O Thou, whatever title suit thee!
Auld Hornie, Satan, Nick, or Clootie,
Wha in yon cavern grim an’ sooty
Clos’d under hatches,
Spairges about the brunstane cootie,
To scaud poor wretches!
It’s Tracks of the Week. There’s a theme today, the morning after Burns Night. Sink into the depths. Wallow in the deep. Have a bloody good wallow.
Bloodworm – Bloodlust
Why we love it: because it’s a lovely slab of 80’s new wave, with echoes of, well, Echo and the Bunnymen. To say it is extremely evocative of a bygone era isn’t to say it’s derivative or a copy, it’s just that it’s expertly executed. From liquid groove of the bass, the reverb heavy guitar, the lovely gated snare drum and spat out vocals, it’s a brilliant piece of pop straight out of a Peel Festive 50.
They say “‘Bloodlust’ was written about the duality of relationships and the angst of being stuck in a small town. We had the raw excitement of starting something new and just not really caring about anything else aside from the music itself. We’ve really tried to capture the feeling of that energy in the recording.”
They will be joining Suede on a 17 date UK tour, starting in Folkestone on 30 January and concluding in Brighton on 21 February, taking in a huge hometown show at Rock City, Nottingham. Watch these boys soar. (Jim Auton)
Sunny Inside – Disappearing Road
Why we love it: Sunny Inside launched their debut single at the tail end of last year. ‘Disappearing Road’ is a heart-swelling dreamy pop anthem that envelops with huge vocals, galloping drumming and glimmering wide-screen guitars. It reminds one of the pop of the early and mid 90s with affectionate nods to the sonic splendour of Lush or the ambitious anthems of Texas, or more recently the emotive dream rock of The Joy Formidable, but particularly the excellent outro with it’s soaring notes that are imbued with a heart it holds a sense in its breast that although things are pretty dark right now there is a light at the end of the horizon, a sunset to cling to when things feel hopeless, in that way it’s utterly lie affirming tune, and very promising.
Sunny Inside say they are “a four piece indie dream pop band with shoegaze influences, based in South Wales. Bringing you the perfect mix of belting vocals, dreamy synth, ethereal guitar and punchy drum fills, creating an anthemic wall of sound.” (Bill Cummings)
Murkage Dave feat Konopinksy – Generation Left on Read
Why we love it: Murkage Dave is set to release his wistful new single ‘Generation Left On Read’. The single will also be the debut of James Smith from Yard Act’s new solo project, under the name ‘KONOPINKSY’.‘Generation Left On Read’ captures a wistful millennial disillusionment and the numbing effects of irony-as-coping-mechanism. With a pitta patta of beats and atmospheric swathese, it features an affecting spoken word contribution from James Smith of Yard Act – his first under new solo moniker KONOPINKSY as he deals with the confusion and confliction of the commute. With Murkage Dave’s soulful vocals, resigned yet urging us to explore “if you love it do it” the track crystallises the album’s exploration of “lost promises and the determination to still care in a world that encourages detachment.” It’s the soundtrack to the left-behind generation, reflective and poignant; it’s one for those stumbling and in need of direction, it’s a deft piece of prescient songwriting.
