LUCY ROSE - FLORAL DRESSES

I've been following Lucy rose's music for a long time and I would go so far as to say I have been quite obsessed with not only her music but her live performances since 2011. Her debut album 'Like I Used To' really put her on the map as one of the newest and most exciting singer/songwriters in modern music. Released in 2012, her debut album was a brilliant introduction to her soft and tender style of indie/folk music. At her core, Lucy Rose is a singer/songwriter who finds creativity and inspiration to write music in some of the most personal and private moments of her life. Her mastery over the singer/songwriter genre is shown through her ability to bare her heart and tell stories through her music. More often than not her songs are inspired by personal experiences and her lyrics are brutally honest, coming from a place of real emotion and vulnerability. This combined with her outlook towards the music industry, her kindness to her fans and her pure and fragile vocals are what truly makes Lucy Rose special to me as a person and as an artist. Although Lucy's first album was very acoustically driven, her second album 'Work It Out' released in 2015 saw her take a slightly different path as the album consists of songs that are more electronic in their composition. Her two albums so far show an evolution from making acoustic folk music that is slower paced and fragile to making new sounds that conform more to the alternative/indie genres with an abundance of electric guitars, energetic and purposeful drum beats and synths. However, what remains the same are Lucy's open hearted and honest lyrics as well as her pure and sweet vocals. These elements are what really draw you in when listening to her music. 

Her long awaited third album is soon to be released this July and here we have the first single from the album ‘Floral Dresses’. The song features backing vocals from fellow British folk band The Staves, three sisters from Watford who are also one of my favourite folk artists to date. Additionally the song, and the album for that matter, marks Lucy Rose’s departure from the Columbia Records music label and onto the small independent label Communion records. Speaking on the new single Lucy noted how this song: “really reminded me about who I was, and I always think that some of the best songs are the ones which can stand on their own with just one instrument. The message is pretty clear and I hope other people will find comfort in it, and realise they are different but also the same as many people.” It feels like Lucy is going back more to the style seen in her first album, stripped back fragile and leaning more towards the singer songwriter genre. Intricate folk music and thoughtful delicate singer songwriting is at the core of Lucy’s music and this is really well reflected in this new song. The track is composed of everything Lucy does best, within the lyrics she tells a story and the minimal acoustic guitar strums and fragile vocals drive the song forward. Through the lyrics, the message of the song is extremely clear 'I don’t want your diamond necklace, your disapproval cuts through’ the song is about staying true to who you are and remaining unique even if others disapprove of it. 

The motivation for the song and the very direct and openhearted lyrics are clearly based on a personal experience from Lucy herself. Throughout her music, Lucy has always used her songwriting as a vehicle and a channel to process and deal with very personal experiences throughout her life and this element to her music is still present here in this new record. The way she is so forward and open to express her vulnerability within her songwriting is one of the reasons why her music is not only relatable but also incredibly endearing and engaging to listen to. With this new track, her songwriting remains incredibly self aware and gives us an open window into the life and mind of Lucy Rose. Lucy's voice is always such a pleasure to listen to. Her sweet, natural vocals combined with these very honest and emotive songwriting is what makes this song and her music in general work so well. 

Overall, the song is a strong reentrance back into the music world after being away touring and songwriting for a while. This new record suggests a revisit to the very melancholic and stripped back acoustic songwriting that fans of Lucy first fell in love with on her first album, the style of music Lucy herself truly adores the most. The signature fragile and pure vocals coupled with Lucy’s always honest and self aware song writing is a combination Lucy has mastered over the course of two albums and is a skill she still uses to success throughout her music today. This new single is the first sign of what’s to come from Lucy’s new album ‘Something’s Changing’ and is the first clue in understanding which direction Lucy will be taking her musical adventures next. I eagerly await to hear more from her. The album is out in the UK on July 14th. 

