Lierda “Somebody Else”
Photo credit: Jawad
“Somebody Else” is destined to be a unique sonic experience. Obscure ambiance brews in the silky vocals and mesmerizing melodies, immersing you completely into its melancholy, hauntingly moody atmosphere. As the first out of four from Qatar’s Lierda and HVYKAL’s collaborative EP, “Somebody Else” provides a curious preview of this project.
It’s hard to describe this single, but it hits hard in the heart while the ears are addicted to every single sound and mood that they channels. It’s mysterious the way that the two artists approach music-making, but the result is fascinating. “Somebody Else” is the type of track that instantly stands out from others although it sounds familiar. It leaves an impression, a deep feeling in your mind long after the music is gone.
The built-up is subtle, full of tangible stretches. It evokes a sense of familiarity and heartache, as if you have been there before, a deja vu, but at the same time, it’s a whole new world. The rules are different, the colors are different, and everything doesn’t feel the same. The track takes an old topic and owns it in a brand new way.
“Somebody Else” gives you the feeling as if the music itself is too short. It evokes a hunger, an immediate need for more from these two artists. Although it’s hard to say which path they will embrace further in this EP, the conversation between the two is bound to be magical.
Bealby Point “Say It Anyway”
Photo credit: Ross Oullette
“Say it Anyway" may sound blunt to you at first, given that the title itself is charged with the angst-filled emotions, but Vancouver indie-rockers Bealby Points have something else in mind for this release. Unlike the most predictable rocker’s confrontation, “Say it Anway” pans the melancholic, contemplating thoughts across the verses with its theme being revealed through the chorus.
Charged with the early aughts’ spirit, the track evokes a retro aesthetic, featuring lead vocalist Jack Armstrong’s moody vocal that is so madly in touch with his demons and emotions. The eclectic, melodic soundscape, on the other hand, has the wicked storming energy that reminds you of The Strokes.
Clayton Dewar’s guitar walks at the edge of the background, weaving refreshing sounds and melodic elements into the mix. Drummer Zack Yeager’s effort is less dramatic but creative and textural. It’s obvious that Yeager isn’t boxed in by the typical rock pattern. His signature 32-notes splattered across the bridge and chorus add a very interesting change to Bealby Point’s sound.
If it’s up to the band, they would describe themselves roughly as “a cross between The Strokes and Eagles with a splash of Bahamas…on the rocks, no ice,” which in the case of “Say it Anyway,” would be a solid statement.
As the first single from Bealdy Point’s sophomore EP Fridays, slated for a summer release, “Say it Anyway” barely scratches the pain but just enough to light a curious fire for their upcoming release. It’s clear that we need to hear more music from this band, really soon.
Tamas Szigyarto “Fragments”
Like dots being connected through the footsteps, Fragments finds thirteen piano vignettes splashed across times and spaces joining together in a continuous narrative. Written and performed by St. Petersburg pianist/composer Tamas Szigyarto, between 2019 and 2020 (except for “Enigmatic”), each piano piece takes on a different shade of contemplation, whether for it to be poetic or emotional, melancholy or restrained.
“This music serves to me as homage and a bridge to two cities where I spent the last 10 years, London and Saint-Petersburg,” said the artist, “Each movement is written in one of them and almost every piece carries images and mood of these cities that are so dear to my heart.”
Szigyarto’s music piano music explores an intricate blend of impressionism and neo-classical, paying homages to Ravel, Copland, Banevish, and Debussy. Each piece in Fragments has a certain familiarity to them as if they have existed for a long time, or have traveled or grown from a known path, but Szigyarto puts a personal touch in them that makes them uniquely different — a spark of warmth that speaks directly to your heart and soul.
The reflective nature of Fragments always manages to take you somewhere deep and personal. It gently nourishes your heart and calms your mind. Through the journeys imprinted in the sound of each piano piece, they connect and evoke a moment of vulnerability and deep thinking.
Tamas Szigyarto’s music is the perfect background for a time alone with yourself, but at the time, it’s underrated to be just the background. Like the nuance and kaleidoscopic nature, there’s more to Fragments that is worth pondering upon.
Smoke Spider “Linger in My Memory”
Stefan Altvall
Smoke Spider has a lost sound from the last century. It feels unreal, listening to a track with modern technology while vibrating on the high-speed swirl of the 90s. It’s messy, noisy, festive, and massive. “Linger in My Memory” is as space-filling as nostalgic as evocative. The song hits hard, leaving you pondering upon those deep feelings.
