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| Photo by Cody Whear |
Tez - Feathers
indie rock
Canterbury four-piece Tez makes a compelling case for emotional vulnerability in their recent single "Feathers". Touching on themes of "the recognition of spirits, good karma, and appreciation" the self-aware single sees frontman Owen Mellett wear his heart on his sleeve while his bandmates navigate his complexities with measured bars and subdued playing. Taken from the EP, The New Era, "Feathers" was produced by Ian Flynn at Unwound Studios and features a sharp sound that doesn't cover up the group's idiosyncratic nuances. Instead, energetic drumming, classy guitars hinting at shades of funk, and soulful singing all culminate in a sincere impression of youthful passion, and quite a lasting one at that.
Houston in the Blind - Thoughts of You
indie rock
Spearheaded by singer-songwriter Charlie Garrett, Houston in the Blind is an indie rock ensemble with tight control over their watery songs. Garrett's accessible and radio-friendly musings are manifested into something more spacious and epic than their source material. Such is the case for the recent single, "Thoughts of You", a subdued tune on the sweet side of cliche, with intimate moments of romanticism expressed through whispery vocals, honest lyrics, and pleasingly smooth indie rock. While Houston in the Blind positions itself firmly middle-of-the-road, that road happens to be a very pretty one.
Yodashe - CHRYSALID
alternative
Having studied architecture has seemed to imbue the work of London's Yodashe with a propensity for beguiling yet sturdy structures. Her music, as evidenced by the recent single "CHRYSALID", assembles spluttering electronics, manipulated vocals, and mechanized percussion into an ornate and constitutionally sound experiment in artistic pop. "Don't look around for a saviour" sings Yodashe in this haunting single, which explores the deeper recesses of the artist's mind through exploratory and highly expressive styles that reference spirituality and the stress of complicated interpersonal relationships, yielding an anxious song that searches for moments of calm in the storm.
Akrobat - Mosquito
alternative
Dublin's Akrobat has been releasing their zestful brand of psychedelic lounge rock since 2022's debut Jammed Space Movement. Composed of songwriter and guitarist Shane Regan, vocalist Selen Kortutan, guitarist Paddy Lyons, keyboardist Eoin McCarthy, bassist Joan Pelaez, and drummer Peter Cahill, this six-piece band makes a hell of a racket on "Mosquito" a track taken from the recent EP Shank. Through an intoxicating burst of mind-altering progressive rock, Akrobat commands their multifaceted elements with razor-sharp precision, giving plenty of space for Kortutan to deliver a memorable vocal performance. Though it might be a challenge to glean any meaning from this track, there's a sense of anxiety to proceedings mirrored in the warbly synth lines and instrumentation which arrive at the cacophonously cathartic.
A Number From the Ghost - Ceiling Talker
experimental
It was only a matter of time before the unprecedented levels of technological development we are witnessing produced gimmicky music-cum-art projects. Thankfully, Cincinnati-based musician Peter Adams, A.K.A A Number from the Ghost, has the talent to give his mindbending tech experiments that je ne sais quoi. Through a series of interactive videos, listeners can get lost in a digital world of strange geometric shapes and eerie corridors. Just visit https://www.anumberfromtheghost.com/ and you will be invited into the plentiful imagination of Adams, who merges his visual aesthetic with gentle and trickling electronic sounds. Exploring themes of "dreams, memories, technology, and the surreal", the music stands on its own thanks to its stark shifts in dynamics, but when experienced with the immersive VR-enabled video, a new level of connection is achieved. The future is truly here.