LORDE - GREEN LIGHT

It’s been a long time coming for Lorde to return with new music. After shooting to fame in 2013 with her debut album Pure Heroine in 2013, the now 20 year old New Zealand singer songwriter has finally released the first glimpse of what she’s been up to for the past few years. The new single Green Light is the first completely new and original material we’ve heard from her in a while. Rising to global Fame in 2013, Ella Yelich-O' Connor (aka Lorde) turned a lot of people’s heads in the music world for her incredible songwriting abilities that showed a maturity beyond anything you would’ve expected from a 16 year old. Lorde also caught people's attention due to her refreshing, droll vocal tones and her dark and twisted blend of pop music and electronica. In 2013, the then 16 year old provided a breath of fresh air to the mainstream music industry that appeared to be throughly saturated with formulaic and unoriginal pop records. Each record from the singer songwriter has consistently shown a mixture of hard hitting, self aware and personal songwriting, dark electronic rhythms and punchy bass lines. Yet this new single highlights a new direction for Lorde in a lot of ways. As Ella tweeted herself in preparation for releasing the song: ‘I am so proud of this song. It's very different, and kinda unexpected. It's complex and funny and sad and joyous and it'll make you DANCE’.

The track is noticeably different from her previous works, her voice is not only a touch deeper but the tone of her voice seems a lot more direct and angry. You can tell the lyrics come from a place of personal heartbreak, the conviction and force in which she sings these lyrics albeit to a relatively lighthearted electronic beat further enforces this idea. Listening to the lyrics it becomes increasingly clear Lorde’s music both from the past and now looking into the future will always be used as a vehicle to express her real feelings and personal experiences and that’s something that is rarely seen so openly in the music industry today. In many ways, this new record sees an experimentation and an evolution of Lorde’s well established style she already carved out for herself in her first album. The steady piano chords that form the main hook of the song is something we haven’t heard before much in Lorde’s music. These prominent piano chords mixed with Lorde’s signature cool, quirky vocals rest on rousing electronic beats that rumble underneath the track and provide something different while still remaining recognisably ‘Lorde’. Her decision to include such drastic shifts in tempo within this new single gives further evidence to a consistent theme of difference and unpredictability in Lorde's music. Producing a song with such an offbeat, changeable tempo signals Ella’s continual commitment to offer up something new with every piece of music she creates. Her unique and edgy style of music is what made her entrance into the music industry back in 2013 so innovative and refreshing and it’s good to know that four years down the line with this first sample of her second album ‘Melodrama’ (coming out June this year), her music remains just as bold and original.  

Green Light comes from a place of  loss and heartbreak but at the same time it’s about the overwhelming sense of freedom that comes with these changes in a person’s life and the rush of possibilities that follow an ending relationship. The track is driven by a jaunty piano riff and soon builds up into a  euphoric and cathartic dance driven tune. The chorus itself sounds like something you would hear on a drunken post beak-up girls night out with spectral backing vocals reminiscent of the choirs accompanying Lorde on earlier songs such as Team. The song is a lot more upbeat and poppy which is something we don’t usually hear a lot in Lorde’s music, however the track still features Lorde’s iconic contralto and features the now familiar dark and heavy electronic beats that defined her debut. A follow up tweet from the 20 year old singer songwriter goes on to say: ’It's the first chapter of a story I'm gonna tell you, the story of the last 2 wild, fluorescent years of my life. This is where we begin’. Within the song the lyrics themselves not only tell the personal story of a broken relationship but it also exemplifies Ella’s mastery over the songwriting genre and her ability to incorporate open hearted and often brutally honest lyrics into her music (‘I know about what you did and I wanna scream the truth / She thinks you love the beach, you're such a damn liar’). With a bouncy chorus and slower paced verses that move forward the story of  a relationship breaking down, the outro brings us back to everything that we always loved about Lorde as the music fades out with boisterous and grungy synths. 

With Lorde lined up for some big festival dates this year, it only makes sense for her new music to head towards a more full bodied, theatrical sound. Based on this first taste of the new record, Lorde has managed to somehow stay true to her roots, giving us a new song to go crazy over that features all the crowd pleasing elements that Lorde is now known for while also giving us something new to chew on. Green Light suggests her music is taking a turn towards the brighter, more mainstream dance genre yet still offers up that dynamic, offbeat edge that we all love her for. 

