single review – Almost Anything Music

Single Review – Macy – Rainbow Eyes

Wales’ rising pop sensation MACY has announced her brand new upbeat pop banger Rainbow Eyes which is out NOW on all major streaming/download platforms.

Arriving just in time for Summer, Rainbow Eyes is laced with MACY’s signature sugar-sweet vocals sprinkled over a funky, majestic and upbeat production. The fun and energetic track, is the perfect soundtrack to your Summer BBQ or Hot Tub party as the sun goes down and the music turns up. Lyrically she raises her game yet again, to create playful and suggestive verses with lines such as “You’re like a bad addiction with good intentions” and a super-catchy chorus. The rising pop starlet remains tight lipped about the origins of the song, “I’ve been asked a lot if this was written with Pride Month in mind, or about the huge number of rainbows we’ve seen during lockdown. I don’t want to spoil someone’s perception of the song and I love that people have interpreted the lyrics in their own way.”

Grammy Award nominated producer LVR (John Legend) takes the reigns once again on the production and co-writes the track. “This song was an incredible amount of fun to create! I think you’ll be able to hear that in the track. I’ve worked with LVR for a long time and we’ve been collaborating over Zoom this past year. He’s absolutely amazing to work with, I can’t praise him enough”

The video was shot by Samuel Edwards in Abertillery Local Community Hall over 3 days. “The inspiration was to bring some 80/90’s vibes back, like you’d see on old Nickelodeon shows and make it a fun, fast moving and colourful video. It was an absolute joy to make, especially as we had tonnes of balloons, cocktails and lollipops. It’s so vibrant and me and my band really enjoyed the shoot.”

Hailing from the South Wales Valleys, MACY has always had a love for music. Since the age of 11, MACY quietly honed and developed her Dream Pop/Contemporary R&B music. In 2019/20, MACY was one of 10 artists selected for the PRS Foundation backed artist development scheme: Forté Project, whilst on the project she performed at FOCUS Wales, Sŵn Festival and HUB festival in her breakthrough year. 2020 she received support from the BBC’s Launchpad scheme for artists and gained airplay on BBC Introducing, BBC Radio Wales A-list and Amazing Radio for her releases ‘Cinema’ which was co-written with Violet Skies (Mabel/Tiesto), ‘Smoking Gun’ and ‘Obvious’. ‘Smoking Gun’ was also added to Spotify’s EASY Playlist (379k). She continued 2021 brightly with funding from Help Musicians UK and her 4th single ‘Wait’. In total all four singles have amassed over 320,000 streams on Spotify.

Check out the video for ‘Rainbow Eyes’ below.

Upbeat and easy on the ear, Macy creates not only an aura of energy which really quite infectious but also a track to leave you transcendent and relaxed as if you’re in a persistent state of emotion. One of the the more exciting pop centric tracks that’s been sent my way, the production plays off as your usual run of the mill pop, but is so much better than most out there. Macy is one of the most exciting acts coming out of the country right now.

Rating: 4/5.

Check out ‘Rainbow Eyes’ below.

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Single Review – Ginesse – Gatorade

Los Angeles-based indie-pop act Ginesse has dropped her revealing new single, “Gatorade.” The single is the first new offering from Ginesse since her breakthrough debut EP ‘Somewhere To Die,’ which was released late last year.

For the new single, Ginesse tapped her longtime collaborator, songwriter and producer Matias Moras (CYN, AU/RA, The Aces). On “Gatorade,” Ginesse’s dreamy vocal delivery soars atop a myriad of pulsating electro beats, swooning synths, and experimental vocal stabs. The shimmering indietronica production creates an intriguing backdrop from Ginesse’s vivid lyricism . The title of the song is a tongue-in-cheek play on the astrological phenomenon of mercury in retrograde and ties into Ginesse’s personal interest in astrology and the meaning it can hold. “For some reason, mercury going into retrograde has always put me in a very nostalgic place,” she says. “It’s a love letter to those I shared time with where the doors have remained open without resolution and without a clear understanding of why.”

