Thank you for the years of reading. I've appreciated every one of you and will continue to love and research music, but for now, I will not be continuing with TLB.
"You've Got To Hear This!"
2009 - 2016
"You've Got To Hear This!"
2009 - 2016
Thank you for the years of reading. I've appreciated every one of you and will continue to love and research music, but for now, I will not be continuing with TLB.
"You've Got To Hear This!" 2009 - 2016
0 Comments
Last year we tipped Zak Abel for greatness, and whilst it is a little late in the year for that to be guaranteed for 2016, we're still very much sure that he will be a household name before long. His new single, Unstable, epitomises why that is very much a possibility for this young talent, and with every time we listen, we get a little more excited for his debut album.
Zak is a mixture of Ed Sheeran's sensitive nature, Will Heard and John Newman's voices, and Jonas Blue's catchiness ... it's a recipe for greatness, and every ingredient balances in perfect quantity. The guitar leads the single, with some ghost-effected vocals setting the scene. On a relatively low and non-offensive tone Zak begins the track, sweeping through the story to get towards the climactic chorus. It bursts into life just after he sings "I know, I know, I know, I know you deserve better", with a tropical effect surrounding the song, which is very much on the cards for the year ahead. From the on, there's almost a dance-esque element to the track, that ended up giving Jonas Blue and JP Cooper their current names in the industry ... surely there's space for another? The thing we adore the most abut Zak is his ability to put his heart-wrenching experiences into utterly infectious tracks. He is not shy when it comes to talking about his feelings, and this is not the first time we have suggested he would be an incredible ambassador for the likes of Mind., the charity for mental health issues in the UK. This single is called Unstable, and clearly talks about the issues men can have trying to be in a stable relationship when their head is very much not there, and equally, how this can be handled badly by their respective other half. To consider this, and put it into a track that the whole family can enjoy, mixed with some pretty sensational vocal ability ... and you have the making of a bloody wonderful superstar in our eyes! Check out the beautiful new single, Unstable below:
We quickly became obsessed with Something In The Water after its recent release, but it is often quite tough to follow up such a heartfelt single and we wondered if we'd hear much more from Tom Grennan until yesterday morning. Sweet Hallelujah is possibly one of our favourite tracks of 2016 and we have only known it for a day. Like something right out of a Bond film, this dramatic and inspired creation is right up our street!
It starts very sweetly with not more than a couple of guitars. You'll soon fall under the spell of Tom's voice though, he has a gravelly twang throughout, but is no stranger to falsetto either ... he sweeps up and down, constantly keeping you enticed until the crescendo which somewhat catches you off guard. It's an incredible mixture of James Bay, Hozier and Mumford & Sons ... he's utterly eclectic and one of the most underrated talents in the industry for now! We think the use of music, and in some instances the lack of music really do build this into the masterpiece it is. Very much like your favourite rollercoaster, you'll dip and dive constantly for the few minutes you're through the ride. Lyrically it is very similar to that of Mumford & Sons with the likes of angels, lions and hallelujahs a-plenty ... but seeing as they're not much on the scene at the moment this is a welcomed surprise that we consider to be very inspiring and the beginning of a very exciting career. Check out the incredible new EP below, which includes Sweet Hallelujah and Something in the Water:
We're all about hyping up home grown talent, so it's brilliant to see names like Get Inuit, Ghouls, Fish Tank and Dead Ceremony doing so well this past year. Kent has really gotten itself on the map recently in the music industry, which is why it is such an exciting time to be a musician from this little blob on the map. Silent Crowd, four guys of which are from this blob (and a little bit of London too we understand) are yet another very exciting asset and their new single, Candy, is nothing short of exceptional.
In its simplest form, this is a brilliant piece of Indie pop which will have you dancing alongside the likes of The 1975 and Jakil. It evidently wears its heart on its sleeve and is a very sincere piece of music that doesn't try too hard to enjoy itself - as a result, it really gets your blood pumping. The crescendos within the guitar are reminiscent of Viola Beach and (of course) The 1975, but the vocal is a tad more Young Kato or Saint Raymond-esque ... both of which are not bad things at all. Masterfully produced by Kristofer Harris, who has worked with both Get Inuit and Bear's Den before don't you know, there is clearly a huge consortium of talent that has been pooled together to bring this to the fore. With this in mind, it makes Silent Crowd a very exciting prospect to consider for the future. If they're able to produce music of this calibre now, who knows what the next year or so looks like for them. We're expecting pretty big things from these guys, but find ourselves more than satisfied with their new release Candy, which will be available from October 21st - check it out below!