LONDON GRAMMAR - BIG PICTURE

I’ve been in love with London Grammar ever since their debut album ‘If You Wait’ was released in September 2013. The album is particularly special to me as it was one of the first albums I remember being excited about listening to just before I nervously entered my first year of University. The first thing that draws you into this band’s music is lead singer Hannah Reid’s pure and naturally captivating vocals. Her voice combined with the minimalist electronic rhythms and spaced out guitars provided by the other two members of the band Dominic ‘Dot’ Major and Dan Rothman is what makes this band's sound so distinct. Although after their debut album the band gathered a lot of attention and their music was met with a very good reception, ever since then London Grammar have been pretty quiet. I would hear about them now and again, travelling around the world, performing at various large venues and they also collaborated with the British electronic duo Disclosure on their first album which was released a month after their own debut. However, other than a collaboration here and a big festival appearance there, London Grammar have remained relatively quiet in the four years it has taken them to return with new material. 

Many including myself have been eagerly awaiting any new material from the trio for a long time which is why it was a huge surprise when they spontaneously dropped their first new single in the early hours of the New Year. The track titled ‘Rooting For You’ was their first new original song since their debut back in 2013 and listening to it for the first time made me remember exactly why I love their style of music. The song stays true to London Grammar’s now well established style, it is an electronic tinged melancholic track that like most London Grammar songs puts Hannah’s beautiful voice and pure tones into the spotlight. Reid’s sparse, ghostly vocals lead the song and are soon backed up with a symphony of string instruments that allow the song to build into an almost cinematic feeling record. Their second new release is titled ‘Big Picture’ and again really shows us how much the band have perfected their sound over the last four years. While their first comeback single ‘Rooting For You’ was an extremely gentle and emotive symphonic record that showcased Reid’s fragile vocals, their second new single ‘Big Picture’ sees a change of tone for the band. Yet this new single still inevitably contains all the key ingredients that make London Grammar’s music so special. 

With Reid's pure vocals combined with spectral and purposeful guitar rhythms, the track gradually works itself up from a sombre and slow paced song to a bright and euphoric piece of music. The track slowly evolves into an optimistic and instrumentally driven record with a rousing upbeat rhythm. The record somehow manages to show off Reid’s vocals while at the same time creating a soft and calming electronically layered rhythm underneath that features looped reverberating vocals from Hannah. With this record and the aforementioned first comeback single ‘Rooting For You’, it’s clear that the long time away spent writing and recording was most definitely worth it. If anything, these new tracks from London Grammar perfectly show how comfortable the band have become in their musical direction and this new material signals exciting new things to come from the trio. 

VAULTS - CAUGHT IN STILL LIFE - RAMBLER REVIEW

Vaults are a band that have been circling around for a while, gathering a small but formidable fanbase waiting patiently for their debut album. I first became entranced by their music in 2014 when I heard their EP Vultures. Yet, this album release has attracted a mixture of fans, from those who have followed their music from day one to those who have discovered them through their cover of Randy Crawford’s song ‘One Day I’ll Fly Away’ from the 2016 John Lewis advert. While this mass exposure to the band's music is a blessing, the album being timed to coincide with the release of the infamous John Lewis Christmas advert increasing the sales of the album promotionally, their involvement with the John Lewis advert does not truly represent their usual dark and often haunting electronic alt-pop music. The heart of their music lies in their dark, twisted and polished musical style with lyrics that cut deeper than the John Lewis advert’s funny and Christmassy theme is willing to show us. With deep bass lines and haunting vocals Vault’s debut album stays true to the style they have been building up through their EPs for the past two years and in many ways does well to contradict the mainstream appeal the John Lewis advert has stirred up for them. Not only is the band’s talent echoed through the songs but knowing that this debut album was entirely self produced also reflects and gives a good indicator of the bands vision and the direction in which Vaults want their music to go. It is the polished production and meticulous and emotive songwriting where Vaults really excel, the album representing the broad variety and spectrum of songs the band can offer. From more melancholic, moodier songs such as Bodies and Orphan to songs that are more mainstream like Overcome and Midnight River. 

