Song reviews

“Delicate Lines” takes urban back to the edge with a passionate female voice neatly balanced by the robotic anguish of the backing track. Kudos are duly due to TrYb for making it seem, unlike so many of their contemporaries, that it isn’t all about the money. I wait with anticipation for their next song.

All that it takes to be a modern day pop song can be found within the four and a half minutes of “Sirens” with Gold Fir providing evidence that the pursuit of plastic perfection need not be an emotion free musical journey.

Sheila K Cameron has always followed her own path and “All You Really Need Is the Sea” is all the enticement that those of you with mature musical tastes and an appreciation of the subtleties of her poetic lyrics will need to follow in her footsteps.

Pleasingly offbeat, Leyya continue on their journey towards the land of electronic quirkiness with their song “Drumsolo” demonstrating that they have neither a shortage of new ideas nor a shortage of ear friendly charm.

The smarter than average lyrics of “Hunny Is This What Adults Do?“ give Lauran Hibberd an advantage in what is becoming a competitive indie popster marketplace but she faces a lot of very similar competition.

A decent production job distinguishes “I Let Love” by Hero Fisher although I doubt that this particular song will let her rise above the crowd of female fronted indie popsters currently attempting to crossover to mainstream success.

What can one say? “Insomnia” is super cool Nordic electro pop and AyOwA season it with more than enough melancholy to remind us that the nights are getting longer and that nightmares will rule our sleep.

Goodnight Sunrise keep it simple with their song “Remember Now” yet the result has a certain retro appeal with the voice of Vanessa Vakharia and those robust old school synth sounds driving the song along that dark and dusty road to the past.

Veering randomly between the manic and the ironic, London’s The Coolness strike their way past insanity and inanity with the retro robotic “Chicken Leg Girl”. Genius comes in many forms and this song could well be the evidence of modern day musical Einsteins. Now all I NEED is a Mitsubishi Evo.

Sonia Stein keeps it conventional with her song “Do You Love Me” with matters of the heart once more taking centre stage in front of a pleasing New York retro style backing. It’s easy on the ear and that seems to be the way to go these days.

“Joanna” starts out in the style of a murder ballad but it isn’t the Devil having this fun this time around and the song soon heads off into the kind of emotional blackness that is a stranger to anything Americana these days. Ten points are duly scored by Blitzen Trapper for keeping it real.

Pleasingly melodic in that festival friendly kind of way, Circumnavigate are nonetheless possessed of enough in the way of shadow and sunshine to make their song “Secret” seem somewhat spiritual in both intent and execution.