SKOTT - LACK OF EMOTION

I know it hasn't been long since I first introduced SKOTT to you, but her most recent song deserves some attention. Following on from her debut song 'Porcelain' that caught everyone's attention and the two singles that preceded it 'Wolf' and 'Amelia' SKOTT has not only shown her diversity as a singer but has further enforced her status as one to watch in the coming months. The Norwegian songstress' newest song 'Lack of Emotion' is different from her previous singles in that it has a consistently upbeat rhythm that leans more towards the dance/electronic genres, differentiating itself from the moodier folk/indie sounds that have come to be associated with SKOTT's emerging musical style. With that said, the song still showcases a dark twist that is becoming common in all of SKOTT's songs, featuring an eerie whistle breakdown in the middle of the track, echoey choir-like background vocals and swelling string instruments that make the song almost cinematic in places. This latest single explores SKOTT's talent as a truly spellbinding singer, the song featuring welcoming falsetto pitches and a theatrical flair which is slowly becoming a theme within the Norwegian's music.

Lyrically the song is surprising, consisting of serious and emotive words that are disguised by the track's upbeat tempo. (And you feed all the lies in my head, Still you never get me nowhere / I never asked you to come and save me / Maybe I will die alone, But I won't have to bother once I'm gone). 'Lack of Emotion' is a perfect example of how SKOTT can mix mainstream pop rhythms with dark and edgy songwriting that evokes a moving and sombre tone, creating a distinct sound. This latest single sees the Norwegian chanteuse build and develop her musical style, the eclectic and enchanting nature of her songwriting abilities already earning her a loyal and growing fanbase. 

LÉON - Think About You

Although this song leans more towards pop than it does the indie or alternative genres, I can't not share the beautiful music and songwriting talents of LÉON with you. Releasing her first EP 'Treasure' last year and 'Think About You' being the first single to be released this year, LÉON's musical talent and artistry as a singer still holds enough obscurity to get excited about before she undoubtedly gets mass attention in the coming months. Her first single from her debut EP last year gathered over 20 million plays on Spotify and the Swedish singer has already earned the appreciation of American pop singer Katy Perry. Growing up in Stockholm, LÉON first began her career in music as a front woman for a hip hop group as a teenager before later deciding to pursue a solo career. 

Through it's lyrics and minimal, bluesy piano hooks the 'Think About You' appears to be another simple heartbreak ballad. Yet the record quickly evolves into a surprisingly optimistic, cheerful anthem that dances around the pop/ballad genre and is carried by LÉON's soft and soulful vocals. The Swedish singer has in the past mentioned her songwriting style relies on her lyrics remaining honest, open-hearted and relatable, this song telling the story of a confusing and badly handled relationship LÉON experienced when she was 18. LÉON is a relatively new artist who is still building and developing her style of music. Although only having a handful of songs to her name, this latest single strengthens her status as a young musician. LÉON is already toeing the edges of success and her name is one you will most definitely be hearing a lot of in the future. 

Alex Vargas - Higher Love

Alex Vargas in many cases is still a hidden talent. The singer first grabbed my attention with his song 'Solid Ground' only last year. Vargas has a voice that I feel no one will be left disappointed with, his vocals drawing similarities with other indie alternative artists as Matt Corby or James Bay. The Danish singer's music shows a perfect balance between that mainstream indie/acoustic sound that has become a mainstay of the charts and an alternative edge that, at the same time, makes him stand out from the crowd.

At the age of 17 Vargas moved to London from Denmark in order to pursue music, starting his own band 'Vagabond' in 2008. Touring around the UK and performing at multiple festivals, the band disbanded in 2010 and Vargas began his solo career signing with Copenhagen records. Consistently releasing music since 2014, featuring on a host of other artist's records (Above and Beyond/Believe in Giants) and having one EP 'Giving up the Ghost' to his name released in 2015, Vargas is still a fresh face to the music scene and deserves a lot more attention. 