It’s not like Vaults are completely unknown, their song One Last Night featuring on the Fifty Shades of Grey soundtrack created an already growing buzz around them in 2015. Although their debut EPs Premonitions, Lifespan and Vultures were released in 2014, after featuring on the motion picture soundtrack to one of the biggest films of 2015, the band began gaining momentum and subsequently released singles Cry no more, Midnight River and Overcome to success. The album is expertly produced, with layers upon layers of enchanting vocals, sensational synths and electronica. One of the most unique things about Vaults is their ability to somehow create music that perfectly resembles the best of powerful modern electronic music today without sounding overly synthetic. The album seems so natural, it combines self aware and emotive lyrics with powerful electronic rhythms while at the same time keeping an organic quality. The album shows a perfected mixture of electronica and raw natural vocal talents, a difficult thing to achieve when considering electronic music at its core is highly synthetic.

Another thing that I really respect with Vault’s music is their tendency to not shy away from experimenting with different sounds and instruments. From sample pads and electronic drum kits to pianos, violins, cellos and an aluphone (a two metre long instrument that belongs to the mallet percussion family, it is covered in aluminum bells and is the primary instrument featured on the song Cry No More). Their tendency to use obscure instruments, rhythms and sounds in their music is exhibited well in this debut album and exemplifies their never-ending creativity as a band. This is a classically thrilling and wonderfully immersive electronica album wrapped in a mixture of choir like orchestral sounds, layered rhythms and tonal vocals. Yet the album also shows a dynamic edge, with the involvement of dark, often brutally honest and engaging songwriting as well as obscure instrumentation the album also presents an experimentation of the electronica genre. The album starts with previously released single in 2015, Cry No More. A deliciously dark and twisted song that is perfectly coupled with Blythe’s famously chilling vocals. The lyrics add to this tone and paint a vivid yet sombre scene (‘To wear it like a crown, to kick before you drown / Cry no more, I don’t want to die a little more everyday’). Combining fairly dark electronic rhythms with these melancholic and morbid lyrics creates a track that both appeals to the mainstream but is also a song that shows an experimentation with the electronic genre. 

Songs such as Bodies and Orphans are much slower paced and packed full of emotion and melancholia that show a new diversity to the bands music. The track Bodies in particular from a songwriting perspective is lyrically brilliant, dark and incredibly self aware (‘Well I’ll tell you, it’s no secret I’m afraid that I’ve built myself so tall, no one will see me when I’m falling’). For me, what makes this debut so brilliantly beautiful and special is how the album shows the versatility of Blythe’s vocal talents and showcases the incredible control and mastery she has over her voice. Not only does the album show the capabilities of Blythe's vocals but it also exemplifies the bands confidence to experiment with mixing various instruments with dynamic electronic rhythms. The most prominent examples of this are seen within tracks Cry No More, One Last Night, Bodies and Orphan. The string instruments present in tracks One Last Night, Orphans and Bodies not only add to the heart wrenching emotions of both songs but it shows Vaults’ ability as a band to effectively blend and borrow sounds from different genres creating enchanting, alternative electronic music. The mix of modern and often dark electronic sounds with classical string and percussion instruments is what makes this debut stand out. While songs such as Orphan and Bodies showcase Blythe’s fragile and more stripped back vocal talents, it is songs such as Paradise, Poison and Hurricane that demonstrate the incredible adaptability of her voice. Within these songs, Blythe’s voice can instantly shift from a softer tone to an all out powerhouse vocal that is seriously impressive to listen to. Songs such as Paradise, Poison and Hurricane are some of my favourites on the record purely because of the energy and power provided by Blythe’s lead vocals. Within these songs it is Blythe’s strong vocals that take charge and drive the tracks forward, creating songs that are really impressive vocally. Particularly Paradise is an interesting song, not only do Blythe’s vocals take control but the song incorporates some additional orchestral and choir-like vocals that are layered into the background of the song. These additional vocals give the song a more angelic, gospel type feel and further enforce the dreamy imagery a song called Paradise brings to the listener’s mind. 

The tracks Orphan and Bodies, while both take a more sombre melancholic tone, also incorporate layered vocals that add to the power and strength of Blythe’s already hauntingly natural voice. Both use delayed looping vocals that reverberate around and give each song an echoey, ghostly sound that makes both tracks even more compelling. If there is one major critique for this album, it is that there are a few songs on the album that are perhaps a little too synthetic and are blatantly made for the charts and for a mainstream audience. Songs such as Overcome and Midnight River while still perfectly enjoyable songs, lean more to the conventional pop side of things. Although the inclusion of these songs add to the well rounded feel of the album as a solid piece of music, the songs clearly stick out as they do not seamlessly blend in with the dark and alternative tone of the rest of the album. 