It’s hard to look away from anything Smoke Spider created and produced. Speaking from a band that is the master of making strong first impressions — a grand opening with coolness and style that doesn’t shy away from declaring who they are as a band. While their music gets under your skin before whiskey hits your gut.
Smoke Spider’s music is something special — it’s not hard to imagine it being special for many. They produce a sound and a vibe that is longed for — the authentic nostalgia of psychedelic and classic rock. They vibrate on the same energy field that seems to have already been lost in time.
Hailing from Gothenburg, Sweden, Smoke Spider is the sonic project of Göran Florström (vocalist & lyricist) and Johan Granat (producer & all instruments) who have known each other since the heydays of the 90s. Smoke Spider finds them reconnecting with the creative sparkles once again, just like the time before when they were writing hit songs back in the 90s, in those cramped apartments.
What in Your Heart Can Put You in a Trance “A Midnight So Sweet”
“A Midnight So Sweet” introduces you to the sound garden of a mysterious trio with an illustrative name, What in Your Heart Can Put You in a Trance. Not following their usual blues introduction, the latest single puts you in a silky-sweet groove, swirling between a summertime party atop a mountain and standing underneath the urban nightlight.
The berry-infused song features Mariya May’s fruity vocal in a lighthearted cherry haze, while Mo Douglas’ imaginative guitar soundscapes fill the space with psych-blues fantasies. Prince Joely seems to push this dream further into a 3-D dimension, styling it in a mood-filled, glistening retro-modern style.
What in Your Heart Can Put You in a Trance evoke an instant retro fashion, dancing in the vintage glaring shoegaze with a dreamy, laid-back mixture of soul, blues, folk, and R&B. “A Midnight So Sweet” easily sparks an interest in the audience. If you dive into their odd timeline, you’ll be amazed by just how stylistic and fashionable the sound of this band truly is.
WIYHCPYIAT has the ability to travel across genres while creating authentic, distinctive content. They are not bound to rules or normal standards. As if coming from a different time, they speak, dress, and even live their lives differently, but it’s somehow natural, like an instinct, like recalling a memory. Their music makes you feel surreal about their existence.
De Arma “After Dark, You're There”
Photo credit: Nicklas Lundqvist
“After Dark, You’re There” explores a palpable sense of wistfulness, following the intense quest of an atmospheric emotional journey of the Swedish goth rockers De Arma’s second studio album Strayed in Shadows in 2021. The single, fresh from their upcoming EP Nightcall, leans into a heavier side of De Arma, fusing their dark, metal aesthetics with a sense of cold nostalgia through the 80s synth.
Originally formed in 2009 by Andreas Pettersson and Maria Oja, De Arma dives into the sweet alchemy of genre-bending, honoring their metal root while experimenting with a variety of musical elements. Spanning from a heavy rocker mood in early 2011 to an impressionistic, atmospheric sonic experience in 2021, the spirited rockers have an expansive blossom of sonic palettes that could never die of boredom. In their latest work, their music seems to have solidified and deepened in emotion, time, and space.
“After Dark, You’re There” presents a film noir quality. A drone-like, ever-shifting ambiance introduces you to a gaze that is worth a thousand words. Andreas Pettersson chant-like vocal comes from everywhere and nowhere. It’s deeply emotional yet at the same time blowing in the wind. There’s overwhelmingness in the intensity of emotions on this track.
“I often ask myself — is this a song about a woman? The devil? Or something a bit more mundane, such as alcohol?” Pettersson commented on the track, “It has a kind of ravaged feeling, despite being rather dreamy and soothing.”
“‘After Dark’ is quite different from the remaining two tracks (of Nightcall)— both of which differ somewhat from one another,” he added, “Despite its different presentation, this is definitely the material that’s closest to what we’ve done in the past.”
Nightcall, slated for a May release via Silent Future Recordings, expands on the existing thematic, visual experience of De Arma — being stuck in a dark, dystopian futuristic metropolis while dancing in the spirit of the 80s. The EP will serve as a transition between the duo’s second and third studio album and will be available on limited digipak-CD and colored vinyl with artwork by Boris Groh.
Sofia Dragt “Temporary Gold”
Photo credit: Melissa Scharroo
The sound of passing cars, a boot in the mud became the swell and percussive sounds in “Temporary Gold.” The breadth of the landscape, the taste of the air, the smile of the people, and the colors of the surroundings are effortlessly and elegantly orchestrated in the melodies and moods that are organically imprinted into her own sound.
