His Lordship – All Cranked Up
Experienced musicians make up His Lordship. Kristoffer Sonne has worked with Chrissie Hynde and Willie Nelson, whilst James Walbourne has played guitar for the Pretenders. Nevertheless, ‘All Cranked Up’ is their 1st original song. Reminiscent of the Fratellis, the track is saturated with the classic sound of grumbling guitar, distorted vocals and deranged falsetto. Its agitated guitar solo perfectly fits Welbourne’s description of the song: “the music is loud; the options are few. I’m all cranked up with nowhere to go.” Nadia Otzen directed the music video, which features an overly made-up Thea Schøtt restlessly dancing from room to room in an almost unfurnished house. ‘All Cranked Up’ is the title track from an upcoming 6-track EP. If you like the sound of His Lordship, you can catch them on their UK tour, which starts in July. But be quick! Their sold-out show at Lexington saw fans queuing around the block to get in.
‘All Cranked Up’ is available on all streaming services.
Ghost Arcadia – Never Break
London-based Ghost Arcadia seems determined to resist the constraints imposed by genre. Recorded with Al Groves (Bring Me the Horizon, That’s The Spirit), ‘Never Break’ is a noisy and raucous combination of rap and heavy rock. Its indie-inspired guitar melodies meld with distorted vocals. Meanwhile, glitchy, electronic sounds and deafening drums reflect the spirit of defiance expressed in the lyrics. The track builds to a screamo climax before scaling down to an incessant rhythm on bass with softly spoken threats to “bring the world down before we all drown”. Its video echoes the music with dramatic images of natural disasters and rioting protesters.
‘Never Break’ is available on all streaming services.
Nalgo Bay – Amsterdam
From the small village of Cayton, near Scarborough, comes alt-rock duo, Nalgo Bay. Their latest single, ‘Amsterdam’, is a non-stop thrill ride. Only for a few seconds does the energy ever subside. Its sing-along chorus and beautiful vocal harmonies are sure to make the track stunning live, not to mention Terri-Ann Prendergast’s powerful voice with its nasal tone and growling timbre. Inspired by indie legends like Arctic Monkeys and Snow Patrol, along with classic artists like Fleetwood Mac, the duo tends to write their music together. They have already received support from BBC Introducing Yorkshire’s Jericho Keys and Amazing Radio. Furthermore, their collaboration with Young Thugs Studio in York suggests new music is in the works.
‘Amsterdam’ is available on all streaming services.
Shishi – I Cannot Believe
Lithuanian girl power trio, Shishi, have released yet another satisfying blend of rap, lo-fi, surf and soul. According to Shishi, “the band was formed by three vocalists trying to play instruments they couldn’t play.” As a result, their music is raw and exhilarating. Their latest track begins with a slowly detuning guitar and infectious drumbeat. As they shout their lyrics, their frustration is evident. The trio explore themes like immigration, capitalism and eating disorders all in the space of one 5-minute song. There is fatalism to their words too, emphasised by dissonant bends and muted notes on guitar. The song’s surreal video sees a shopping trolley filled with increasingly bizarre items as psychedelic images whirl across the screen.
‘I Cannot Believe’ is available on all streaming services.
Blush Club – Ornamental Ponds
No song better captures lockdown than ‘Ornamental Ponds’ by Blush Club. Guitarist, Phil Smith, describes the track as “classic rock chord progressions balanced with a bit of weirdness”. This eccentricity is evident in Hamish Swanson’s peculiar lyrics: observations of lockdown mundanity and reflections on relics of the past that have lost or changed meaning. The latter theme was inspired by Govanhill Cinema – a grand, Egyptian-style building which is now largely disused. The song’s title comes from one of the strangest lines of the song considering what would happen if an ornamental pond were filled with rubble bags. The track is full of contrasts, opening with a harshly dissonant guitar line before veering into a pop-fuelled chorus. The song’s finale evokes a descent into madness with rapidly recited lyrics and repetitive riffs on guitar.
‘Ornamental Ponds’ will be available on all streaming services from the 1st July. An EP of the same name is set to be released this September.