Hailing as one of our favourite bands of the 21st century, Palace have taken a small step back and illuminated just what it is we love about them with their most heartfelt track to date. Holy Smoke acts as track release #3 this year and, with a slightly slower tempo, there's a new dynamic to their most recent music ... which actually is reminiscent of some of their older work (circa. Tomahawk and Veins).
Their music now is clearly far more produced, but that's not to suggest that any of the raw elements of their work has been lost. That's the real beauty behind Palace, they have ever so slightly honed their ideas, but have made sure to handle themselves delicately as not to lose anything that so many fans have come to adore over their relatively brief career. The end result is some of the most gorgeous and impressive new music of the year and something that we still find ourselves excited about whenever we hear the word, Palace. Holy Smoke, beginning on nothing more than a plucked acoustic and a melodic electric, sets the scene for somewhat of a picture book of a song. Leo then sweeps in after 20 seconds of bone-tinglingly calm musicianship to open up the vocal sphere. From there, the goal is just to build, and build they do. Rising up throughout, they keep climbing and grafting until the climax of the chorus - "I've seen Holy Smoke, out the window. Rise up, Through the shadows with a new glow. Farewell My friend, It's over now. Be well, my friend". The yearning and emotion behind the track will clutch you, and hold you, right to the bitter end. We're yet to hear a band quite like Palace and can only keep pushing every single second of music that they make until the masses hear what we consider some of the best sounds ever made. Listen to the utterly stunning track below & grab tickets to see them in Brixton here. Our love for an eternally confident woman has never really lessened, and so to hear a brand new voice in the game with confidence, showmanship, and a great range is everything. Tayla, hailing from Birmingham, has an instant hit on her hands with a very '90's R'n'B/dance beat on her debut, Call Me Danger. She hits the heights of her vocal range, but keeps it up to the very end which will only entice you more and more as the track goes on. Like something that Rihanna would have picked up at the start of her career you can't help but love the way this track sounds and will most definitely feel empowered at her almost cocky nature - we love Tayla. If you listen before you see the music video, you may expect someone more in the realms of Karen Harding, who has proven herself on the dance scene over the past year or two, but a much more raw and hip hop-esque artist emerges, and almost cements for us something more that we love and respect about this girl. It is obvious that this is very much about being free and happy to express yourself however you like, and to feel bloody good doing it. We feel that the nail has been hit on the head with this song and commend Tayla for absolutely bloody smashing it! We can't wait to hear more - check out the video below: Bon Iver's self-titled 2011 album was the turning point in their career to greatness. With simplistic beauty and absolute grace, they quickly became a huge contender in the music world alongside acts such as Ben Howard and Birdy. They're is now back in the game after a five year period and, whilst there is noticeably some changes in stature, that somewhat weird, but utterly beautiful melodic sense is very much still at large, albeit with a slightly bigger bark and bite. 33 "GOD", acting as the second single from new album, 22 A Million has a less folky tone to it than that of the 2011 album, but the piano in the beginning is utterly gorgeous and reminiscent of Tom Odell's repertoire. Soon there after, there is of course the unmistakeable droplets of sound effects throughout and the almighty falsetto of Justin Vernon. With some effects over his vocals, he picks up the single delicately and transports you on all sorts of trips and travels as though you had just taken something you really shouldn't. It isn't long though, until the percussion comes in and gives this a slightly different dynamic than what we may be used to, or what we may be expecting. It's relatively dark, in fact, and that is something very peculiar, but bloody brilliantly in portrayal. Going from light to shade, we have to take our hats off to these guys as they have managed to reinvent the wheel once again, and in a way which, albeit odd, really does work in a manner of ways. We don't suspect for a second that everyone will adore this from the second they hear it, but we plea that you give it a few listens, because it hasn't taken us long to fall for Bon Iver all over again with what can only be described as the ultimate musical storyboard. We're very excited for September 30th, when new album 22, A Millions, will be born! Check out the new single below:
Get Inuit are quickly becoming the most exciting band on the block and with their singles going from strength to strength it is no wonder that more and more eyes and ears are piercing their way. Teriyaki, despite only being but a couple of minutes long, is filled to the very cusp with excitement, joy, and a formidable energy that is perfect for the weather. These guys have never been shy, but it is almost as though they have fed themselves up with E-numbers to reach the intensity and speed of a small child on a sugar rush.