As a musical artist, Sofia Dragt also writes for media and film. You can hear the impressionistic, ambient influence subtly intertwined with the nuance of her vocal performance.
“Temporary Gold” is an immersive, healing experience as if the spirit of the mountains has blessed the track. A deep form of happiness and joy is being expressed in the music that feels cathartic on an emotional level.
“I’m a bit of a loner when it comes to writing music,” said the artist and thus, she creates the sound from scratch, nurtures and polishes them until they are exactly the way she likes. Every piece of music has tiny stardust of her soul in them that feels alive and spiritual. It’s deeply moving and connected.
Oneo Fakind “Life in the Background”
Life in the Background feels more than a purely sonic experience. As if walking into an abstract visual audio exhibition in the spirit of adventure and exploration, there are awe moments when you find something really cool.
Like all great art, the wonderful experimentation Oneo Fakind have with beats and electronic music didn’t derive far from our daily life. There are sounds that feel familiar, tangible almost, and there are the stranger sounds that drift and shift in between the hypnotic groove, where the lo-fi hip-hop beats and drifting ambiance create a mood that is so easy to relate to as it gently transforms the way you perceive life.
The color seems warmer and chiller at the same time in “Life in the Background.” There’s a natural, childlike wonder in the sound that intrigues you to explore. The atmosphere feels dense and vague at times, but the details on high resolution create a surreal, urban vibe that is hard to shake off.
Familiar sounds and stranger sounds shift and disappear in between hypnotic grooves. Atmospheres that are dense and vague have a high resolution on details that feel a little surreal, but the feelings always ground you. The only thing that anyone could wish for is for the EP to be longer. There’s a very strong desire to hear more from them.
Oneo Fakind seems to be expressing something deeper with their music. Even though it wasn’t communicated through words, it’s deep in their music. “The Residue of Your Voice is like a Rotten Tooth Full of Moth” evokes those feelings in your bones. It’s nostalgic, it’s melancholy, it’s immersive, and it’s massive. It spreads into the air and becomes everything that we see, hear, and taste, like an exhibition.
Randy Beth “make a home”
A guitar, a story, and a voice. Just like that, after a lifetime of telling other people’s stories on stage, Randy Beth made the decision to vocalize her own stories. Simple, tasteful yet full of strength. There’s nothing ordinary about her or her stories.
Maybe it was her gorgeous vocal that steals a soul or two as tears become the reflection of the rising flames of a campfire, or maybe it was her cathartic, yet overwhelmingly touching storytelling about the search for a home in the process of overcoming childhood trauma, “make a home,” the debut release from the New York-based singer-songwriter shares something really special.
Beth has a natural talent in those breathy moments, layering the main melodies with butterfly-like ornamentations and cloud-like harmonies. The backing vocals on “made a home” add a personal, artistic twist to the stripped-down performance.
The singer-songwriter concluded the track on an unfinished melody, a note, ringing in the air. The desire to resolve becomes the need to listen from the beginning to the end again and again. Although this technique is often exploited in songs, here, Randy Beth has demonstrated the perfect, imperfect ending for maximum effect.
Abz Winter “Just Wanna Be Me”
Abz Winter represents many things but certainly not an inside-the-box type of artist. She’s rebellious, unapologetically loud, honest, and daring. She challenges social norms, pushes the boundaries, and rewrites rules through her unique voice and easily relatable youthful perspective.
Abz Winter has a uniquely charming voice that easily stands out in the crowd. She handles the intimate, emotive moments so beautifully, while at times, she takes you on those powerfully cathartic and emotional moments without the blink of an eye. Abz Winter seems to be born for the stage and spotlights.
In the latest EP, Just Wanna Be Me, the artist draws inspiration from her personal life, examining love, friendship, and youth with a touch of innocent vulnerability while remaining self-empowered. “Bye B*tch” is a dark anthemic banger about walking away from one-sided relationships.
The title track “Just Wanna Be Me” lays slightly on the dark and eerie side with a delightfully orchestrated sense of bizarre. Abz Winter discusses the challenges of “being me” — the battles between self-acceptance and the constant need to be perfect.
There’s a sense of rawness in her music that simply remains untamed from the outside world, combined with the rebellious and daring side and becoming something motivational and inspiring. In “Bad Thoughts,” Winter wonderfully draws from punk, electronic pop, and rock influences in her confession of having obsessive thoughts over another person and her wish to break free.
La Sante “Something Is Happening”
Photo credit: David Larsson
The introspective track feels cathartic and messy. Nyberg’s ethereal vocal meets an emotive, urgent guitar that has the dazzling sun in its vibration. Like those moments when you realize the gravitas of a situation.
