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I CAN BE INDIE TOO
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SHEPPARD
– Member/s: Jay Bovino, Michael Butler, Amy Sheppard, Emma Sheppard, George Sheppard, Dean Gordon
– Genre: Indie Pop/Alternative Folk/Indie Rock
– Location/Formed: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia/2009
– Album/s
“GERONIMO” in a NUTSHELL: SoundWave 71 starts off with a wonderful Australian bang – hence the nickname “Straya” as our title – with newcomers Sheppard, a group of family/friends who have garnered a surprisingly diverse international following over a short period of time. New single “Geronimo” has an upbeat, folksy feel, with a Mumford & Sons-esque quality to the songwriting that should be immediately appealing to most listeners. The song thrives off a driving bass line, which is matched by dueling lead vocalists and a whole lot of cinematic-folk appeal. Sure to put a smile on your face, “Geronimo” (SAY IT) is a fun-filled musical ride, and sets just the right tone for this week’s playlist.
SOUNDSIMILAR: “Hold My Tongue” – Sheppard; “Make This Leap” – The Hunts; “Sound of Change” – Dirty Heads
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AND THE BEAT GOES ON
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“Memories That You Call (feat. Monsoonsiren)” – ODESZA
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ODESZA
– Member/s: Harrison Mills, Clayton Knight
– Genre: Electronic/EDM/Indietronica
– Location/Formed: Seattle, Washington, USA/2012
– Album/s
“MEMORIES THAT YOU CALL (FEAT. MONSOONSIREN)” in a NUTSHELL: This song is such a unique blend of styles and genres that I’ve decided to invent a name for it – Downtempo Trap! Though it has a chillwave vibe and relaxed, digitally manipulated vocals, it also makes you want to get up and dance – hence the trap part of that musical honorific. Seattle’s electronic production duo ODESZA show off their manipulatory powers on their new single, which features a host of crisp instruments, percussive beats, and warbling synths. Overall, “Memories” is an audiophile’s electronic dream, and should put ODESZA squarely on the map.
SOUNDSIMILAR: “Sun Models (feat. Madelyn Grant)” – Odesza; “Conversations” – Tom Day & Monsoonsiren; “Let It Be (feat. Veela)” – Blackmill
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POP CONFESSION
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ELLA EYRE
– Member/s: Ella McMahon
– Genre: Singer-Songwriter/Pop/Drum&Bass Pop
– Location/Formed: London, UK/2012
– Album/s
“IF I GO” in a NUTSHELL: Ella Eyre’s modern-qua-retro pop anthem has been tearing it up in England for a few weeks now, so I thought now was as good a time as any to introduce her to the blog. With vocals to rival any big-time belter (move aside, Beyoncé), Eyre’s single is a fantastic mix of slow and fast, which makes it both a nightmare to dance to and an intriguing listen. Though Eyre won’t win any lyricism accolades, the song is a conscientiously contrived and therefore highly successful pop single, and is the catalyst that will launch Ella’s career to the next level.
SOUNDSIMILAR: “Deeper” – Ella Eyre; “Love Me Again” – John Newman; “Here’s To Everything” – Misha B
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I CAN DO ROCK TOO
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PVRIS
– Member/s: Lyndsey Gunnulfsen, Alex Babinski, Brian MacDonald
– Genre: Alternative Rock
– Location/Formed: Lowell, Massachusetts, USA/2012
– Album/s
“ST. PATRICK” in a NUTSHELL: Pvris are what would happen if you threw Paramore, Nero, and Evanescence into a bag and shook it up really well. Part electro-rock outing, part female-empowering pop, and part EDM-tinged soundscapes, this band is steadily on the rise, and won’t stop until they reach the top. Devilishly sleek and explosive in sound, newest single “St. Patrick” is as sassy as it is enticing, with synth-drenched choruses that seamlessly morph into vocally-led verses, all of which are backed by airtight production that augments Gunnulfsen’s voice without overpowering it. Take note now, and you’ll be saying “I knew them when…” soon enough!