Ginesse is the musical project of Los Angeles-based actress Cait Fairbanks. In 2018, having already made a splash in the acting realm with her Emmy-nominated role on The Young and the Restless and multiple TV guest spots, Cait unveiled her musical endeavors under the moniker “Ginesse.” With a signature sound that is not wholly mainstream but still irresistibly catchy, her singles quickly picked up support from the likes of PAPER, NYLON and Billboard, setting the stage nicely for the release of her debut EP ‘Somewhere To Die,’ which she unveiled in late 2020.

Perhaps due to her strong thespian roots, Cait admits that she often approaches Ginesse as “a character to play.” (The name itself was inspired by a local street and her preferred choice of liquor). But she does also acknowledge that “Ginesse” is the perfect outlet to boil herself down in. She’s not wearing a wig or spandex but instead presents the most concentrated version of herself by telling genuine stories via metaphors that emote a relatable, uncomfortable situation or feeling. “I want my music to make people feel like the whole world is wrapping around them,” she says. “If I give someone an emotional picture of a specific moment, that is truly special.”

Check out ‘Gatorade’ below.

This single release from the outset as if it’s just a run of the mill standard follow up offering but in actuality is chalk full of beats you can’t help but tap your foot to set on top of the lush lyrical vocal injection from Ginesse. If there’s one artist to win everyone over this year, it’s this one.

Rating:

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Single Review – Tiger Kid – Ever On

Tiger Kid is back with the follow-up to his cover of “Square Hammer” by Ghost with the video for his catchy melodic rock song, “Ever On” out on April 16, 2021. Tiger Kid is the Los Angeles-based solo project and the brainchild of vocalist/instrumentalist Michael Canton.

Tiger Kid says about the “Ever On” video, “I wanted to make a video that showed the inner workings of my brain during the writing and recording of the Tiger Kid EP. We used many reference songs during the mixing stage, and it was there that I saw how many people and bands influenced these particular songs and my writing overall.” He continues, “When we decided to put a video out for “Ever On”, I wanted there to be a play between the solitary nature of this project and the influences that led me here and pop out occasionally once the music starts. We all channel our influences when we perform, whether we know it or not.”

With the rhythmic introduction, ‘Ever On’ is a consuming and electrifying release you want to revisit again and again. With the video a little more set in the icons of more more darker bands than what Tiger Kid it, it’s still a fantastic dark and mysterious start to what the world of the band is ad hopefully we’ll see the mythos deepen down the line.

Rating:3.5/5.

Check out ‘Ever On’ below.

Single Review – Callie Reiff – What Ifs Feat Louella’

Today New York-based artist and producer Callie Reiff is releasing her next single, “What Ifs (ft. Louella).”

Callie Reiff kicked off 2021 with “The Kids Are All Rebels 2.0,” a collaborative remix with artist/producer Lenii. In March she dropped “Crash Into Me (ft. Madison Daniel),” setting the benchmark for her new sonic direction which she’s coined “indie club.” On these new releases, the 21-year-old multi-hyphenate is transcending the limits of the dance music scene, pushing herself as a singer-songwriter while still staying true to her DJ/producer roots.

Her newest single,”What Ifs (ft. Louella),” takes listeners on a spontaneous journey by contrasting playful bass-heavy production with emotive vocals courtesy of Australian singer-songwriter Louella. “The song is an emotional journey through the ups and downs with someone or even just with yourself,” Callie writes. “The past year has been tough for everyone and we have all been ‘surviving on the what ifs’ and grappling with not knowing how things will pan out.” Explaining her approach to the song’s production, Callie explains, “I tried to uplift the lyrics to give it that energy of hope that we will be moving on to better times ahead.” “What Ifs (ft. Louella)” is a certifiable club banger with heart at the core.

From musical prodigy to industry trendsetter, Callie Reiff is unlike any other. As an accomplished producer, DJ and all-around performer, she made history as the youngest DJ to perform at Webster Hall — since then, she’s taken the stage at festivals such as Creamfields, EDC Las Vegas, Tomorrowland, and Ultra and she’s opened for world-renowned acts including Ed Sheeran, Skrillex, and more. From the start, Callie’s bubbling fearless energy, unrivaled character, and infectious musicality has captured the attention of tastemakers like Teen Vogue, The Cut, Hollywood Life, BBC Radio 1’s Annie Nightingale, Rinse FM’s Marcus Nasty, and Diplo. Now, at 21 years old, Callie Reiff has aligned herself at the intersection of indie-pop and electronic and is ready to show that the sky’s the limit for her career.

