Song reviews

I have a fondness for grungy guitars and that nineties’ kick in the head vibe and Apricity duly deliver an updated version of that sound complete with bleached blonde highlights. “Allison Wonderland” is a sharply coiffured song without a doubt.

That festival friendly Americana vibe pervades “Echoes” by Sabina Chantouria making her sentimental song a sure candidate for radio playlists across the globe over the summer months. It’s a nice song that is very nicely sung.

Some songs run deeper than most and “Goodbye Song” duly does so with a near hypnotic grove soon pulling you into the arms of Erin K. This song is an elegant example of a pop song for grown ups. Melodic magic always wins.

It would appear that Jaded jane is a nom de plume for Axel Olsson and “Dreamer” swoops towards your ears on a cloud of sentimentality and synthesisers. It’s the sort of eminently mature song that would make a perfect soundtrack to a montage.

“Long Way Home” is a solid song using all the right rock moves to make it into mainstream playlists. Those female vocals are certainly robust and the guitars stay in overdrive all the way through the song yet the melody lingers on.

No one could accuse Monad of giving us an organic musical experience with “Light In Empty Room” yet this lo-fi, squeezed flat into distortion two minute song has a curious sonic appeal like something found on a random cassette from a thrift shop.

Disco time travelling from Quad90 and they pull some Chic moves out of the style hat to provide the pulsing motivation for “Le Blank” with the wistful female vocals giving their song the legs to click until dawn’s early light. Sort of hypnotic, really.

Some voices just won’t leave your ears alone and Louise Quinn has one of those voices. “Embrace The Night” exudes the cooler than cool vibe that she brings to everything and I would think that Gates of Light will be candy to the cognoscenti.

I keep thinking that I’ve heard Xan Tyler before – and I most likely have – with “Miniature Oceans” having the kind of appeal that gets radio appeal on the big radio stations. She sure sounds sweet and that’s a fact.

Some more bouncy indie pop with dancefloor seasoning from Brontës with flighty female vocals once again sharing the spotlight with a solid bass groove. Toe tapping and melodic? That’s “Down to You” and you’d better believe it.

No idea where Bethany Cosentino is originally from but, if I were to hazard a guess, she’s in Nashville now with her song “It’s Fine” echoing both the blue collar sentiments and a stand tall message on its way to the bridge. It’s the way of today.

Following the perennially fashionable Americana road on their way to success, The Tiger Moths turn their song “Dreaming of Yesterday” into a singalong suitable for the festival circuit whilst still leaving in some endearing rough edges and right angled turns.