SOUNDSIMILAR: “Only Love (Acoustic)” – Pvris; “All I Wanted” – Paramore; “Promises” – Nero
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OLD RELIABLE
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SAINT RAYMOND
– Member/s: Callum Burrows
– Genre: Singer-Songwriter/Indie
– Location/Formed: Nottingham, England/2012
– Album/s
“I WANT YOU” in a NUTSHELL: How long has it been that I’ve been asking myself – when is Saint Raymond aka Callum Burrows going to release a full-length album?! I mean the EPs have been great, don’t get me wrong…but an artist of this quality needs to have an album already. And lo-and-behold, the musical gods listened to my desperate plea, and are giving us a freshman album come….sometime this fall, hopefully? Alas. For now, though, we have “I Want You” to console us, and that will have to do! The song features everything that we love about Burrows’ music, so listen, enjoy, and learn to wait. (Pessimistic moral of that story, but what can you do, it’s been one of those days.)
SOUNDSIMILAR: “Young Blood” – Saint Raymond; “Closer Than This” – St. Lucia; “Changing of the Seasons” – Two Door Cinema Club
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SINGER/SONGWRITER
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VANCE JOY
– Member/s: James Keogh
– Genre: Singer-songwriter/Alternative Rock/Indie Folk
– Location/Formed: Melbourne, Australia/2013
– Album/s
“MESS IS MINE” in a NUTSHELL: I went back and forth this week on wether or not to make this song my PickoftheWeek, but in the end opted with the new artist below rather than Vance Joy simply because I’ve already featured James Keogh’s impeccable indie-folk-rock on the blog before and thought it best that I give someone else a chance now. That being said, “Mess Is Mine” is honestly one of the best songs that I’ve discovered in a good long while, and deserves a bit of special attention. In preparation for his debut album Dream Your Life Away, which is due out Sept. 5th, the Strayan native has now released 3 singles. “Mess Is Mine”, while slightly less upbeat than “Riptide”, features the same building crescendo of sound and tempo that we have grown to love, alongside new addition of extra-layered vocals (gorgeous), instrumental variety (brilliant), and more heart-wrenching songwriting (perfection). If those panegyric descriptions weren’t enough, then you’ll just have to listen to the track and decide for yourself.
SOUNDSIMILAR: “Riptide” – Vance Joy; “Holland Road” – Mumford & Sons; “Save Part of Yourself” – Brandi Carlile
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PICK OF THE WEEK
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“Anchors & Diamonds” – D At Sea
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D AT SEA
– Member/s: Doyle Perez
– Genre: Indie/Alternative/Pop/Chill
– Location/Formed: Sunshine Coast, Australia/2011
– Album/s
“ANCHORS & DIAMONDS” in a NUTSHELL: The Pick of the Week for SoundWave 71 goes to yet another up-and-coming Australian singer Doyle Perez , or as he is known in the musical world, D At Sea. Shirking previous attempts at acoustic folk-rock, Perez takes up the electronic mantle on “Anchors & Diamonds” and manages to craft an exquisitely complex song that, though somewhat betraying its fledgling nature, is an impressive nascent outing. Alternately atmospheric and hip-hop-y (that doesn’t sit well), “A&D” is subtly acoustic whilst being overwhelmingly modern in production. Of course my favorite part comes in the B section, as a gorgeous piano interlude takes center stage, but the song as a whole is beguiling from start to finish. If you like what you hear, check out the rest of Perez’ EP Anchors & Diamonds, and enjoy this budding talent!
SOUNDSIMILAR: “Pop Flip Catch” – D At Sea; “Picasso” – The Cinema; “Warpath” – Connor Youngblood
Thanks for READLISTENING!
Want to listen to all of these songs at once? Check out my YouTube Playlist for this SoundWave!
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