Getting straight in the track, What Ifs wastes no time in getting to the bare raw spontaneity of what it encompasses and that is a fantastic beat coupled with the vocals to match as well as the production that it began with. This is one triumphant piece that you can’t ignore.

Check out ‘What Ifs (FT. Louella)’ below.

Single Review – Foxxglove – Bad Timing

Foxxglove returns with her latest single ‘Bad Timing’. This heart wrenching alt-pop ballad gives the listener a deeply personal insight into her life; about a profoundly dark time within a relationship. The Ferndale songstress cries out “You make me feel, like I’m hard to love”as the realisation of her isolation within her world.

Speaking about the track Foxxglove says, “This song is about a specific relationship, where the person broke my heart in an emotionally manipulative and frustrating manner. He fought for my attention at the start, led me on and ended up gaslighting me.
The most important part of a song for me is the lyrics, that’s how I write my music at the moment and I hope people can be empathetic to the emotional weight they carry. This song represents closure to me and I hope others can find solace within the song; knowing they aren’t alone in their feelings.”

The raw, emotional and uncensored lyrics are put front and centre of the song and are backed, with a simplistic yet powerful production by MINAS. He builds from a simple stripped back piano to more chaotic layers that mirror the emotions on the track. “I sent a raw song of lyrics and melody to MINAS via a voice note, he worked his magic and it perfectly captures how I feel about the song.”

Foxxglove has recently announced that she will support LASTELLE on Thursday 26th Augustat The Moon Club, Cardiff as part of their UK tour. Tickets are available via the following link.

Foxxglove is a dark and alternative pop artist from Ferndale in South Wales. Taking inspiration from her own life experiences, films, and art to tell a story that captures people’s hearts; her raw and open emotion seeps through every part of her music. Shebegan working alongside producer & artist Minas, part of the PRS Foundation backed artist development scheme: Forté Project in 2019. In 2020 Foxxglove received support from the BBC’s launchpad scheme for artists. She has also performed at Swn Festival and supported the fast-rising UK rockers Holding Absence.

Starting off very slow and moody, the soft sung Foxxglove is just absolutely beautiful to listen to which only adds to the atmosphere where you get into the bulk of the track. The lack thereof in terms of the instrumentation for a portion of the track allows the vocals to come through to leave you heartbroken and vulnerable.

Rating: 4/5.

Check out ‘Bad Timing’ below.

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Single Review – NO:IR – Phantom

Since their debut in 2019, Bristol-based Nu-Metal five-piece NO:IR have evolved their sound from their hardcore roots to create a modern fusion from a host of genres. They take deep inspiration – and their name, from Film Noir, often characterised by cynicism, intricate plots and existential philosophy.

With four previous successful singles under their belt, the band have achieved more than 100,000 streams on Spotify. Their innate blend of rap and metal draws on an array of influences including emo, hip-hop and dark pop. This has resulted in a signature re-imagination of the Nu-Metal sound; their upcoming single Phantom due for release May 7th 2021, captures this perfectly.

Produced, Mixed and Mastered with Josh Gallop (Phoxjaw) at Stage 2 Studios in Bath, Phantom challenges and explores the honesty and authenticity around an artist’s image. Established artists show a diverse variety of personalities, with some being completely transparent about their feelings and life stories; and some being the opposite, creating new identities or writing about fictitious situations in order to seem more appealing or interesting.

“Phantom explores these ideas and reflects this back onto NO:IR,” explains lyricist Evvi Davies. “The song is intuitive about who NO:IR is, and comparing the honesty in our music to the persona we have created as a band. NO:IR isn’t five individuals but one personality, blending elements of the individuals into one character. The song questions our authenticity, and the lyrics directly reflect where we are as a band.”

The music video for Phantom portrays Plato’s ‘Allegory of the Cave’, with an emphasis being on the shadows and silhouettes created by the band. The video challenges their own honesty and authenticity within their music. Often, we can believe an artist is being honest, however they’re really depicting a story which appears true to the world but in reality are just casting shadows on the cave wall.

