Fresher Sounds - 07/07/2015
Share This Article:
Times are changing for the music press.
This week saw NME announce plans to become a free weekly music magazine.
The musical institution has seen a steady decline in readers over the past decade and will now be offered on campuses, at train stations and some shops.
As it did in the beginning, the success of NME will determine what the future of printed music press will look like.
Failing that, there’s always us.
As usual we’ve got you covered for the week’s greatest new tracks:
Lawrence Taylor - Bang Bang
This angsty track from Birmingham singer-songwriter Lawrence Taylor is a soulful take on 70s rock. Built around Taylor’s melancholic vocals, the track uses an understated guitar riff to give his smooth falsetto room to shine.
Skepta - Back Then
Things are changing pretty quickly for Skepta. ‘Back Then’ sees the grime artist reflect on his growing popularity as he spits over a remix of Mike Jones’ ‘Still Trippin’. The shows may be bigger for Skepta, but that doesn't mean he’s trying any less: ‘Treatin' shows of 25 people the same as 25 thousand’.
Léon - Tired of Talking
If you delve beyond the surface, you’ll find an exciting crop of emerging pop acts. The latest debutant is Stockholm's Léon with ‘Tired of Talking’. The soulful electro-pop song uses a simple melody as Léon’s stunning vocals do most of the heavy lifting, with her polished falsetto comparable to Ellie Goulding. Oh Wonder - Landslide Oh Wonder have returned with their most uplifting effort to date. Nearing the end of the band’s cycle of releasing a song a month, ‘Landslide’ lives up to the lofty standards of their tracks to date. A soft synth melody accompanies the polished melodies of the pair as they offer comforting reassurance: 'I know it hurts sometimes, but you’ll get over it.’- Article continues below...
- More stories you may like...
- Fresher Sounds - The best new music - 26/02/18
- Fresher Sounds - The best new music - 14/01/2019
- Fresher Sounds - The best new music - 12/03/18
Best Friends- Cold Shapes
This tune from Sheffield four-piece Best Friends is full of summer vibes. Angsty, yet with uplifting, hook heavy instrumentation, ‘Cold Shapes’ is the perfect sun soaked track for your playlists.
Widowspeak - Girls
This woozy song from Brooklyn’s Widowspeak sees singer Molly Hamilton come to terms with the insecurities that come with being ‘further from her wilder years.' Fixating on the achievements of younger women, Hamilton tackles her self-doubt to the accompaniment of shimmering guitars and hazy vocals. LED Streets - Bothered
This chilled out track from Cincinatti two-piece LED Streets combines oscillating synths with distant, soothing vocals as the track switches between laid back bliss and triumphant elation.