There is a hushed folk quality to ‘Guardian’ that would remind you of Sufjan Stevens but given the catalogue of winning songs Ollie Spalding and Jack Watts are amassing it moves gently through the gears and into a world of Memorial’s own making. Done in such a subtle manner, the gentle ratatat a lovely counterpoint to the softest of intonations from guest vocalist Lomelda and together a sweet friendship forms and which passes right through the speakers and into a less wondrous world. KH FriendsOfMemorial · Guardian (feat. Lomelda) mp3hugger’s best new music in our Fresh Indie playlist! More ..read more

The sheer individualism of ‘Inside’, dreamy Sundays jangle but with experimental flickers all around the edges. All I heard was a beating heart set to music so it is as if we’ve been given the grand tour of high emotion but done in a windswept manner that comes from a denouement where the experience subsumes us. ‘Inside’ goes beyond mere art and into living breathing expression and it marks this Boston act as one of the blindingly talented of 2024. KH What Do You Think by Walk Me Home mp3hugger’s best new music in our Fresh Indie playlist! More Info: Offical Hear More Songs: Walk Me Home Year ..read more

If it’s heavy bluster you are after please listen on. oOf the kind that reminds of And You Will Us By The Trail of Dead or even Godspeed! You Black Emperor such is the emblazoned quality of the guitar rampaging on ‘Indre’. This track makes for such an all-encompassing experience as a result, involving to a degree that it feels like we’ve been caught up in some sort of beautiful tornado where the only damage will be visited upon our aural canals. And I can live with that once the goods are good, ‘Indre’ proving to be a wild piece of post rock which is capable of changing its spots to a more te ..read more

It was if our head was infiltrated by an ambition to fill every available space and willing to take its time to do it. A country kind of stroll, psychedelic moments, fleeting strings, air pockets and a general mood of summer or at least the feeling that we are on the precipice of the good times. ‘Ohiopyle’ sure does press all the buttons marked hope springs eternal and we need plenty more where that came from. Given Kevin’s back story this track has even more substance, never haughty, just a reason to celebrate the moment – in fact every moment of every day. My god it is beautiful, the healin ..read more

It was to Broken Social Scene that my mind drifted to at first, ‘Dotted Line’ having that furtive kind of progressive that hints at much more on the way. Why Bonnie (Blair Howerton) prove themselves to be serious types into the bargain, or at least that is what the vocal thread hints at while all around the instrumental canvas blooms in a tune that emerges from quiet beginnings to something a lot more involving. For a finish it felt like a slow driving soundtrack but with a veritable feast for the senses and a chorus that adds a cherry on top for a languid piece indie rock charm. The kind of ..read more

Such an evocative opening but then it is not unique to those early sequences for Glasgow’s Hector Shaw has something so emotionally wrought it slows our world down too because an ear to his malaise could provide an important lesson. Not only that but there is a beauty to ‘Vigilance’ that on more than one occasion reminded me of a cross between Jeff Buckley and Nick Drake. And I picked up on the latter from the lush production that has a hint of Richard Kirby throughout. A voice that dwells in the melancholy but can rise to the mountain peaks just as easily to give this track a subtle rhapsody ..read more

Well there is a classic alternative strut that is for sure and that’s clear even before the shade wearing singer enters the scene. When you base your song around the coolest city in the world is it any wonder that And The Sunset Burns were inspired to get into hipster mood with these minutes passing by with such an understated sense of swagger so it can’t help but rub off on the rest of us. Could have come from the 20th century such is the way ‘Just Another Day in New York City’ is turned out but aren’t we lucky to have it all to ourselves in the new one. A likely debut from a bunch of likely ..read more

Now that is how you take the wind out of a day that has torn us asunder. ‘Takes Time’ is a lovely talking to, the kind that has charm and advice and no little folk cherubic turns so that we’re feeling a whole lot better come the end. Philadelphia’s Nylon Ghost put effort and thought into the trimmings too, brass flits by, a strum offer steady company and of course a general feeling of languid happiness abounds. The clear and tender dominance however comes from a singer who offers a gentle hand to steady the nerves and all that self doubt. Gorgeous stuff and with the added glow of a build that ..read more

Such a laidback shuffle, reminding of Sleeper for the most part and that is good thing because it tells us that there is depth to all the swagger. ‘Crawlin’ 4 U’ might detail archetypal love on the rocks but it is turned out with so much charm you can’t help falling for these somewhat ramshackle charms. The crux of the statement of course is that Impulsive Hearts can’t help but offer us a singalong of the kind that sends us parallels from old school Catatonia. A mixtape candidate if this were 2001, a gem in other words from the Danielle Sines led troupe from Chicago. KH Fit 4 the Apocalypse b ..read more

A bit of Vangelis never did anyone any harms and I hear it in Roller Derby’s ‘Dreams’. Not only that because they have a neat line in chorus to go with it so we’re never far away from certain toe-tapping. In fact such is the melodic vocal flow the whole track feels like it riding atop a sweet scented sirocco breeze and it can’t help but give us reasons for joy as a result. A charming nugget that more than deserves attention especially when the Cure like chords seamlessly integrate with Philine Meyer’s vocal intent of sweet delivery at every turn. KH Dreams by Roller Derby mp3hugger’s best new ..read more