His newest song, 'Higher Love' signals his only original release this year and does not disappoint. The track begins with a muffled, echoey bass line coupled with minimal electronic snaps and soon grows into a truly emotive and impactful record. Combining Vargas' natural vocal talents that slide from raw emotion to falsetto pitches with climactic and dramatic electronic beats, 'Higher Love' shows off every level of Vargas' musical skill and uses a resonating, powerful bass line that demands the listener's full attention. I'm looking forward to hearing more of his work in the future. 

Mansionair - Easier

I've been a fan of Mansionair for two years after listening to and falling in love with their song 'Hold me Down'. However, I have recently started to lose hope as the band has been very quiet for the last two years, presumably working on new material. Finally they're back with this stand out record 'Easier' which gives us the first taste of what they have been working on and a sample of what is to come from their debut album. The song reminds me of everything I love about Mansionair's music, the silky vocals combined with a low rumbling bass and bold, progressive synth-like hooks that recall the work of fellow Australian artist Flume. Eric J who has in the past worked with Flume and Chet Faker assisted in the production of this song. 

Anyone who knows me knows I have a soft spot for artists who sing in falsetto, Bon Iver and James Vincent McMorrow being some of my favourite artists. Similarly with Mansionair, lead singer Jack Froggatt is another one of those singer's who's dreamy falsetto tones form the foundation of every Mansionair track, his vocals appearing effortless and creating a faultless, pure and enchanting sound. Multi-insturmentalists Lachlan Bostock and Alex Nicholls form the rest of the band and with only a few songs to their name, it seems Mansionair are already establishing their mastery over the indie electronica genre, with snappy electronic beats and tantalising vocals. It's been a long time coming but after such a long wait from the band, and this being the first taste of what's to come, I am more than ready to see what else they have in store for us. 

Wyvern Lingo - Beast At The Door

There are not many bands that cite such a diverse range of genres as influences for their music. Hailing from County Wicklow Ireland, Wyvern Lingo are a trio who's musical style is difficult to pinpoint, mixing genres such as indie, alternative, folk and R&B to create music with a fresh and distinct sound. Many of their songs feature unique, unpredictable and shifting tempo changes to create exciting and electrifying music with compelling rhythms and angelic vocal harmonies. This song in particular shows a darker side to the band's musical stylings. The concept for the song first came from drummer and vocalist Caoimhe Barry and was inspired by a cartoon she saw when she was young that still haunts her today. 

The song is based on an old German folk tale called 'The Woodcutter's Wealthy Sister' and was later adapted into an educational cartoon for children in the 1990s. The story focuses on a princess who convinces a Woodcutter she is his long lost sister and invites him and his family to come live with her. The princess is revealed to be a monster in disguise and the story ends with her creeping up to the Woodcutter's door and eating him alive, his wife and children narrowly escaping in time. The unusual inspiration for this song and the tales creepy undertones are reflected in the songs dark and resonating rhythms coupled with Caoimhe's ghostly vocals. This track shows a blend of genres such as blues, indie folk and alternative rock. The song also highlights the trio's talent as singers, putting their vocal chords to the test in a track that builds itself up into a dark and twisted ballad with pitch perfect vocals and rousing harmonies. They have in the past supported Hozier on his UK tour last year and I recently saw them live supporting James Vincent McMorrow on the UK leg of his tour this Autumn. Seeing them live made me even more of a fan of their music and I cannot wait to hear more from them. 

Moses Sumney - Lonely World

There are not many artists with such vocal talents as Moses Sumney, his voice both distinct and attention grabbing. With only a few songs to his name and already working with and garnering appreciation from such well known artists as Solange Knowles and Sufjan Stevens, Sumney's talents come with high expectations and in his most recent original song 'Lonely World' the excitement and hype around this young artist does not go unjustified.

Starting to write music at age 12 and growing up in both California and Ghana, it is clear Sumney's musical influences are a product of his multi-cultural upbringing. His music straddles a mixture of genres from indie, blues, electronica and folk. Sumney's music also always carries a distinct experimental flair, from using a vocoder to produce songs reminiscent of Bon Iver to creating tracks that are specifically designed around off centre rhythms and irregular tempos similar to James Blake who he has recently supported on his North American tour this Autumn. Citing musical influences such as Usher, Beyoncé and Ella Fitzgerald, Sumney has a killer vocal range. His spine tingling falsetto tones and lingering vibrato rivals fellow indie artists such as James Vincent McMorrow and Lianne La Havas. With a ghostly and unforgettable vocal style, Sumney's voice is not one you are likely to forget anytime soon.  

