Friday Round-Up

Collect Call's The Golden Hour EP is a cathartic, enchanting display of dream-pop soundscapes!

Collect Call is delighted to announce the release of stunning EP The Golden Hour. The Golden Hour is a romantic, nostalgic journey through sound about embodying the dying embers of the day and not giving up the ghost when all might seem lost. Joseph Thorpe’s dream-pop project is characterised by whimsical, lo-fi electronic beats and sincere vocals.

Recorded in a mixture of cupboards and studios, Thorpe has created a space where he could express himself and has done so with a nuanced vulnerability. Taking inspiration from the likes of Sufjan Stevens and Air, Collect Call’s latest EP is as experimental as it is emotive.

The Golden Hour EP is out now.

Melissa Bel releases poignant new single People That I Love!

Singer-songwriter Melissa Bel returns with the release of her poignant new single People That I Love, out now.

Produced by Kaity Rae (The ShiresLiv Dawson), People That I Love is a highly relatable song about missing loved ones. The single combines intricate piano melodies with Melissa’s rich, soulful vocal in order to create a sound that is undeniably heartwarming as a result. Talking about the single, Melissa elaborates, "I’d been apart from my Canadian friends and family for well over a year and was struck by what a sad and strange feeling it was to become so used to missing the people that I love. Yes, there were tears while writing this one! Most of the vocal is from the original writing demo (recorded in my bedroom) because the emotions were so raw it ended up being the best performance.”

Jonny Wildey's debut album Nitely combines the contemporary with nostalgia to create a seductive neo-soul sound!

Having released a string of acclaimed singles under the guise of Alphabets Heaven, via the likes of Nightmares On Wax, Tru Thoughts, Soundway and King Deluxe, Jonny Wildey embarked on a solo project that has culminated in the release of debut album, Nitely, out today via WotNot Music.

Nitely was recorded at the renowned Total Refreshment Centre in collaboration with a host of talented contributors including Danalogue (The Comet Is Coming, Soccer96), Emma Gatrill (This Is The Kit, Laura Marling), Marcus Hamblett (James Holden, Timber Timbre) and London-based beat master Deft (Yip Wong).

Nitely by Jonny Wildey is out now via WotNot Music.

Alt.rockers CRAWLERS release ethereal single Come Over (Again)!

Liverpudlian powered-up misfits CRAWLERS have had a whirlwind 12 months. The alt.rock band have become synonymous with an eclectic brand of music combining grunge, rock, pop and indie into a sound packed full of attitude and socially conscious lyricism. An attitude that has seen the band explode on social media.

From the grunge-tinged fuzz of last years Hush and the breathless, politically-charged Statues, to the bristling, abrasive sonics of recent single MONROE, CRAWLERS take no prisoners. Come Over (Again) is the final single to be released from the band’s debut EP CRAWLERS, and is a further example of their distinct versatility. Diverging from the heavy, corrosive soundscapes that have become their trademark, Come Over (Again) embraces the ethereal ambience and intimate vulnerability of the likes of Julia Holter and Angel Olsen

Come Over (Again) is out now via LAB Records.

YINYANG returns with fierce new single Skltz!

Formidable Irish hip-hop artist YINYANG - aka Lauren Hannan - returns with her fierce new single Skitz, out now.

Instantly packed with a punch, YINYANG once again bites back with cutting lyrics and fuzz-filled soundscapes in order to create a sound that is full of ferocity. Combining hip-hop sensibilities with a punk-infused ethos, Skitz is delivered with an undeniable sense of self-assurance and sass. Talking about the single, Lauren explains, “Skitz is referring to the sad clown paradox, to put it in a less decorative way it’s when you pretend you’re grand when you’re not. Painting on a happy face and using comedy to disguise the negative emotions you might actually feel. I’m terrible for it, I think we all are sometimes.”

The Ghibertins release heartwarming new single Ropes & Kites!

Milan-based quintet The Ghibertins return with the release of their heartwarming new single Ropes & Kites, out now via Mob Sound Records.

