Song reviews

More an artistic statement than a venture into ear candy territory, Vanarin whisk heavily processed vocals into a mix that sounds almost like a reinvention of the eighties urban sound. “What We Said” certainly isn’t an ordinary song.

It’s not often that words like education and healthcare make into the lyrics of a song these days yet they feature in “No Music No Hope” by Cozmicsoulfire. Although the production is untidy, an earnest protest song is always welcome here.

As elegant and civilised as we have come to expect of Vilnes, “Far Up North” has plenty of the stylistic touches that make up a folk song of today. Add in intelligent lyrics that have a dash of poetry about them and the end result is classy.

You can feel the art in this one. French band Mue deploy their best, intellectually enhanced, post rock moves to make this instrumental more than the sum of its many chords. If you value musicianship then this one is for you.

Quality indie grooves with retro seasoning from Finnish band Pink Chameleons and “Sunshine Honey” duly sounds likes the kind of song that would make it on to a soundtrack for better times with free smiles guaranteed with every play.

Providing us with something akin to an antidote to the usual avalanche of Christmas sentimentality, Sofia Talvik applies her poetic abilities to tell a parallel story of survival that puts the festive season into its proper perspective.

It’s getting to be a lot like Christmas, as they say, and “Immanuel” is indeed a Christmas song in the best Christian tradition and Ruth Campbell’s gloriously pure voice makes all that spiritually sweetened sentimentality perfectly palatable.

With piano to the fore and introspection inspiring his lyrics, Vara takes his song “My Lighter Weight” for a casually paced stroll down downbeat street with melancholy in pursuit. Bleak, sparse and rather effective.

The redoubtable Dropkick return with “Primary Colours” and they once again plough their preferred furrow of jingle jangle pop just like the world used to love back in the day. Polished and decorated with harmony, this song is easy on the ear

Retro electronica works for me and “Do You Want Me” by Australian duo Pines is precisely that. Elements of the dancefloor are present but sequenced with soundtrack style swooping through the sound banks for best sonic effect.

Some songs just have mist woven through them and Carolina Lee have little difficulty using said mist to turn their song “If I Try” into a wistful, and rather effective, take on viewing sentiment through the windows of a time machine.

I have to admit to liking the almost cutesy theatricality of Sohodolls and “Thread” duly sounds like the work of the villain in a stage play about falling victim to the cartoon demons of the past in the basement of a musician’s house.