Peta & The Wolves - Verbal Wars

I discovered Peta & The Wolves a few months ago and they're one of the newer indie pop bands I am really excited to hear more of. Based in Melbourne, Australian vocalist Peta Jeffress and fellow bandmate Gabrielle Wagnberg gained attention with their first demo 'Scum', earning them a play on popular Australian radio station Triple J. The song was also used in a 2015 trailer for the popular television series Vampire Diaries. Three months ago, they released their second song 'Verbal Wars' as a first taste of the EP they have been working on since the success of their first demo.

The song mixes experimental and engaging vocal layers with dreamy synths to make an exciting and distinct sound. Although beginning quite minimal with echoey vocal loops and cyclical downtempo rhythms, the song gradually builds itself into a sonorous and full bodied track with almost choral sounding harmonies. I look forward to hearing more from these two talented musicians in the future.

The Great Escape - I Can't Resist

There is something satisfying about discovering a good indie rock band that produce the same soul punching, bluesy rhythms as other popular American artists such as The Black Keys and The White Stripes. Californian band 'The Great Escape' have been producing their mixture of alt pop music since 2014 and this song is the first single from their highly anticipated second album 'Universe in Bloom' coming out in 2017. While their first album feels a lot more understated, leaning towards a more light and bluesy sound, this most recent single indicates a boost in the American trio's confidence, featuring bold guitar licks and foot stomping drums.

This single represents not only where the band is going in terms of their musical direction but also pays homage to that vintage American blues rock sound. If The Great Escape continue their exploration into this genre and keep producing the same hard hitting rhythms, soulful vocal tones and bluesy hooks that are featured on 'I Can't Resist', there's no doubt they will be a grabbing a lot of people's attention very soon.

Hannah Epperson - Story (Amelia)

Canadian born, Brooklyn based singer songwriter Hannah Epperson has an amazingly unique style of music that instantly caught my attention. Her debut album 'Upsweep' was just released on the 16th of September. Yet the stand out track for me and the very first song I listened to from the singer songwriter, 'Story (Amelia)', showcases and perfectly represents Hannah's fresh, down-tempo indie/electro sound. 

Epperson has gathered a remarkable amount of experience spanning many fields within the music industry. From being a trained violinist and solo performer herself, to composing and performing for various film and dance projects around the US, Hannah Epperson's mature and distinct style of music crosses genres and offers up a musical and emotional exploration. Hannah's prowess and involvement in various dance projects around the US is best reflected in the music video for 'Story (Amelia)'. Within the video, the song is accompanied and expressed through a hypnotic and dramatic interpretive dance, the captivating performance a spectacle of raw emotion. Epperson's journey as an artist ranges from learning Appalachian folk tunes in Utah to touring Europe and Scandinavia as an accompanist, her eclectic musical background influencing her experimental sound. Equipped with a violin, soothing vocals and a loop pedal, Epperson's musical talents see her weave raw emotion with rousing electronic beats, earning her a place as one to watch in the future.

SKOTT - Wolf

'Wolf' was the first song I ever listened to from the indie pop singer Skott and she has quickly become one of my favourite new artists from this year, set to surely dominate the indie pop / singer songwriter genres in the future. Released around a month ago, 'Wolf' is not the most recent song put out by the young indie pop artist however I feel like it is a great introduction to the Norwegian singer's spellbinding music. The first thing you notice when listening to Skott's voice is her impressive vocal range, gliding from the normal vocal tones expected of a young singer songwriter to dizzying falsetto highs.

Growing up in a forest commune in Norway, it is clear Skott's upbringing and her close relationship with nature is reflected both in her enchanting and mystical musical style and the creative artwork featured on every single she releases. Skott has already received attention and gained a fan in fellow rising young artist Lorde and it's easy to see why, both Lorde and Skott sharing the same indulgent, dark-tinged indie pop style of music.

