Single Review: “Unfinished Sympathy” – Massive Attack

This track is just beautiful! Why did I pick it for the throwback track of the day? Well back in 1998 listeners for BBC Radio 1 voted this number 1 in the 100 national anthems. For me this track has got everything, lush strings, scratching, a breakbeat with hypnotic bells in there too. The vocals …

Single Review: “Air, Part 2” – Lycio.

What I like about this track is the use of synthesisers on it, it’s nice and spacious overall! The crackle of the vinyl at the beginning gives you the feeling this could have been recorded in the 80s, and this is reinforced with the way that the drums have a bit of a swing to them …

Single Review: “It’s Never Been Better” – The Goa Express

I like the way this begins, the phases in straight into the jangly guitars.. you don’t expect it! This song is a reflection on a summer relationship of some sort, now it’s the winter it’s great to look back on the summer of 2023 now the year is almost over My favourite par of the …

Single Review: “Somebody’s Daughter” – The Deep Blue

This song….  It got me through my morning cuppa and emails. It then got me through my walk around sainsbury’s. It got me through putting my shopping away.  I’ve been sat at the keyboard playing around with the chord progression too.  What a beauty! The electric piano is what did it for me, especially in …

EP Review: “Modern Artifice” – Freyja Elsy

Freyja is here and she’s brought four stunning tracks! Let’s get into it. Sad Girls This track opens up with ethereal sounds, bells and what sounds like an arpeggiated muted guitar. The drums are quite complex once they get going – hi hats switching between 8th note rhythms to 32nd rhythms, the rim shot playing …

Single Review: “Accordion Song” – Mae Karthauser

A waltz! Something for double bass, vocals, cello, flute and piano. It’s gorgeous, the only thing that surprised me was the lack of an accordion! You can just hear it. This is listed as alternative folk, but it has a little bit of a jazzy flair in the arrangement. You can just imagine this being …

Single Review: “Master Narrative” – Barbara

Well! This is a stonker of a track from Barbara. Electric piano put through a slight phaser for the intro, it comes at you with the feel of a musical theatre song, you can just imagine the gaudy colours and big gestures. Just to add to that the big vocals with harmonies panned left and …

Single Review: “News And Media” – Ahmed And The Romans

This starts off with that real live room rehearsal feel, like you’re sat in Pirate Studios and privy to a band’s inner sanctum… I like that idea! Sometimes the mix doesn’t need to be clean to capture the energy of the track. It’s big, it’s loud, and combines all the elements – Italo-Egyptian-Garage-Punk. Love it. …

Single Review: “Living The Dream” – Ski Lift

Is this a song told from the perspective of a turtle?  Possibly, given the first line of the song!  “I can feel my head sliding back inside my shell…” and the picture of one of the front cover.  Or, it could be a contemplative song of what the writer could be doing instead of their …