The blurring edges and immersive soundscape form an obscure sensuous vibe that strum on the soft, sensitive nerves of your heart while the clashing drums push the spinning cathartic even further into the mood.
The possibilities, consequences, the strings that are pulled within each move. “Something is Happening” has that immediately, spanning-out vision that is both terrifying yet drastically magnificent. La Sante has captured these fleeting emotions within the micro-moments.
As the third release, “Something is Happening” shows La Sante’s artistic maturity in the arrangement. Adhering to his vibrant sonic palette as shown in previous work, the newest release involves more thoughtful twisting and engaging experiments in sounds and layers.
Chucky Trading Co “Tonight We Will Live Forever”
If there was truly magic in the world, then Chucky Trading Co’s music would be where it existed. Fused with cosmic reflections and nature’s gaze, Chucky Trading Co’s music creates an intoxicating campfire vibe. Brilliant groove and rich soundscapes, his music is a sonic universe that you could fully immerse yourself into.
Chucky Trading Co started playing music in high school. Instantly, there was a connection between him and the stage. “My soul speaks in those performances with a voice I don’t have at any other time,” he commented. Through years of being on stage and performing with a band, a sound naturally evolved and was amplified under the spotlight.
His journey with music wasn’t all smooth. After the fall-out of his first “big” band, Chucky Trading Co took a creative break and came back a few years later. “I’ve grown up a little and now I make music for the music!” his words sounded clear even through the pages.
“Tonight We Will Live Forever” recalls the very first dance between two romantic partners who have been together for years. You could feel the smile and romance coming through Chucky Trading Co’s signature sound. Following the sultry release of “Margarita,” “Tonight We Will Live Forever” invites you into the tale of love.
We had the opportunity to ask a few questions with Chucky Trading Co. Below are our full interview with this amazing artist:
Q&A With Chucky Trading Co
Punk Head: I love the tenderness and campfire feel in "Tonight We Will Live Forever." What was the inspiration behind the song?
Chucking Trading Co: I love that description! It really does have a campfire feel. Well, when you have been with your partner for a long time, your love is deep and mature, but not as fresh as when you first met. I wanted to think back to that first night together! It was magical!
Punk Head: How did you get into music in the first place?
Chucky Trading Co: I started playing guitar in high school and soon joined a band. I am never so "in the moment" as when I am playing music, especially live performances. My soul speaks in those performances with a voice I don't have at any other time.
Punk Head: What would you say are the biggest influences in shaping your sound?
Chucky Trading Co: I grew up listening to the classic folk-rock sounds of the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Paul Simon and Elliott Smith are my greatest songwriter influences.
Punk Head: Is there a specific feel or aesthetic that you'd like to achieve in your music?
Chucky Trading Co: I don't start out with a specific feel, but it emerges more organically. Somehow at the end of the album project, it all fit together in a cohesive whole. I guess my influences and love speak through me.
Punk Head: What is your journey as a musician like? What are some challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?
Chucky Trading Co: I stopped playing music for other people for quite a while when my first "big" band didn't make a big-time, lol. I've grown up a little and now I make music for the music!
Punk Head: Are you currently working on anything exciting?
Chucky Trading Co: I have written my second album and am busy recording! It's a slow process because my collaborators all live a long way away from me so we do our pieces separately and then come together for a week to put it all together and record some fresh tracks.
Dirty D “Dandelion Heart”
Photo credit: Dale Pearson
Dirty D is a self-taught saxophone player with unique artistic visions and genre-bending sensitivity. Dapped in the street-inspired hip hop and lo-fi jazz sensation, Dirty D’s music is meant to be something different.
The San Diego-based artist is a prolific composer who has been releasing music since 2020. With more than a handful of releases already as his back catalogs, the songwriter showcases his own creation of “chill hop.”
Standing in its own universe, “Dandelion Heart” is a special track that is almost hard to define. The jazz and hip-hop influences are weaved seamlessly into their musical expression. Like the heart of a dandelion under the sunshine, there's a natural glow of light and purity in his sound that is hard to pin down.
“Dandelion Heart” radiates in the soothing jazzy saxophone solo and blossoming synth. Soft, airy pads in the background dim the light, giving it a touch of a romantic atmosphere. Arpeggiated guitar riff joins into the melodic orchestra when the time is right. The supportive warmth from the instrument makes it a wonderful ear treat.