The track is the third to be taken from MD’s forthcoming album Brut Thoughts, Murkage Dave has spent the last decade crafting a body of work that refuses to fit neatly into any genre box. His music, loosely pop but informed by indie, outsider art, and an instinct for storytelling, is built on honesty, empathy, and fearless social commentary. As well as James from Yard Act, the album also features Young Fathers, Wu Lyf, Lauren Auder, Kiddus and more. (Bill Cummings)
White Denim – (God Created) Lock and Key
Why We Love it: “On the thirteenth day God created White Denim.” This is a single with such fierce swag, grit and viscous force that you can well believe it! It’s like being baptised in raging flames of catharsis- an explosive exorcism of truth. This groove-heavy – psych -funk-blues fusion is an introduction to their upcoming album 13. As singer, guitarist and bandleader James Petralli says, “This is a Beefheart / Sun Ra sort of thing. I hope that it’s a somewhat terrifying, startling, and visceral piece for everyone that hears it. Everything I say in that song is the truth. It’s about power, generational cycles of abuse, shame, violence, and survival. It is an articulation of the rage that I feel and hopefully can at least partially conceal successfully most of the time. The things that we all understand and know and see and push down to get through the day.” Upcoming album,13, promises an incandescent alchemy of rock, funk, dub, soul, down-dirty blues – and plenty more besides. We can’t wait to hear it. White Denim never disappoint.13 is out on 24th April and available to preorder here. (Carmel Walsh)
LEAP- Jasmine Power
Why We love it: ‘LEAP’ is a soaring, cinematic, staccato, soulful and intricately-crafted pop song written by Jasmine Power and co-writer Stephen Leiweke in Nashville, Tennessee. Through its uplifting melodies and reflective lyrics, ‘LEAP’ takes the listener on an intimate journey scattered with train stations and goodbyes. Dedicated to anyone who has made sacrifices to pursue a dream, and to Jasmine’s magical homeland of Wales, ‘LEAP’ is infused with the complex feelings of Hiraeth – a deep longing for a home, place or time that is lost or may never have existed – while masterfully evoking the inspiration and euphoria that comes from daring to leap into the unknown. “I hope LEAP inspires people to dance into their joy and to be fearless with their dreams and the life they wish to lead… life is too short to do anything but.” -Jasmine Power is a Welsh singer, pianist and songwriter, and one of the most engaging and unique artists to emerge from the UK music scene in recent years. (Carmel Walsh)
Blood Wizard – Daydreaming
Why we love it: Because ‘Daydreaming‘ is a gorgeous, sumptuous emotive and contemplative new offering from Blood Wizard taken from their new EP Lucky Life As Blood Wizard said, “This song is about feeling checked-out and missing home. I found myself stuck between two places when I was writing it and didn’t feel properly attached to either. I didn’t want to dress it up, so I just tried to say it plainly and let the song speak for itself.” The majority of the EP was written in South London, where the process (previously more of a solo venture for Cai Burns) became more experimental and collaborative. Rather than the usual band rehearsals, they spent more time at each other’s houses, messing around with the tracks, shifting the vocals and making samples, which has given the whole EP a different tone compared with previous releases as Blood Wizard said.. “Lucky Life feels like a turning point for the project and we can’t wait to share what’s next,” and we can’t wait to hear more. Upcoming EP ‘Lucky Life‘ is coming out on Sad Club Records on April 16th. (Carmel Walsh)
Juni Habel – Evergreen In Your Mind
Why we love it: Norwegian singer-songwriter Juni Habel‘s new album Evergreen in Your Mind is consumed with a search for connection, and it’s a recurring theme across the record; “the polarity between stillness and passion, also our resistance to these desires, and the things we want to live and experience.”
The album’s title-track is ornate, cycling with delicate acoustic motifs and Habel’s intimate and gracefully drawn vocals; it transfixes with a gentle pull of isolation and yearning and want of connection. It finds Habel out in the woods, hiding from real life, caught in the space between the natural world and the pull of modernity. “It’s nostalgic. It’s about looking back and realizing things will be different,” Habel says. “Its about visualizing something beautiful in your head that you keep clinging onto.” For fans of Laura Marling and Joni Mitchell this is utterly gorgeous.
Evergreen In Your Mind, the new and third album from Habel, exists in two worlds at the same time. Songs were recorded in quiet corners of her home, on the piano in the school where she works, and it uses the physical world around her to provide percussion. It also takes place, as she herself attests, within a dream; an imagined place in which her desire for oneness with each other and the world around us is finally realised.
Evergreen In Your Mind was recorded with co-producer Stian Skaaden, it’s Habel’s first album in three-years, following the breakthrough success of 2023’s Carvings LP. Formed of eleven new recordings, the songs here remain delicate, Habel’s voice playing an elegant lead role – but there are fluctuations too. (Bill Cummings)
