Berated

Dan Barrett’s music plays like a spectre in the night, most effective to the highly attentive and surveyors of the smallest details. It’s something that exists and has its hand on your shoulder. Your reason for ignoring it has nothing to do with the light ethereal touch, but rather that it may trigger thoughts that [...]

“Shadows on Behalf” sounds like it was recorded at several points throughout history — at a ’60s soul festival, the set of a ’70s porno, a pioneering hip-hop sample demonstration from the ‘80s… it’s a wonderful smorgasbord of stylistic periods, to say the least. The best classification for it, and many of The Stepkids’ tracks, [...]

Contemporary interpretations of rhythmically inclined genres, like R&B and soul, have remained a continuous trend. Quality predecessors have already shown the style to appear timeless, so that is one attributing factor, but its abundance today in independent music circles is more indebted to its seamless maneuverability in sampling. That is not a reference to straightforward [...]

The Carpels represent a new era for the Birmingham music scene, one that looks set to grab the ears of London and the nation. The area’s rough-and-ready indie sound has bred a small and exclusive scene that is gaining strong recognition nationwide. The Carpels’ music is by no means easy-listening; it grabs listeners and hurtles [...]

The Haret sound like a 1940s Mississippi blues quartet that would be far more comfortable on the front porch of the general store than a modern music venue or bar. Instead, live recordings have revealed that frontman Ryan Baer often performs this music alone... on the street. In fact, the live recordings of Baer are partly the reason why I was so fascinated with him in the first place.

Ceremony, Burning Hearts, and Memory Tapes are three different artists with very different sounds. Their influences certainly intersect though, allowing the material to sound like creative odes rather than blend replications of genres and movements that are now in the past. They encompass a wide range of styles - from glam-inspired post-punk to flamboyant dance-pop - and remain interesting in the process.

These three artists -- all completely unknown -- pay homage to a variety of alternative-rock styles, ranging from Pavement-inspired alternative to '70s psych-rock. They all sound like you could find them performing in a friend's basement; it's part of their DIY appeal, and one that does not detract from their strong songwriting and interesting modes of production.

We take a look at some newly released singles from the past week (MP3s included). Artists this time around include Mister Heavenly, Blitzen Trapper, Cymbals Eat Guitars, and Real Estate.

The wonderfully named Jethro Fox, originally born in Essex but now based in Liverpool, is creating a sound influenced by ‘60s pop, nostalgic both in terms of its content and product values. Fox’s sound is unashamedly fused with bouncing beats and Beach Boys-esque guitar twanging. It’s a sound that was carved whilst working on his latest [...]

Emma-Louise can make anyone’s knees weaken with her fluctuating voice; it’s on powerful display between deeply sobering narratives and near-falsetto gasps, alternating with genius precision in accordance with her stirring arrangements. On her new four-song release, Full Hearts & Empty Rooms, the 19-year-old Aussie shows a surprising range of approaches in guiding her efforts to [...]