Phantom is taken from their upcoming EP Are We Really Alive? due for release later this year. Are We Really Alive? Is the premiere to NO:IR, illustrating a contemporary and dynamic revival of heavy music. Conveying themes of depression, anxiety, addiction, anger, distrust and unity, Are We Really Alive? shows the different musical aspects of their sound, through trap beats, heavy metal breakdowns and haunting melodies.

Just the start of the video and the screaming vocals come together in a wave of transcendence. It’s an utterly beautiful wave of emotion you just don’t get enough of in the world. Moving forward, the track is very well produced and the drums with the guitar just have this coherent rhythm that is impossible to ignore. I truly can’t wait to hear more because NO:IR could be a band that changes the shape of things in this generation.

Rating:5/5.

Check out the video for ‘Phantom’ below.

Single Review – Heckyl – ‘Stranger’

Stranger follows the release of ‘Preacher’ that received great reviews from NOTION, CLOUT Magazine, Talk About Pop Music and others plus it was selected Record of the Day by that influential music business daily.

Self-written, performed and produced in his Sweet Factory studio the song is a mixture of catchy melodies, harmonies built upon a base of imaginative ‘Kygo-esque’ rhythm, percussion and swirling synths. One listen and its earworm qualities will have you hooked and when you take in the lyrics you’ll feel and understand the darker side of life the author describes.

The song captures the inner voices that Luke channels through Heckyl and refer to the anxiety often experienced late at night when feelings are heightened by that imaginary monster that“crawls inside my head”. It’s relatable and, in difficult times like these, the feelings expressed will probably resonate with us all.

With a number of highly successful releases under his own name and co-writes and productions for other artists his songs have nearly 25 million streams on Spotify alone.”

Following on from the track ‘Preacher’, Heckyl’s follow up in the from of ‘Stranger’ just has a groove you can’t forget anytime soon. Punchy, rhythmic and truly fantastic, the artist proves he’s anything but a one hit wonder with the ideas flowing and one you want to see performed right away.

Rating:4/5.

Check out ‘Stranger’ below.

Single Review – Calling All Captains – Tailspin

“Tailspin” is out now on New Damage Records, which is their first release in two years and is an energetic and emotional song about falling deep into your own vices. Consistently telling yourself you need to change, but struggling with the real pain that comes with healing.

On the release, the band say:

Together we are slowly getting better, some days more than others. This is the first song we’ve released in over two years and it features Connor’s voice upfront and personal alongside Luc’s, adding a new element to our music. Thank you for listening!

The track is a perfect reminiscence track while blending genres in such a fascinating way. With reminders of Real Friends, Neck Deep, A Day To Remember and more, this is a very much welcomed return to the scene for Calling All Captains with the hooks coming in every shape and form but what displaces them from every band in similarity is the grungy vocals of Brad Bremmer. What they add to the genre though is the lyrics which encapsulate the feelings of the last year for most of the world. Hopefully they’ll be able to tour this one soon because it’ll go off in any venue!

Rating:5/5.

Check out Tailspin below or via your preferred streaming service.

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Single Review – Dawn Chorus – ‘Modern Being’

Dawn Chorus are an atmospheric indie rock trio out of Salt Lake City, UT. With an energetic life of its own, their upcoming single ‘Modern Being’ radiates a sunny disposition, taking the listener on a journey through an array of instrumentation with a psychedelic vibe. Musically coming together the day Trump was defeated in the presidential election, it’s no wonder the tune has such an uplifting feel!

Utilising their passion for different genres and styles, Dawn Chorus incorporate everything from acoustic guitar to cello, flute, organ and synthesisers on the new track. Every instrument and track was performed by Dawn Chorus and entirely self-produced, composed, arranged, engineered and was even mixed within one of the members’ apartment. The DIY attitude of Dawn Chorus gives them an authenticity that shines through both musically and lyrically.

