Photo credit: Adan Carlo
Lomelda – ‘Interstate Vision‘
Lomelda (or Hannah Read to her parents) is a GoldFlakePaint favorite who has toured with Pinegrove and is starting to develop a loyal, passionate following. It’s easy to see why. Her songs sound like a combination of Kevin Devine and Sharon Van Etten and ‘Interstate Vision’ is an acoustic and sparse number with visceral lyrics about angels guiding her home. She has a beautiful voice and we can’t imagine anyone would not have goosebumps as she ponders thoughts about growing older but not growing up (‘Still I sit with you in parking lots, acting like I’m not falling for it’) and then sweetly asks: ‘Can you feel me now? Do you know me yet?’
Sons – ‘Zealot‘
Ahead of a new EP in the autumn, Brighton duo Sons have unveiled ‘Zealot’ and it’s a three-minute beast of a song – combining Tigercub-style riffs with the power of Death from Above 1979. Loud from the very first moment, it’s a song designed for Reading Festival with its bold lyrics (‘Push it, destroy it, take down the status quo’) and angst-ridden screaming.
The Machiavellis – ‘Grey Day Machine‘
Hailing from Kent, The Machiavellis list the likes of Slowdive and Wolf Alice among their influences and you can certainly hear both throughout ‘Grey Day Machine’. Starting with a more traditional guitar sound, it’s not long before a shoegazing atmosphere surrounds the hushed vocals. As it drifts along, more melody comes into the fray but these are battling against a riveting bout of complex experimentalism that owes a nod to My Bloody Valentine. This is both loud and intimate at once. Listen to it.
Marsicans – ‘Too Good‘
Marsicans have toured with Clean Cut Kid and won fans at various festivals over the past few years. ‘Too Good’ is a summer indie-pop song in the vein of Two Door Cinema Club that has self-depreciating lyrics: ‘It’s a shame I’m no wordsmith, but you are’. Wrapped up in delicious hooks, the band’s frontman, James, is pining for someone and wishing for better times as he states ‘You got me caught in a dream’ and ‘You spend an hour trying to get your fairy lights to turn on, but it’s worth it’.
ULTRAS – ‘You’ve a Foul Mouth John Barleycorn‘
Ok, this one’s been out a little while now but it’s such a banger we couldn’t not include it in this list. Recommended by a friend (thanks, Thom), ULTRAS is the genre-busting and mind-bending project of multi-instrumentalist, Gav Prentice. The band has played shows with Admiral Fallow and specialise in electronica-tinged anthems – ‘You’ve a Foul Mouth John Barleycorn’ is rinsed in beats and synths but merges this sound with a more straightforward anthemic guitar sound. Think The Xcerts jamming out a session with Clock Opera while Chvrches watch on…
Filed under: New music, Preview, Top 5s Tagged: alternative music, Bandcamp, Brighton, Grey Day Machine, indie music, Interstate Vision, Lomelda, Marsicans, new music, Pinegrove, pop music, rock music, Sons, soundcloud, The Machiavellis, Thx, Too Good, ULTRAS, You've a Foul Mouth John Barleycorn, YouTube, Zealot