Tes Yeux Rouges “Soleil Intérieur”
Evoking a spiritual experience
Tuning to the deep knowing, “Soleil Interieur” unravels before your eyes. Inspired by grooving the situation, Belgium artist Tes Yeux Rouges takes on an unorthodox approach to form and songwriting. “Soleil Interieur” is an experimental, hip-hop ode about inner light, greatness, and lifeforce.
Through fragments of mystical acoustic and electronic melodic components that are linked and connected together, the song sees the magical nature of existence.
“Soleil Interieur” is hard-hitting with a warm edge, cosmic, mystical with an ancient sense of connection and grounding. Mesmerizing riff takes an exotic, timeless swirl in between French lyricism. Sound symbolism creates a wonderful rhyme that aligns and enriches the visual projection.
There’s a psychedelic aspect of “Soleil Interieur” that can’t be ignored. The song evokes a spiritual experience with its hypnotic, anciently fascinating combination of sound, rhythm, and wordplay. The cleansing energy has an expanding effect on the mind, body, and soul that slowly awakens the third eye on your forehead.
Hyet “Concrete Moon”
Photo credit: Mark Estephan
Written during a depressive period in the middle of the pandemic, “Concrete Moon” is about confronting toxicity and facing your true north.
Inspired by a terrible real-life situation where the voices from your loved ones become the most hurtful weapons that doubt your ability, Mark Estephan channeled his raw emotions into “Concrete Moon.”
Hyet is a solo rock project by multi-instrumentalist Mark Estephan. He draws influences from Devin Townsend, My Bloody Valentine, Prince, My Chemical Romance, and Tycho. The instruments in the track are recorded in Mark Estephan’s bedroom, surrounded by empty La Croix cans.
As indie as it could be, “Concrete Moon” comes out as an explosive cluster of sounds that radiate in heat and permeate your heart’s wall. The constant contrast between vulnerability and noise makes an honest, unapologetic statement.
Charged with drastic emotional power, Estephan’s hoarse, angst-filled voice easily evokes an emotional response. Like a storm that confronts and penetrates the cold, concrete walls with determination, “Concrete Moon” is immersive and hard-hitting.
BackTalk “Remedy”
Explosive, unapologetic, and confrontational, BackTalk is a band that demands your attention.
Photo credit: Jay Lopez
“Remedy” tells the story of a man struggling with his demons. From a shimmering, illusive melodic intro, BackTalk unveils the brokenness and regrets of a man who has wronged others in the past. The dark-laced vulnerability leads to the destructive effects of frustration and struggle has on himself. Doubled layered screams, two heads of voices, the drastic tension weighing on a thin layer can explode at any moment.
BackTalk’s multi-faceted delivery captures the seriousness and aggressive nature when the gun is pointed back towards the destruction of self. The track reaches the ultimate conclusion of isolation in a lonely, exhausted ring that hovers above your head.
With “Remedy,” BackTalk aims to spread awareness of mental health struggles underneath the seemingly perfect outlooks. Fueled with raging power and hysterical vocalization, the hard-hitting metalcore track is the perfect sonic medium to open a difficult topic that deserves our attention.
BackTalk was forming in Dallas, Texas in 2016 from the remnants of a previous band. The band quotes August Burns Red, Avenged Sevenfold, Slipknot, Bullet For My Valentine, Silent Planet, Underoath, Eminem, among many others as their influences. Explosive, unapologetic, and confrontational, BackTalk is a band that demands your attention.
There’s always something deeper about BackTalk’s music. The band doesn’t shy away from discussing human-relatable yet controversial topics. The metalcore blood that runs through the veins of their music is proof that BackTalk is about change and vocalization.
Mungo Park “In deep watercolor”
Bold and refreshing approach to traditional Scottish music.
“In deep watercolours” introduces you to Mungo Park’s vision of traditional Scottish music. The album, filled with both traditional and original tunes is a reimagination of Scottish music in the modern setting, where various musical backgrounds are fully absorbed and realized in a collective sound. Mungo Park is the brainchild of arranger, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Raúl Peinado.
Mungo Park’s approach to traditional Scottish music is bold and refreshing. The band is certainly not afraid to break a few rules with energetic, punchy new lines. “In deep watercolours” is a fine mixture between Spanish filmic atmosphere, alternative rock landscape, and the natural charm of folkloric music.
“Fause, Fause” opens with a moody piano that instantly drags you into an emotive and atmospheric space. The traditional melodies flow in the gentle gaze of the wind. The authentic, unfiltered vocal takes you further away into somewhere pure and afar, where the stories in those old melodies touch your soul.