Dawn Chorus on the meaning behind the track:

It’s about disillusionment with modern life and technology’s effect on interpersonal relationships. Lyrically, this song was inspired by a mushroom trip in Colorado. Musically, the core of this song came together the day Trump was defeated (thank god) as such, it has a celebratory feel. Harmonically, it was inspired by Brian

Wilson’s more daring Harmonic arrangements / harmonic language of Jazz. We were striving to capture that classic 60s / Beatles psychedelic feel with a modern flare /extra dose of harmony.

Having played music together in some capacity for roughly 7 years, Dawn Chorus started writing and recording in earnest with their current lineup in 2018. Priding themselves on their collaborative effort, the trio try to span the multitude of genres that influence them.

‘Modern Being’ follows their November 2020 single ‘Diamond Dust’. Last year the band enjoyed breakthrough success with their track ‘Origami Heart’, which reached 50k+ streams on Spotify over the course of a few months and was playlisted internationally. The single also achieved local coverage by SLUG Magazine and Salt Lake City weekly for the band.

Dawn Chorus is comprised of: William Fait – Guitar, Keys, Vox; Christian Sudweeks – Bass, keys, drums, vox, mixing; and Christopher Weed – Lead Vox, Keys, Drums.

The track starts off quite unconventional as if it was a big band but that’s more of the Jazz influence coming into play. After this, it moves straight into an older indie and more of the 60’s territory which is really quite appealing to the ear. It’s a complete throwback which we may just need right now.

Rating:3/5.

Check out ‘Modern Being’ below.

Single Review – Kashmere – ‘Someone’

Founded within the suburbs of Greater Manchester, Kashmere are an indie-rock force to be reckoned with.

With modern and vintage production methods, robust layers of analogue synths and unforgettable chorus hooks, Kashmere have always carved a unique & distinctive path for themselves, becoming impossible to ignore. Now the band return with their euphoric and vibrant single ‘Someone’.

Kashmere on their new track

“‘Someone’ is about chasing a lifestyle, a relationship or simply a headspace that perhaps isn’t suited to you.”

After feeling like they’d lost their way, Kashmere found time to reflect during the year of lockdown and returned to the sound that inspired them to make music in the beginning. The band returned to their favourite residential studio, Eve Studios Stockport, Greater Manchester (The Charlatans, Snoop Dogg, Blossoms). The owner at Eve Studios allowed the band to dust off the cobwebs from their 1970’s Mk 1 Mini Moog, previously used on Kashmere’s 2018 hit ‘Codeine’ on the promise of spending the entire day finding the perfect bass sound. Keeping to their word, the Mini Moog is the first sound you hear on the new single ‘Someone’

Kashmere echo an eclectic range of influences from the band’s extensive interest in old and new music, from the likes of Depeche Mode, the 1975, Simple Minds, The Strokes, Tame Impala and Talk Talk. The un-mistakable sonics & consistent earworm anthems have allowed the band to sell out every Manchester headline show since 2016, selling over two thousand tickets in their hometown.

Through constant touring and dedication to playing every corner of the UK, Kashmere has built a fanbase almost solely on a word-of-mouth basis. Never showing fear to jump in at the international deep end with incredibly successful tours in China 2018 & Germany 2019. Followed by an unfortunate cancellation of their SXSW 2020 experience. Kashmere have recently announced a series of UK and European tour dates for 2021 (see below), although still dream of returning to China in the future!

Previously Kashmere have found a high success rate on Spotify, appearing on nationally renowned editorial playlists such as New Music Friday, The Indie List and All New All Now. Racking up a healthy 1.7m streams, alongside powerful sync backing & retail playlisting from Netflix, Fred Perry and Pretty Green. Performing at Y-Not Festival, Neighbourhood, British Sound Project and Tramlines Festival the band gained support from the likes of BBC 6 Music, XS Radio and BBC Introducing MCR.

‘Someone’ is set for release on April 30th and is the first in a series of singles expected in 2021.

The track ‘Someone’ is a beautiful soulful dream which is one of the more pleasant listens I’ve had the pleasure to have come my way so far this year. You can just imagine this in gig settings because it’s going to be a huge one for Kashmere. Easy on the ear and the instrumentation is one aspect to the track you could listen to for multiple plays on repeat, this triumphant release easily proves that Manchester is just full of artists with massive potential. And this ear worm is one you’ll head for days, if not weeks on end.

Check out ‘Someone’ below.

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