As I'm writing this she has currently only released three songs, but there's no doubt the catchy and inviting rhythms of Skott's music and her breathtaking vocal range will catch the attention of the masses very soon.

Billie Marten - Writing of Blues and Yellows - Rambler Review

Not many of us can say that we have released a debut album at the tender age of 17, yet Billie Marten has somehow managed to balance both an exciting fledgling career within the music industry while also battling her GCSE’s and A Levels. Growing up in Ripon North Yorkshire, Marten first grabbed everyone’s attention at age twelve when she performed some acoustic sessions for a local YouTube channel titled ‘Ont Sofa’. She then reappeared at the age of fifteen when she released her debut EP titled ‘Ribbon’. In 2015 she was signed to Chess Club records, an offshoot of Sony Music and released the single Heavy Weather in April 2015. She also released another very successful EP titled 'As Long As’ in November 2015 which included the very successful single ‘Bird’. After touring for the first time in October 2015, supporting Lucy Rose, she has slowly been gathering a growing audience of fans. Her growing support and encouragement from the BBC landed her a place on BBC Radio1’s Sound of 2016 list along with other exciting new artists such as Jack Garratt, NAO and Mura Masa. Finally, to the delight of her growing fanbase she released her debut album ‘Writing of Blues and Yellows’ this year on the 23rd of September. In the past Marten has described her music as a mixture of acoustic, folk and indie. Her inspirations include legendary folk artists and singer songwriters such as Nick Cave and Joni Mitchell. 

The title itself, ‘Writing of Blues and Yellows’ is a reference to Martens experiences with synesthesia, a neurological condition  which mixes up the senses. In Marten’s case she often perceives music in the form of colours, and specifically in this album she perceives the songs to be composed of shades of blues and yellows. Although Marten has a natural talent to create rich and imaginative lyrics, there is no doubt her unique ability to often perceive different sounds and songs in the form of colours certainly adds something to her creative flair.

Instantly when viewing the album, Marten’s love and fondness for Joni Mitchell is clearly echoed through her decision to use a beautiful self portrait, painted by talented American artist Adam Caldwell for the cover artwork. The artwork of this album closely resembles Joni Mitchell’s well received and widely celebrated second studio album titled ‘Clouds’ in which she too chose to use a self portrait for her album’s cover artwork. Other than Marten’s more obvious inspirations from Joni Mitchell, her angelic and silk-like voice in particular is very comparable to other prominent female singer songwriters such as Lucy Rose. Her ability to create complex, introspective and intricate lyrics that evoke a maturity beyond her years also feels reminiscent of a young Laura Marling. Much like the cover artwork itself, throughout the album and within each song Marten’s lyrical abilities paint vivid pictures and tell stories that draw inspiration from her own observations of the world, her life and the people around her. 

The song ‘La Lune’ exemplifies Marten’s seemingly natural talent for creating commanding and engaging lyrics filled with colourful and vibrant imagery (‘Swallow me whole with the moon on my back, one side is pink and the other is black I'm good at hiding in the dead and grey’). Marten’s ability as a synesthete to see songs in different shades of colour clearly aids her in her ability to produce songs that offer a multi-sensory experience and create pieces of music that lyrically translate both sonically and visually. Marten’s lyrical talents are expertly shown throughout the album, each song filled with personal and emotive stories that for such a young singer have some profound observations on the workings of the world. Some of her songs deal with very serious and mature issues, the track ‘Teeth’ sharing Marten’s experiences with mental distress (‘If you asked me if I’m fine then I’d say yes, but I am lying through my teeth and they all know that / ‘And I'm writing this in a bad way, no one can hear what my head says’) and the song ‘Bird’ exposing the dangerous and often unintentional negative impact words can have on an individual ('Nobody's watching, drowning in words so sweet, mild is the water, caught as a bird once free’). The chilling and thought provoking lyrics of some of the songs on the album however do not completely eclipse the often feel good, relaxing and light songs such as ‘Live’ and ‘Milk & Honey’. It is at these points where the often deep rooted melancholia of the album is balanced out. Songs such as ‘Live’ for example, through Marten’s lyrics expresses her enthusiasm for life and firmly represents her as the hopeful, youthful teenager she really is. (‘I want to see things that I’ve never seen, quietly happy and live by the sea’  / ‘I want to stay out all night say hello to the dawn, creep back to bed they’ll never know I was gone’), the song expresses the joyous wishes and hopes of a 17 year old who no doubt has an amazing journey and career ahead of her.