They've definitely stuck to their guns, which is refreshing to see, and with that their sound has merely enhanced over time. The riff of this one being the show-stopper, they can keep you entertained for hours at a time but only give you a few seconds so that you keep going back time and time again. It seems that we can expect a lot of new material from these guys and that some exciting things are to come over the following months ... if Teriyaki is anything to go by, we're very excited. These guys have, yet again, hit the nail on the head. Their energy is along the lines of The Monkees, Clean Cut Kid, RAT BOY, Jamie T, Wavves, The Beach Boys or Best Coast. There are just so many elements that you can't help but fall into that lovable trap. We've said it 100 times over, but we suspect that before long they'll be quite the household name, and it is certainly only a small matter of time until the right ears here this and project it far and wide. Quite some time ago we saw Leo Stannard when he was supporting The Intermission Project (where the hell have they gotten to?), and were thoroughly unimpressed. We didn't hold back many punches when writing our review and hadn't heard from him since then to be honest ... but we now feel as though young Leo has come back to have the last laugh with this new single, In My Blood, which has simply summed up how very wrong we were to cast him aside. Albeit a little Coldplay-esque, this is a thoroughly beautiful single. Entering on a glistening piano riff, Leo takes centre-stage with his relatively bold vocal. He has an almost David Gray-like twang too, something we've not heard since the days of This Year's Love (what a beauty that will always be, Dave. Thanks). Before long the percussion sweeps in though, and gives it a much more contemporary dynamic, though, this isn't to take away from the delicate nature Leo has crafted. Progressively, his vocal becomes more powerful and abrasive, adding a deeper texture to the prettiness of the single. Yet, he manages to smoothly touch back down and briskly head back up without so much as a wince, which always shows signs of a young musician that is looking to take over much of the world. There really is something special about this lad, and we suppose it is no wonder that Disclosure seemed to be eyeing him up for a collaboration that evening when supporting The Intermission Project (seriously, guys, where you at?!). We hate to eat our words, but from time to time we are shown the way by a true depiction of progression in a young artist and in Leo Stannard, we most certainly have been shown the way. In My Blood is, simply put, an utterly gorgeous triumph that we are huge fans of. Alma Miettinen seems to be quite tough to learn much about. Other than her earning a fifth place spot on the FInnish version of Pop Idol (aptly named Idols), she signed to a Warner subsidiary, PME Records, and has subsequently released what can only be described as a huge hit in the making. Already spreading across Europe like wildfire, Karma is an infectious Pop anthem that has all of the elements to shoot Alma into unprecedented stardom! Though it's not anything that you won't have heard before in terms of structure,why would you try to fix a recipe that works every time? In very European style, the main component of the track is synth. It gives it a slightly darker element, alongside the lyrics, to send a very poignant message. Alma's vocals can only be described as those on par with the likes of Gwen Stefani or Paloma Faith ... but stylistically, she has something very different about her. Historically, Gameshow contestants do not make singles like this, and if we weren't to tell you her background, we suspect you wouldn't have any idea in your head of where she sprouted from! As a debut this is very strong and PME can be very excited that she will be making waves around the world. With the gradual crescendo in the music, the constant upkeep of the audience, and the ease of learning the lyrics, you'll soon find yourself hooked. There is a mass of science behind music nowadays with the likes of Mark Ronson spending six months to perfect Uptown Funk, but something like this can plod along merrily and send the music world into a hype. We're very excited to have heard about this incredible singer-songwriter before the masses and think the name Alma will soon be on the end of everyone's lips. Check out this infectious Summer anthem below: |