I have many favourites on the album but the track Poison in particular really strikes a chord with me as it is one song that really got me into the band. After discovering the band I fell in love with the dark, edgy electronica the band are known for and in particular Blythe’s voice on the song. Throughout the track, her vocals effortlessly escalate from being very haunting and fragile to showing us just how powerful and strong her voice can be. The fact many have been waiting and highly anticipating this album is not a sign of things going wrong but rather it signals the band taking their time in the creative process to produce something really wonderful. Within this album there is something for everyone, from electronic tinged pop songs that appeal to the mainstream to spine tingling dark electronica that puts a twist on the alternative/electronic genre. The album not only serves as an example of modern electronica that perfectly represents the wide variety of music the band can produce but it also does a brilliant job of putting Blythe’s naturally chilling yet still powerful vocal talents in the spotlight. The album is a beautiful concoction of modern dark-tinged electronica cut with emotive, personal songwriting and soulful vocals.

It is the staggering versatility and polished professionalism of the band and their unique approach to electronica music that makes this debut really stand out from the rest. A debut album of this level raises questions about what new and exciting things the band could possibly be working on in the future and which direction the band will take as they grow and develop as artists.  

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Stand out songs: Cry no more, Hurricane, Paradise, Poison 

Links:

https://twitter.com/vaults

http://www.entervaults.com

https://soundcloud.com/vaults

CLOVES - BETTER NOW

If someone asks me who are my favourite new artists, Cloves is always one at the top of the list, the Australian born London based singer songwriter first caught my attention with her debut EP 'XIII' last November. Particularly her song 'Don't Forget About Me' led me to become completely entranced by her music. Having that song on repeat for months on end, I am very happy to now see she has given us a first taste of what she's been working on. Cloves AKA Kaity Dunstan is a 20 year old girl who has continuously impressed everyone including myself with her deep, melancholy and mature vocal abilities. Dunstan finds singers with unique vocal tones some of her biggest inspirations, noting Etta James and Amy Winehouse as important influences in her musical style. Although she is very young, Cloves shows a remarkable maturity through her lyrics and her vocal talents, her fragile soul tinged tones spinning spine tingling tales and stories. There's something about the singer songwriter genre where we see these artists able to tell stories of their personal experiences so openly and easily. This is shown even clearer with young singer songwriters such as Billie Marten and Cloves who are still growing up and experiencing these new feelings with a sense of innocence and naivety.

Her lyrics describe the lessons she's learned from these youthful experiences and provide a snapshot of life as a young woman still figuring out her place in the world. This newest release 'Better Now' is a product of this and presents another glimpse into Dunstan's life as a young woman struggling with love and romance. The song is based around an internal dialogue she was having in her mind at the time on whether to continue the relationship or just give up. With this new single, Cloves remains true to what we have come to expect from her, there’s the same honesty and rawness to the lyrics, and her captivating vocals remain unforgettable. Throughout the song and the lyrics, her emotions spill out and tells a story of love, conflicted feelings and healing (Start with a kiss, end with a fight/So I know that you have your doubts, and I'll leave but I swear that I'm better now/Then I hear you leave and I'm happy, just for a moment I'm free). With her bluesy and melancholic tone of voice, few would believe this singer to be only 20 years old. While the track is in keeping with the musical style and emotive songs Clove's has released in the past, this track also shows a darker side to her music and gives an indication of how her musical style has progressed and matured in just one year. Citing such recent influences as Alabama Shakes and The Black Keys, we can begin to expect Clove's music to become more bluesy, wrapped in angsty heartache while still holding that emotion that many have come to expect wth her music.

Through this new record, it is interesting to see Cloves both stick to what she knows best, creating a song that is full of raw emotion and tells a personal tale of inner conflict and heartbreak, while also presenting a new dimension to her music. The track showcases a more confident approach from Clove's with powerful, punching and abrupt drum hits that turn the rhythm of the record on its head. Although still very young, her maturity and the melancholia expressed within her music and her lyrics as well as her confidence in knowing the exact path she wants her music to take should be more than enough for anyone to recognise her as a profoundly remarkable talent and a highly anticipated musician destined for huge popularity.