“The Monkey” is an arrangement of traditional songs “Abair Thusa Mi Tarraing,” “The Lassies’ Fashion,” and “B Quiet Real,” along with Raúl Peinado’s compositions, “The Monkey’s Strathspey” and “The Monkey's Reel.” Unlike a traditionally melody-centered dance piece, the track takes the creative liberty to build its foundation on layers of rhythmic riffs that intrigues you to explore more. Revolving around a punchy guitar line, a flowing piano underneath counters the groove with a darker, and more sophisticated twist.
Raúl Peinado takes on a passionate, creative approach with an electro chopped border pipe that gives the traditional tune “Abair Thusa Mi Tarraing” a refreshing outlook. Towards the end, “The Monkey” has another surprising twist in store. Mungo Park shakes things up entirely on “B Quiet Real,” where the band embraces the rhythmic and textural built-up from a completely different perspective.
Littleuniverses “Corners”
intense, experimental, imaginative shoegazing soundscapes.
Photo credit: Alex Kasyan
Littleuniverses is a Canadian singer-songwriter who travels between genres. Corners explore the evolving emotional states of isolation within 4 corners of an apartment with intense, experimental, imaginative shoegazing soundscapes.
Littleuniverses’ voice is versatile and full of potential. There are times when the way she uses her voice to express those extreme and undescribable feelings simply amaze you. While the soft and melancholy texture can be quite a charm in other cases.
“Getting By” opens with clocking guitars and moody vocals instantly dragging you into the swirling pausation of time. “Getting By” is one of the songs that stand right in between the dazzling soundscape and more explosive rock. It’s unstable, tender, and slightly angst-filled.
“Isolation” flows in the ethereal melancholy, dark atmospheric soundscape where Littleuniverses’ voice guides you deeper into the maddening inner world. “I heard a knocking late at night; Got out of bed, turned on the lights to see. I am afraid of me. I heard a voice calling my name; Swear it was yours but once again I was wrong; No one there but me.” The song draws a resemblance to the acoustic works of PJ Harvey.
The sparks of intuitive vocal passages evolve into entrancing sirens and powerful expressions in “Broken Dreams.” The multiple layers of vocal reflections form nocturnal, immersive waves that float and surround the lyrical line.
Sugar Relics “Can't Stay Awake”
intense and hauntingly mesmerizing
Photo credit: https://www.abbottbromleyphotography.com/
“Can’t Stay Awake,” the new single from Sugar Relics is intense and hauntingly mesmerizing. The track explores the deepest inner struggle with depression. Laura Serafine, the vocalist/songwriter of the project visualizes the tendency of “sleep away the day” as a villain personified in the song.
Sugar Relics is a dark melodic project by San Antonio-born LA-based artist Laura Serafine. Drawing comparisons to Purity Ring, Tori Amos, and Phantogram, the project means to explore the weight of life.
Inspired by Serafine’s personal experiences, swimming against the waves in the darkest time in life, “Can’t Stay Awake” utilizes lyrical expression and sonic amplification as a way to shed light on mental health issues. The single is also part of Sugar Relics’ upcoming album.
Adhering to the dark aesthetic in her last single “Caught in the Middle,” “Can’t Stay Awake” again draws drastic contrasts between Serafine’s sweet, melancholy vocal and the storming, unshakable electronic-coiled soundscapes. The single dives into the feeling of despair, being lost, and trapped within one’s own head.
Laura Serafine’s masterful vocal delivery is highlighted in this track. Her fully involved, deeply emotional performance steals the breath from listeners.
Sano Hill “The Climb”
Poised songwriting and introspective vocals.
Photo credit: EL Putnam
Sano hill Drops Introspective Debut Single “The Climb”
Sano Hill is a Galway (Ireland)-based singer-songwriter, who has released work on critically acclaimed compilation albums, including Origin: See the Light, New Horizons, and Inundations. Hill is currently in the process of recording his debut album.
Drawing inspirations from life, love, and loss, Sano Hill poses poised songwriting and introspective, moody vocals, resembling the solo acoustic projects of John Frusciante. As if coming from another world, his latest single, “The Climb,” in collaboration with award-winning producer Larry Hogan, is melancholy, emotive, and atmospheric.
Sano Hill has a very unique vocal delivery that slowly grows on you and becomes very addictive. The details in how he handles slides and screams add a very tasteful personal touch to the overall aesthetic and become his signature.
In “The Climb,” the howling vocal is being amplified and elaborated with reverbs and echoing effects, which creates an emotive, textural soundscape.