Channelling the likes of Of Monsters and Men and The Lumineers, The Ghibertins combine folk, pop and indie-infused sensibilities on their vibrant new single, creating an undeniably feel-good sound as a result. Talking about the single, frontman Alessio Hofmann explains, “Ropes & Kites is by far the most positive track on the whole concept album. It represents the joy felt through the decades of the protagonist’s life from his sixties to seventies. We wanted the listener to literally float in the air while listening to this song. I’ve imagined all the emotion you could feel whilst watching your nephews playing on your house’s front porch. I’ve imagined how it would feel, despite all the mistakes, to finally understand what happiness is. That overwhelming sense of awareness, it’s all in Ropes & Kites."

Ropes & Kites is the fourth single taken from the forthcoming album The Life & Death of John Doe, out on 15th January 2022.

Formidable songstress Dyan Valdés releases new single Be My Revolution!

Formidable songstress Dyan Valdés is back with another powerful new single that takes no prisoners. Be My Revolution is out now.

Taken from Dyan’s compelling upcoming album StandBe My Revolution is a synth-infused slice of post-punk that uses political awakening as a metaphor for falling in love. "I realised that this awakening feels a lot like falling in love and vice versa,” Dyan explains, “you are terrifically excited, a little scared and yet full of hope for a future you can't quite imagine. Social movements are often motivated by tragedy and injustice, but there is a sense of joy in finding other people who can make you see the world in a different way, who you can stand side by side with in the march towards somewhere better. With Be My Revolution, I wanted to channel that joy and intensity.”

At the beginning of lockdown, Dyan was attacked by a man on the streets of Berlin in broad daylight. She recognised that her already precarious safety as a woman was even more threatened by pandemic circumstances. Dyan elaborates, “I arrived home, fortunately safely, and felt overwhelmed by my own experience, by reports of increased domestic violence and the exploitation of female labor at the frontlines of the pandemic response.” With Stand, Dyan hopes to channel her emotional response and create something that would make herself and others feel powerful again.

Stand will be released by R.I.P. Ben Lee Records on 11 February 2022.

Castells unveil soaring indie-pop single Little Heart!

Castells have unveiled their soaring indie-pop single Little Heart. The four-piece have had a superb 2021 with the release of their debut EP, Viola, followed by their first sold out headline show at Hoxton’s Colour’s, and culminating in the band receiving their first ever airplay on Radio 1 through Gemma Bradley’s BBC Introducing show.

Having made their name on the London music scene playing with, and supporting, friends such as Luna Bay, Spinn, Youth Killed It and Only Sun, Castells have broken out in their own right through their anthemic blend of indie, rock and pop.

Little Heart is available to stream and buy now.

Edinburgh-based collective Atom Eyes release new single Roll The Dice!

Edinburgh-based collective Atom Eyes return with the release of their idiosyncratic new single Roll The Dice, out now.

Combining neo-soul, funk and jazz-tinged sensibilities, Atom Eyes create a sound that perfectly encapsulates their diverse yet equally eclectic backgrounds. Front woman Lissa Chen Robertson’s stunningly soulful vocals are at the forefront, backed by award-winning jazz pianist Alan Benzie’s impressive skills, alongside guitarist Fraser Christie, drummer Scott Jamieson and bassist Tom Wilkinson completing the formidable rhythm section. Talking about the single, Lissa explains, “risks in life can be healthy, however it’s often accompanied by a current of underlying and undesirable temptation of sinking into the shadowy depths. Roll The Dice is about being swept away by the enticing lure of chance.”

GARGALO straddles the line between shimmering dream-pop & stadium ready indie on debut EP King of Dark Waters!

London-based Spanish-Canadian multi-instrumentalist, GARGALO has released his shimmering debut EP King of Dark Waters.

Recalling the dreamy soundscapes of Beach House and combining them with the dramatic indie-rock of Grizzly Bear, King of Dark Waters is a stunning collection of songs. Having released singles Out of Sync and Monroes to an impressive press reception, King of Dark Waters exhibits GARGALO's nuanced songwriting in full and unveils previously unreleased track 'A Piece Of You', which many have described as the stand out song on the record.