Tom Hodge – Nothing Less Nothing More (Eivor)
… and sometimes life throws you one of these…
Chaos Chaos – Do You Feel It
It’s fascinating how a song can be so full of energy and yet so soothing. It might have to do with the rough percussion smashing the soft reverbed piano. And with the secretive voice soaring to passionate highs.
True to its title, this is a song that invites feeling. Evocative lyrics open spaces for the imagination to embark on ever-more adventurous rides.
Foals – Inhaler
The magma struggles to get out, get away, no way out, not fast enough, there’s not enough space, no space and then… it rips through the entire damn sound system! This volcanic song brings us claustrophobic buildups and all the fireworks deserved for going through with it all. Special credit goes for whoever mixed and produced the song, they did a really good job framing the vocals with just the right amount of suffocating materials.
Oh, and the video is quite a piece of work too, highly recommended!
Garbage – Special
I loved this lovely love killer even before I could understand what she’s singing about. It’s interesting how a song can change in one’s mind over the course of 20 years. I was 15 when I heard this song the first time. 20 years later, I love it just as much, but not the same.
Even since back in 1998, Garbage showed that they’re not afraid to mix all sorts of spicy sounds into their rock orchestration. Paired with Shirley Manson, one of the most memorable female vocalist I can think of, it’s a recipe for success.
Ghostpoet – X Marks The Spot
Duets are a weakness of mine and I’m sure I’m not alone. It’s beautiful when singers can make a melody stand out like this. It’s even more beautiful when that melody also gives them a solid foundation to build on. And that’s exactly what happens here, ‘cause otherwise the story wouldn’t be told.
The contrast between Ghostpoet’s disengaged act and Nadine Shah’s tempting whispers is in perfect balance. Through it all, we’re accompanied by clever songwriting. Topping it off, we have a video that fits quite well with the song. It’s not often when a treat like this shows up on my radar.
AWOLNATION – Sail
This melody came on my radar thanks to an amazing fan-made YouTube video. It’s so good that whenever I read the song’s title, the first thing I think about is not the music, but the playful, over-the-top video full of youthful exuberance and vibrant energy. This one is simply off the charts in the “cute” category!
Of course, this is not to say that this isn’t a great song, because it is! It’s a fabulous combination of rock, synth-driven textures, distorted vocals and dreamy choirs. Definitely a song I’d put in a collection meant to expand one’s musical horizons. But really, make sure you see the video :).