balanced. There is room in the songs, the songs can breathe. ‘We Met at a Party’ and ‘New Things Get Old’, they are clearly, punk sounding, from my influences from Blink-182, Green Day, and ‘Deja You’ is indie ‘Buried You’ was quite The Killers, so there’s a lot of influence on the record and for ‘Shadows of My Personality’, I was like I want to write an 80’s song. I love The Cure and The Police so it’s literally a juxtaposition of those two artists. My favorite bit of the whole record at the moment is the pre-chorus of ‘Shadows of My Personality’ because of the guitar riff because it sounds so Andy Summers and I really liked it. I was writing about anxiety, and that was when we decided to put the breathing in. That song opens with breaths, that are to represent the panic and the panic attack. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to breathe in time to a metronome. It’s a lot harder than you think it is. It’s very strange but that was fun to do. You can hear it in the track now and that’s kind of an acknowledgment to ‘Close To Me’ by The Cure, because Robert Smith does a similar thing in ‘Close To Me’. I think it’s nice to pay homage to your musical influences, and it just made sense with the song. So no I’m not afraid. I think it’s important that the songs are real. If somebody interprets, a song completely incorrectly that’s their interpretation of it and that’s okay. “

After touring all over the country – opening for Twenty One Pilots, appearing at all major Irish music festivals including Electric Picnic, Indiependence, Castlepalooza and Sea Sessions, accompanied by UK tours with Keywest and Don Broco, Quilty moved to New York City to work further on his career. 

“I needed to get out of my comfort zone. You know, 13 years on air, very grateful, loved my whole career, Ireland, I love this country. It’s small, and the fact that it’s small, it’s amazing. You can get to know so many people you can gain experience. I have pretty much done every stage from the Three Arena to the Olympia, to the Academy to upstairs in Whelan’s, to the big outdoor stage at Oxygen. But I was always the guy from the radio. People always start out saying you’re on the radio, must be easy for you to get your songs on the radio. It’s actually the complete opposite, because I was on the radio people go we’re not playing him he’s on another station. Then personally I wanted to expand and actually see was I good. I’ve had success in radio sure I got awards but that’s in Ireland am I actually good. So, let’s go to New York where there’s 8.5 million people. New York’s unfortunately been hit so hard by COVID that every venue is closed and everything has stopped but I was lucky that I had a studio that I built that I was able to work out of and Aiden Cunningham, and his studio in Brooklyn, that we were able to continue our work together over there, which is great. It took a lot of consideration. There was obviously a huge amount of work for the visa and everything, but it was right.”

With ‘1963’ released Quilty tells me he has other exciting projects in the pipeline this year.  

“ I’m back in Ireland for a while, we’ll head back to New York soon. I’ve still got so much to do over there. I have a new show with MTV, that’s out now called Stan vs. Stan, which is pretty cool. They’ve made it the header of the MTV YouTube channel over in the US, and that was all done in the pandemic. Eight episodes of that show and thanks to my ProTools and production knowledge, I was able to do the voiceover, do the comedy and stuff and provide them with broadcast standard audio from my studio. I’m pretty proud of that. Stan vs. Stan you can watch right now on youtube.com/MTV. It’s their main push at the moment which is just pretty cool. They all exist together – music, radio and production it’s all in the one sphere.”

Apella have created a sublime, engaging and energetic album filled with fantastic anthemic pop punk bangers.The effort and love Quilty has for music oozes from each song and his crisp production, passionate songwriting and melody wizardry makes ‘1963’ a satisfying listening experience.

100% of the proceeds from this album bought on apellamusic.com will go directly to The Marie Keating Foundation’s Positive Living support group. 

Check out the Apella behind the scenes video for ‘New Things Get Old’ here https://twitter.com/i/status/1356197080704950274


Author : Danu

Alt- Pop, Indie, New Music

Fast Trains ‘I Work In Lies’

Fast Trains is back with new single ‘I Work In Lies’ from the forthcoming EP ‘ourWorld Volume 1′.The song is an attack on the British tabloid newspapers, in particular those involved in the News International phone hacking scandal and their abuse of human rights. Fast Trains is the solo project of songwriter and producer Tom Wells. Combining inventive alternative pop with a cryptic visual space known as ourWorld, the project has received backing from BBC Introducing and BBC 6 Music, and its videos have been shown at film festivals all over the world.

