Welcome to our weekly Spotify playlist. We say hello to our first playlist of 2019. Here are a collection of songs that have stood out for us this week and the reasons why. With love.
Katey Brooks: Never Gonna Let Go
The Bristolian singer-songwriter may have notable recording credits with the likes of Bryan May and Paloma Faith, but her talent as an individual artist is undeniable. This is a rewarding repeated listen and Brooks’ alto is faithful in its delivery against a slick production and consummate instrumental groove. There’s a maturity on show here that places her in a league of her own.
Tamu Massif: Get Some Sleep
With his debut album Little Death Summer due out 29 March, the UK producer emerges with a visceral electronic ballad. With its impeccable production, this acutely personal performance is cosmic and Massif’s vocal percolates through the song leaving the listener in a dream-like state. As a pre-cursor to the album release, this sets expectations high.
Ruthie: What Kind Of Woman
A sure-fire addition for the 6Music audience, the Leeds singer’s thought-provoking serenade has all the makings of great songwriting. With its spacious arrangement, it allows a certain sense of purity to shine through from Ruthie’s vocal. Swirling harmonies and rich instrumentation make this feel incredibly accomplished in its delivery.
Inwards: Dart
Bridging the brutal and delicate, multi-instrumentalist Kristian Shelley aka Inwards animates samples and creates a sense of atmosphere that makes this not only relevant but completely beautiful. Layers of emotion come to the fore despite its electronic roots resulting in something tender, breathtaking and entirely consuming.
Cautious Clay: HONEST ENOUGH
Cautious continues to be one of our most written about artists of all time and his evolution keeps him ahead of the crowd. There’s a complexity here that places it front and centre when it comes to production and his instantly identifiable vocal is butter. Packed with soul as well as notable idiosyncracies, you will be hard pushed to find anyone similar.
Eyesore & The Jinx: On An Island
The Merseyside trio has managed to create an unashamedly abrasive banger with compelling discordant punches and caustic vocal licks. There’s a bubbling frustration beneath the lyrics that help fuel its dynamic, but beneath its callous haze is a band showing unadulterated talent.
LUCIA: Blueheart
Remove the soaring instrumental canopy and bold production and you are left with a vocal that is the true heartbeat. LUCIA’s delivery is consistently on point and there’s a richness within it that augments the sum of all parts. The vitriol on show is a complete catharsis and it, therefore, comes as no surprise why the Scot is on a skyward trajectory.
Leah Nobel: Truly Known
A song comes along once in a while that really shakes you to the core emotionally. The Nashville-based singer-songwriter has penned vertiginous melodic lines that leave you feeling not only moved, but inspired. Her compelling vocal chains everything else in unison and this is one of the finest releases of 2019 so far.
Heavy Heart: Bed Bug
We have missed the dreamy alt-rock sounds of the London-based outfit and it is a delight to have them return. Their latest Gabe Wax-produced single still has the same poignancy and power that the quartet have illustrated previously. This is honest, uncomplicated and packed full of hooks. I sincerely hope they continue their faultless output and reach far bigger audiences.
Heyrocco: Destroyer
With a string of live UK dates supporting The Lemonheads, the North Carolina trio manage to channel a subdued yet atmospheric rock sound with their latest release. Its introspection is its appeal and once combined with drawling, slacker grunge lines and pristine harmonies, they have you in the palm of their hand.
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