Coming Up Roses – All Our Time (Demo)

Singapore based band Coming Up Roses have released a demo (they call it “homemade”) of a track they were working on before the Covid-19 pandemic broke which is titled All Our Time. It starts off mellow with the dreamy vocals of Emily Sera sounding quite lovely – as they always have been to be fair! The guitars then kick in and we are treated to a full on shoegaze explosion. The song then repeats the same pattern whilst Sera spins a tale of relationship woe. “Don’t say you’re sorry just to leave me in the cold” she sings but somehow … Continue reading Coming Up Roses – All Our Time (Demo)

Letters To Annika – Letters To Annika EP

Japanese band Letters To Annika is Azusa Suga (For Tracy Hyde/April Blue) who has created a favourable impression with his two singles to date, being Namesake and Tidal respectively. Both appear here on the project’s debut EP but it’s the tracks previously unheard that leave their mark. Opener Brighton is dreamy bedroom pop at it’s dreamiest whilst Love Song pulsates in a similar vein to the aforementioned Tidal. The almost spoken words over the music halfway onward is pretty effective. Wavelength provides some noise and roving guitar alongside subdued vocals whilst Absinthe is the jangliest, most indiepop track on the … Continue reading Letters To Annika – Letters To Annika EP

Apple Orchard – A Slow Dissolve

Is waking up to a new single from Apple Orchard on a nice sunny morning one of life’s pleasures? A Slow Dissolve suggests so! It contains enough fuzz and noise to keep me happy as the band draw from their indiepop and shoegaze influences. It’s like the Mary Chain being mixed with The Primitives with some Ride thrown in but rather than sounding totally retro it actually sounds pretty fresh to these ears. Happy daze. The band recently recorded a live social distance session for Our Secret World which was organised by Indonesian label Shiny Happy Records. That session has … Continue reading Apple Orchard – A Slow Dissolve

Pinkshinyultrablast – Songs

Back in 2015 when Russian band Pinkshinyultrablast were recording their second album Grandfeathered they also recorded the 15 minute long Songs. They did not have the chance to put it out until last week during Bandcamp’s fee waiving day. Sounding like a medley of the bands finest moments it includes ethereal shoegaze, noise, electronica and some ambient bites too. A “sound” journey if there was one! Facebook Continue reading Pinkshinyultrablast – Songs

Весна Весна – Когда рядом огни

Saint Peterburg based Весна Весна (Spring Spring) have just released their second album Когда рядом огни (When The Next Lights) containing the two recent singles Когда рядом огни and Венера. It starts off with three tracks of pleasing ethereal shoegaze including the former single before branching out with the latter. I struggled with that at the time but it now makes much more sense to me in the context of the whole album. Не страшно (Not Scary) introduces some lovely synths/electronica whilst Мечты (Dreams) reminds me of, the now on hiatus, Flowers.  Singer Tatiana Antoshina vocals are gorgeous but strong with … Continue reading Весна Весна – Когда рядом огни

Records I Like Mix May 2020

The latest mix featuring tracks released in the past month or so. Enjoy! Tracklisting: Die Zärtlichkeit – Chaos That track, titled Chaos, opens the EP and it’s a vintage sounding indie/jangle pop song which gets things off to a fine start. No Suits in Miami – What We Have Strong female vocals soar above the guitars which, depending on your viewpoint, are either influenced by 1981 Glasgow or 1988 Bristol. Dreams of Empire – Broken Keys I am not sure if I have ever heard a song that references both the Sparks and Plastic Bertrand before but Broken Dreams does … Continue reading Records I Like Mix May 2020

The Saturday Session

Vamping – Holyoke To say that the new song from Amarillo’s Vamping is a shimmering delight is a vast understatement. Holyoke literally glows thanks to the harmonious synths and guitars coupled with a very catchy chorus and vocals. Lock-down positivity in a nutshell. Facebook Phosphene – Incandescent Plumes Incandescent Plumes is the third single to be taken forthcoming album Lotus Eaters. Rachel Frankel’s vocals are as lovely as ever despite the gloomy and dark words which seem to be a feature of their songs. Musically it’s less dream pop and more alt/indie rock than their previous efforts but I am … Continue reading The Saturday Session

Something For The Weekend? Three From Japan

This weeks pack of three features three artists from the “Land of the Rising Sun”. Letters To Annika – Tidal Tidal is the second track from the project of Azusa Suga (For Tracy Hyde/AprilBlue). It’s a pulsating, fast moving track and may well feature on the debut self titled EP that is due for release next month. Facebook Happypills – Monsoon I am not sure what is happening musically in Japan at the moment but this may give some clues. Letters To Annkia above proclaim that “surf rock isn’t dead” and Happypills describe Monsoon as an “indie surf rock”. The … Continue reading Something For The Weekend? Three From Japan