Shrouded in ominous tones and alternative pop soundscapes ‘I Work In Lies’ boasts the expressive and luring sound of Fast Trains. The lyrics with the aid of a precise and refined instrumental backdrop tell the story of a newspaper journalist writing fictitious articles to sell more papers “spread our editor’s agendas”. Driving on a pulsing beat and hypnotic whines on guitar the track exudes a mysterious persona while swirling electronics create a muggy soundscape between the soaring guitar moans and constant plucking groove. The song creeps for the verses accompanied by Well’s vocals which sweetly coo the delicate melody. As the track progresses the song becomes more animated and heavy for the chorus. Oozing dynamic instrumentation from every note ‘I Work In Lies’ is an engaging new single from Fast Trains. 

Stream ‘I Work In Lies’ below 


Author : Danu

Event News, Indie, Live Music, New Music, Takeover

Event News: Cultures Takeover

Cultures will takeover our Instagram and Facebook for a live stream on Friday at 8.00 pm

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/indie_buddie/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/indiebuddie/

Bridging the gap between alt-rock and indie pop, Greater Manchester’s Cultures have been plying their trade across the region for the last four years, and their intelligent and idiosyncratic brand of indie has been turning heads and picking up traction ever since. With an equal focus on both head and heart within their lyricism, the band have succeeded in elevating themselves head and shoulders above their contemporaries, something that has afforded the band high profile support slots across some of Manchester’s most iconic venues, including Germany’s Giant Rooks at Night & Day Café, and Marsicans at The Deaf Institute – a venue the band have since gone on to headline in front of a rapturous audience, cementing themselves as one of Manchester’s most promising new bands.

Cultures have a vibrant indie sound doused in passionate songwriting and infectious melodies. Combining sweet synth-pop with rousing indie rock, Cultures’ songs flow with a breathtaking wall of sound. The band blend their indie charm with sublime musicianship to create an irresistible soundscape sure to have you bopping and singing along in no time. Cultures have a bright future ahead of them – really looking forward to this takeover.

You can stream Culture’s new single ‘Ghost’ below 


Author : Danu

Indie, indie rock, New Music, Singer/Songwriter

Jim McHugh ‘Dave’

Photo Credit: Brendan McElro

Monaghan singer-songwriter Jim McHugh is back with his new single ‘Dave’ and a first taste of what’s to come from his upcoming third album ‘Pretending To Wake Up’, due for release May 28th. Working alongside producer Alex Borwick (Parliament Funkadelic, Catfish & The Bottlemen, Niamh Regan, Lankum) and session musicians Paul McCabe (bass) Paul Sherry (Electric Guitar) and Butch McNeill (Drums), McHugh brings a new dynamic and alluring sound to the rock genre. 

‘Dave’ is a rousing rock number showcasing a darker side to Jim McHugh’s sound. Spreading bluesy guitar riffs over a hip seducing rhythm ‘Dave’ is a wild, infectious banger. The verse wriggles with rich percussion, dark bass rumbles, and deep vocals from McHugh hooking the listener instantly. Then without any warning, the chorus swarms in on a wave of rock n roll bravado. Clamorous guitars, punchy drums, and a thrilling vocal display from McHugh ensure the chorus isn’t leaving your head anytime soon. Blending funky guitar elements, with mosh ready frenzy, ‘Dave’ is a blazing new single from McHugh. Love it.

About ‘Dave’ Jim says….“In an original story of misspent youth, Dave unveils my interactions with a friend who was known for being on the wrong side of the law on numerous occasions.”

Stream ‘Dave’ below 


Author : Danu

Indie, Indie Pop, indie rock, New Music

The Motive ‘Live It Again’

Southwest London band The Motive have released their new single ‘Live It Again’. The band have already racked up more than 3k streams as well as BBC Introducing support. ‘Live It Again’ is a bright, infectious number laced in the glorious, sun-kissed musicianship we have come to love from The Motive. ‘Live It Again’ is an easy on the ears gem filled with radiant balmy guitar refrains and a buoyant laid back soundscape. With a clap along feature catchy animated chorus and nostalgic tropical tones mixed into The Motive’s indie-pop blend, it’s an instant charmer. Doused in infectious grooves, elastic bass, and intricate guitar lines, ‘Live It Again’ is a glorious new single that marks The Motive as a band to keep an eye on. 

Stream ‘Live It Again’ below 


Author : Danu

EP Review, Indie, New Music, Singer/Songwriter

Sam Wickens ‘Watson’ EP

Photo Credit : Nathan Magee

NI Music Prize Nominee Sam Wickens has released his new single ‘Murky Waters’ along with his new EP ‘Watson.’ The first single from the EP, ‘Strange.24’ was released on 24th November 2020 to much critical acclaim. The five-track ‘Watson EP’ is the second major release since his critically acclaimed debut album ‘All I’ve Seen’ in 2019.  