VALLIS ALPS - FADING

Vallis Alps first drew people's attention after their debut EP was released last year and many people fell in love with their sparkling indie pop sound. Their remix of Australian Troye Sivan's song 'Ease' also left a lot of people wanting more. After being on hiatus for a long time they have finally made a come back with this brand new track 'Fading'. Although to many this is a welcome return, this is the first time I'm hearing of them. With that said, their style of music is definitely up my street and I can't wait to hear more from the duo. Canberra based vocalist Parissa Tosif and producer David Ansari (originally from Seattle Washington) present an exciting and new exploration into the world of dreamy electro pop with their music. Although still being fairly new onto the scene and only having a handful of songs to their name there is no doubt this duo are gaining momentum with their sugary sweet indie pop songs that not only appeal to a mass audience but also connect with the listener on an emotional level through their personal lyrics. Tosif's fragile and ascending vocals blend perfectly with the electronic rhythms and samples put together by Ansari, creating songs that will attract many to their pleasing sounds and songs that truly represent them as an exciting up and coming band.

THE JAPANESE HOUSE - FACE LIKE THUNDER

I'm a little bit late to the party when it comes to The Japanese House aka Amber Bain. The 21 year old first started to make waves last year with her first two EPs 'Pools To Bathe In' and 'Clean'. Now after increasing success, touring across the UK on her own and supporting The 1975, Bain has released her first EP of the year titled 'Swim Against The Tide'. Although she is still a very new artist, her music style is remarkably distinct, creating songs that live up to the kind of image you think of when you think of a Japanese House. When you think of a 'Japanese House' you think of a clean, calming, soothing backdrop to relax in, this is exactly what Bain directly tries to emulate with her music. Bain's music is incredibly atmospheric  at times cinematic, and always shows a perfect blend of dream pop and electronica. 

One thing that always shines through with Bain's music is her confidence to experiment with different sounds and create something unique and original. Bain's desire for experimentation however does not only stop wth her music. As a child she has always been one to play with conventions and gender norms, on a holiday in Cornwall age 8, she spent the whole week pretending to be a boy. Her desire to play with gender stereotypes is carried over into her music, most importantly with the name of the musical project. Bain chose the alias 'The Japanese House' as an attempt to depersonalise and take away the gender and identity of the person behind the music, leaving only the joy of the music itself. As she has previously said: 'A lot of female musicians, if they use their own name, get described as female artist blah blah blah. By taking away a person’s identity, all you have to focus on is the music, which is kind of cool'. Throughout her music we see not only her fondness to experiment with music but how her want to experiment with gender, Bain's voice is often intentionally very androgynous. At times it is difficult to distinguish whether what you are hearing is coming from a male or female singer. Bain herself considers this a skill, accomplished in being able to hit both high and very low notes. 

Categorically, her music can be labeled as a blend of electronic loveliness and alternative dream-pop, yet the feelings and blissful emotions her music stirs up spreads further than the genre of the music itself. Her newest EP 'Swim Against The Tide' was released a few days ago, and one of my favourite tracks from the EP is 'Face Like Thunder' which shows a new dimension and diversity to her music, the song being more upbeat than many of her previous records. The song features Bain's now signature Imogen Heap-like vocoder harmonies that weave their way into your mind and soul, while soothing forward-thinking pop/electronic beats form the foundation of the track. The song is a full bodied punch of emotions and melody, '80s guitar rhythms and ambient synth sounds buzz underneath as Bain's vocals scintillate on top. Within the song, her vocoder harmonies are perfectly balanced, Bain's natural and raw vocals shine through without sounding too overly synthetic. With the perfect fusion of`nostaligc guitar riffs and smooth vocoder harmonies, 'Face Like Thunder' presents an upbeat track adding to Bain's consistently solid and growing body of work. There is no doubt this track and her newest EP are bound to scoop up and attract a whole host of new listeners, giving her the attention she deserves as a profoundly engaging and mesmerising young artist.