Singles that were previously released before the album debuted such as ‘La Lune’, ‘Lionhearted’ and ‘Milk & Honey’ all carry very touching themes and often lyrically give an insight into both Marten’s childhood and her comprehension of the outside world. Particularly within the song ‘La Lune’, the track provides a nostalgic journey into Marten’s childhood, as we reminisce with her and reflect on her life at home growing up. Often Marten’s lyrics can be incredibly self analytical and represent all the wonders and unpredictabilities of life, her songs filled with the many questions you would expect a 17 year old to have about both how the world works and her own insecurities. The introspective song ‘Lionhearted’ demonstrates this clearly as the lyrics share Marten’s inner-most thoughts, doubts and insecurities concerning her shy nature and introverted personality. (‘What would life be like with a lion heart inside’). In addition, the insightful lyrics of ‘Milk & Honey’ tackle deep and complex issues regarding greed in all aspects of life. (‘But all you want is milk, more than you can drink, all you want is honey / You live for overkill, but you're ungrateful still’). Marten has previously commented that the song ‘Milk & Honey’ provides a social commentary on the dominant ideology in today’s society that suggests to be happy we must constantly gain more and achieve more in a consumerist and commercial sense. It is often the disguised self analytical and social observations underneath Marten’s fragile vocal tones that truly makes this debut album brilliant. 

However, songs such as ‘Untitled’ and ‘Teeth’ are paced so slowly and are so delicate at times it seems only Marten’s voice is carrying the song forward. Particularly within the song ‘Teeth’, the understated and small contribution of the piano puts full focus on Marten's voice. While this is a bold move, allowing Marten's velvety vocals to ruminate in your ears, the muted and understated use of other instruments puts a lot of pressure on her vocal talents. Because of this, often Marten’s voice seems to wander into such a deep and overwhelmingly melancholic tone that it causes her voice to float around and sometimes get lost in the open and empty spaces left behind by the absence of any other sound. This is not to say that Marten's confidence in creating songs that position her vocal abilities front and center is all bad, her willingness to often let some songs rely completely and solely on her vocals alone shows a maturity and boldness that is often unseen in a 17 year old singer songwriter. With Marten’s voice often being the only sound we can hear in these songs, this forces the listener to fully engage, hanging on to every word that is spoken by Marten and allowing us to immerse ourselves in the vocal stylings of the young singer. 

On the whole album, the track ‘Emily’ is perhaps the most comparable to Laura Marling’s early work, particularly the song’s darker undertone and the use of additional string instruments is reminiscent of songs such as ‘Alpha Shallows’ from Laura Marling’s 2010 album ‘I Speak Because I Can’. In addition Marten’s ghostly and reverberating vocals that bounce around the song as the cello and guitar strings hum can also be compared to the often haunting and echoey vocals within many of Daughter’s songs. Unlike songs such as ‘Teeth’ and ‘Untitled’ that often lack substantial pace and are driven by a sometimes intense melancholic sound, ‘Emily’ combats this by presenting a track that progressively builds itself into a robust and full bodied piece of music that borders on the cinematic.

Often helped by her ability as a synesthete to perceive music in more ways than one, Marten’s prowess as a young folk singer shines brightest through her captivating, mature, and colourful lyrics that show profound observations about the world and invite the listener into Marten’s inner most thoughts. It is the rich and vivid imagery conjured up by Marten’s immense talent for song writing and the hidden meanings and complexities within these lyrics that make this debut album truly special. 

★★★★☆

Stand out songs: Bird, Milk & Honey, Live, La Lune 

Links:

https://twitter.com/BillieMarten

http://www.billiemarten.com

https://soundcloud.com/billie-marten