There is no denying the depth of earnestness in Wickens’ songs. Within ‘Watson’, the listener is invited to delve deep and explore the crevices of his artistic mind through masterful songwriting and compelling musicianship.

The auto-tuned synth drone of opener ‘Sunday Smile, Pt 1’ introduces the EP. Wickens’ rich vocals flow over a jaunty guitar and buoyant rhythmic bounce, while subtle country warmth mangled within R&B hues and icy electronic soundscapes display the EP’s tight, dark, and intriguing production. ‘Watson, Pt 2’ elegantly chimes with lamenting picked guitar as thumping drums pulse in the background, creating the track’s increasing heartbeat through a skilful use of synths and static noises. 

Deft use of production sees Wickens increase the EP’s intensity as each song progresses, as if building to a massive pinnacle point…. ‘Murky Waters.’ This raw, rumbling maelstrom of mental torment is a fantastic display of Wickens’ first-rate musicianship. Shadowy drum rumbles, and bubbling electronics haunt in the background while a distorted guitar wail and chilling backing vocals express a harrowing sense of struggle within the music. A suffocating, muggy soundscape constricts and smothers an innocent twinkling on keys which at times rises to break free only to be pulled under and smothered again. The light, gentle keys provide a wonderful contrast to Wicken’s beautiful deep vocals which exude a soulless sense of sorrow. ‘Murky Waters’ is pain, struggle and release personified through music. It is utterly sublime and an enthralling piece of music.

Although ‘Murky Waters’ is a powerful and stand-out gem on the EP, within each track there is something special that allows them to shine just as brightly. My favourite track on the EP is arguably ‘This War of Mine‘. The raw emotion, hope, and pain expressed through Wicken’s lyrics is heartbreaking. “In time ill find some peace of mind.  In time, I’ll lose this war of mine”. Suspenseful ethereal synths maintain an uplifting, hopeful tone while the pulsing beat covers the backdrop in an ominous shadow that is difficult to shake as Wickens coos a heartbreaking lyric “buried in the earth the last line of belief”.

Brooding electronics merge with country tones and oodles of soul in ‘Strange.24’ to bring ‘Watson’ to a perfect and epic finale. This song comforts, soothes, and caresses the visceral wounds of the tracks that went before. Maintaining its innocence and sweet tones an uplifting hopeful piano, which was smothered in other tracks such as ‘ Murky Waters’, comes to the forefront. Wispy synths and ethereal soundscapes raise the song’s atmosphere as Wickens’ warm rasped vocals discuss the acceptance of recovering from a battle with mental illness. “Feeling strange, it all just went away.” As the track drifts into its cinematic crescendo Wickens leaves us with hope and more tears, but these tears are of relief and joy this time. 

‘Watson’ is an EP that reveals more and more with each listen allowing the listener to experience emotion, hope, pain, and mental anguish through the artist’s eyes. Wickens delivers this through heartfelt, honest, and passionate musicianship. His ability to stir the soul on such a deep level with his lyrics and music is exquisite. Sam Wickens is a rare talent. He has come a long way since his critically acclaimed debut album ‘All I’ve Seen’ in 2019 and has shown strong musical growth. Wickens has created an EP of solid, sincere, and equally compelling songs that carry the hallmarks of poetic, lyrical, and musical genius.

About his new single Sam Wickens says: “Murky Waters is the realisation that I was raised and put through terrible circumstances. Constantly feeling alone through every obstacle that was placed in front of me. Traumatic events seemed to follow me no matter where I ran, I started to believe that I was some sort of gatekeeper, that my purpose was to absorb the terrible things so others didn’t need too.”

Watch the video for ‘Murky Waters’ below

Stream ‘Watson’ EP below 


Author : Danu

Indie, New Music, Singer/Songwriter

Sam Ludlow ‘Cruise

Following on from the laid back vibe of previous single ‘Summertime Somewhere’, Dublin multi-instrumentalist Sam Ludlow has released his new single ‘Cruise.’ Sam Ludlow spreads hip hop elements over a dreamy melody filled with soft, intricate instrumentation. The song exudes an instant soothing charm with jazz-drizzled piano twinkling between radiant guitar licks and warm melodies as Sam’s vocals venture from velvety croons to rap. Blending themes of escapism and reality through rosy-hued, witty lyrics, ‘Cruise’ is a well-crafted display of refined musicianship from Sam Ludlow.

Stream ‘Cruise’ below 


Author : Danu

Indie, Indie Quick Picks, New Music

Indie Quick Picks Featuring – Lewis Ross, Badhands, Baby Strange and How Nice

Lewis Ross

Genre : Indie Folk

Bio : Lewis Ross is an emerging indie folk artist from the Scottish countryside.Lewis released his first EP – Colder Days – at age 19, including the track ‘Signs of Life’, a co-write between himself and Benjamin Francis Leftwich. The EP has now reached over 1 Million Organic Spotify Streams and received massive support from Aperion YouTube channel with ‘Signs of Life’ reaching over 2.5 million views on their channel. Since then, Lewis has taken the past 2 years out of the music scene to work on his sound and style and is now back with his brand new single, “This Town”.

Track: This Town

Why We Like It: It’s a delicate, passionate song dipped in the emotive songwriting of Lewis Ross. With a sweet and melancholic melody saturated in lyrics of loneliness and isolation, the track is a bittersweet tear-jerker. Ross’s warm vocals soothe and lament through a spacious backdrop of tender acoustic guitar and icy keys allowing his beautiful tone to convey the striking and painful lyrics. With just the warmth on guitar creating a subtle element of comfort, ‘This Town’ is a mature, well crafted, and utterly stirring new single. 

You Can Follow Lewis Ross. on Facebook Here https://www.facebook.com/lewisRmusic

Stream ‘This Town’ below 

Badhands

Genre : Alternative

Bio : Dublin songwriter and musician Dan Fitzpatrick, aka Badhands has composed and recorded a powerful and evocative collection of songs inspired by the World’s Oceans. Funded by the Arts Council’s Covid-19 Response Grant the project captures Fitzpatrick’s lifelong fascination with the sea, blending the styles of his award-winning soundtrack work and the alt-folk sound of his work as Badhands, with a mix of musical influences including Ennio Morricone, Scott Waker, PJ Harvey, and Radiohead. Each song on this EP represents one of the 5 Oceans, reflecting a personal interpretation of some of their distinct characteristics; but also linking together with overlapping musical themes to form a broader, singular piece

Track: Indian Ocean

Why We Like It: It’s a dark, luring track shrouded in dazing psychedelic synths, mystery, and cinematic melodies. The deep enticing vocals create an eerie atmosphere for the verses while a strident galloping guitar and steady rhythm anchor the track’s wispy haunting tendencies. The song unfolds becoming more psychedelic as it reaches its crescendo allowing the falsetto by Dan Fitzpatrick provide a contrasting sweetness and sense of innocence. There are many twists and turns within the track as it ventures from dark ominous soundscapes to gritty desert- esque refrains and back to eerie psychedelia again before landing on an elegant piano and string outro. ‘Indian Ocean’ is one heck of a thrill ride. 

You Can Follow Badhands on Facebook Here https://www.facebook.com/badhandsmusic/

Watch the video for ‘Indian Ocean’ below

Baby Strange

Genre : Alternative 

Bio : Glasgow trio Baby Strange are back with their new single, ‘Club Sabbath’.Baby Strange have also announced the release of a brand new EP ‘Land of Nothing’ which features ‘Club Sabbath’ and recent single ‘More! More! More!’ and will be out via Icons Creating Evil Art on 30 April 2020. They’ll be heading out on an extensive UK headline tour in June 2021 under the moniker ‘Land of Nothing Tour’.

Track: Club Sabbath

Why We Like It: Fueled with 80’s dance-infused soundscapes ‘Club Sabbath’ is that kinetic anthem ready to get you up and dancing. Driving on a swarm of rowdy guitars and pummeling drums this brisk raw slice of post-punk is infectious, fun, and sure to get the blood pumping through your veins. With witty lyrics and a sharp groove-infested bassline, this high energy swagger steeped number is the perfect mosh pit banger.

You can follow Baby Strange On Facebook Here https://www.facebook.com/babystrangemusic

Stream ‘Club Sabbath’ below 

How Nice 

Genre : Indie

Bio : Bristol three-piece How Nice have released the lyric video to their single ‘Water’.

Track: Water

Why We Like It: This dynamic indie-rock number exudes raw passion and tight edgy instrumentation. With rasped vocals and pounding drums, the track oozes swagger and charm. The trio spread a bittersweet melody over a bubbling backdrop while ethereal guitars soar and crash to create a biting indie song laced in mature songwriting and crisp production. Featuring a thrilling guitar solo, rousing bass rumbles, and catchy as hell chorus ‘Water’ is a fantastic new single from How Nice. 

You Can Follow How Nice On Facebook Here https://www.facebook.com/HOWNICEtoonice/?ref=page_internal

Watch the lyric video for ‘Water’ below

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Author : Danu

Alt- Pop, electro- pop, Indie, New Music

Rat City joins forces with Norwegian pop star Dagny on their new single, ‘BAD’

Super-producers Rat City joins forces with Norwegian pop star Dagny on their new single, ‘BAD’. ‘BAD’ follows on the heels of Dagny winning the Track of the Year on P3 Gold’s annual award show with the song “Somebody,”, also produced  and co-written by Rat City (P3 is the Norwegian equivalent of the BBC Radio 1). Rat City’s debut artist single “Kind of Love”  catapulted to  #1 on Shazam and #1 on Norwegian radio for 7 consecutive weeks. The song has crossed 35 million streams , and spent 20 weeks on Spotify’s top 20 chart. The band has also collaborated with major talents Kiesza and Tungevaag. Dagny sprang to success with the upbeat and contagious single ‘Backbeat’  in 2015, which broke around the world on Top 40 radio, and made her a star.  With acclaim from Billboard, The Guardian and NYLON, Dagny went on to co-write Katy Perry’s smash ‘Never Really Over’ and collaborate with luminaries such as Seeb, Steve Aoki, NOTD, Wombats, and Crystal Fighters. She is now one of Norway’s leading, most respected, and most exciting artists with over a billion combined streams to her name.

‘BAD’ is an infectious slice of pop perfection. Lavished in intricate synths, dramatic beats and power pop, the track is an instant shot of adrenaline. Strings flutter through a driving electronic soundscape and groove riddled bass while elegant keys bounce throughout. Dagny’s warm soul-filled vocals glide and caress the catchy melody. At times her voice is delicate and sweet while at other times her voice is powerful as she controls the bubbling instrumentation with a compelling command and fun spirit. The song erupts with intensity for the chorus however Dagny’s vocals ooze charisma throughout. ’BAD’ is an irresistible well-crafted pop tune sure to be revolving in your head for days. 

About ‘BAD’s empowering message, Dagny states:  

“I wrote “Bad” in Stockholm with Gustav Nyström and Hilda Stenmalm, before I went into the studio with Rat City who really helped bring the song to life. For me, the song is about finally standing up for yourself and being strong and bold in a challenging situation. It’s quite a dramatic song and lyric, which is quite the opposite of what I am, but sometimes it’s fun to be a more extreme version of yourself when you write. When I went into the studio I poured my heart into the song and took on the role of being BAD, I think it worked well and I’m really happy with how it’s turned out.  I’m not one to hold a grudge and sometimes letting it all go in the studio is the way to stop that from happening.”

Stream ‘BAD’ below 


Author : Danu

Indie, indie rock, New Music

Hawke ‘Gonna Be Alright’

Hawke have released their new single ‘Gonna Be Alright’. The young Dublin act was formed in 2018 by two friends in the shadow of the world-famous Guinness Brewery (in the south of the city) and features Richie Power (vocals/keyboards) and Eoghan MacMahon (vocals/guitar). Irish rock legends Aslan quickly declared themselves major fans, with frontman Christy Dignam proclaiming Hawke The Band “the next big thing” to emerge from a country that consistently punches above its weight in terms of quality music.

‘Gonna Be Alright’ is a soaring heartfelt number boasting the refined musicianship of Hawke. The band use a bittersweet melody, smooth vocals and uplifting instrumentation to create a heart-stopping, soothing tune sure to have you swaying and singing along in no time. With warm guitars glittering over a lush blanket of swooning keys and buoyant bright drums, the track soars and sweeps the listener up in a passionate flurry of alternative rock. The track becomes more anthemic and atmospheric as it progresses, reinforcing the uplifting and inspiring nature of the song while the velvety vocals and backing vocal coos exude an easing comfort. 

‘Gonna Be Alright’ is a spirited indie rock gem displaying the majestic songwriting and compelling sound of Hawke.

Richie says of the debut track, “We went for an uplifting melancholic anthem with this one. I don’t think lyrically it’s been any more relevant than what it is now during this pandemic – and, with another lockdown being announced, we figured it made sense for us to release it now.”

Bandmate Eoghan continues, “We wrote this song on a warm June afternoon, but at a time when personally I was feeling quite dejected and not in the finest of moods. The last thing I wanted to do was write songs, but we pushed ahead. About an hour later this little baby was written. I think that’s as good an epitome of life as you’ll get. Sometimes you just have to plough forwards, even if life is kicking you in the balls, Eventually it pays off.”

Stream ‘Gonna Be Alright’  below 


Author : Danu