Sounds of an Eccentric

Photo by Hayley Rawlings Last Friday Manchester based psyche-folk artist Solis christened her debut E.P, with an intimate and profoundly charming gig at Leaf on Portland Street. From the hand-painted tapestry to the feather scattered floor, the evening radiated a quintessentially bohemian vibe. The interluding chatter was minimal due to the hypnotically captivating energy of her performance. She was able to orchestrate the room, simultaneously summoning a gentle sway and raising the hairs on the back of your neck. Supporting the enigmatic artist was fellow Mancunian groups  Plume ,  Hark  and  Different Oceans , all of which amicably played stripped back versions of their set, heightening the tranquil aura of the evening. The eponymous E.P. features four of her most celebrated tracks: 'Spirits', 'Home', 'Osmosis' and her stand out track 'Be Together'. Fuelled by lilting vocals and an ethereal chorus, 'Be Together' is a dreamy ...

Photo by Sam Shaw 'When Love Goes Wrong' is the second single from Brighton indie-pop quartet Twilight Driving .  A heavy 80s pop and early 00s indie influence meanders throughout their music, radiating a wholesome, tranquil sound. Imagine The 1975 met Switchfoot  - you'd get a track like 'When Love Goes Wrong'. The simple melody is nostalgic of 00s indie-pop - it wouldn't be out of place in the background of a Hilary Duff Rom-Com. And that's not a bad thing, it just channels a soundtrack vibe. However, the charming synth harmonies gives it a modern edge and lovely ambiance. Intimate lyrics ('we're losing ourselves my dear', 'am I making you happy any more?') provides the track with a warm candidness that gives the track an honest intimacy. As the track conclues they incorporate some unusual distorted riffs. Unfortunately they just sound clumsy and obnoxious and distract from the sweet, twinkling synth and endearing vocals...

Enigmatic art-rock group Velvoir return with their explosive single: 'Jackboot' The track opens with a frenzy of pulsing bass and aggressive guitar before welcoming front woman Verity Jasmine Bee's gritty, alluring vocals. The single has a more of a rock edge than their previous tracks, with a bigger focus on the raw, ferocious energy that makes their live sets so compelling. However, like their previous releases the lyrics are evocative and thought-provoking, resonating with an intense, twisted sermon-esque vibe. As the track concludes, Bee channels her usual theatrical flair through a belligerent belting verse before erupting into a banshee-like scream. This is reinforced by an uninhibited wave of ebullient bass, herculean guitar and punchy percussion, emitting a colossal sound. It's a track that is easy to envisage in a live setting - it radiates with a nuclear buzz. Although their recorded material is great, Velvoir are a group that you have to experi...

'Never Mind' is the debut single by Newcastle born artist Amy Marrianne. The twenty year old singer-songwriter has combined her background in musical theatre with her love of pop and folk music to create a bewitchingly mellow track. It's clear that she has been heavily influenced by French artist Bon Iver - as the single sounds like a middleman between 'Holocene' and '715 - CRΣΣKS'. The songs opens in an acapella style, delicately layering ethereal harmonies with vulnerable vocals, to create an hauntingly beautiful ambiance. Occasionally there's a glimmer of a Geordie accent tickling the vocals, which gives the track an endearing warmth and sense of character. As the song progresses, minimalist piano and flute accompanies the vocals, adding a sweet depth to the tranquil melody without compromising its gorgeous simplicity. Overall, it's a very promising debut single that highlights Amy Marrianne's ability to craft engaging and compos...

Photo by Alethea Shepherd February 2018 is an exciting time for the independent music scene, with every day hosting an exciting gig from an up-and-coming band or artist.  So forget about how you're going to declare your undying love for someone on Instagram and support your local scene. 1st February - The Seagulls at The Lending Room 2nd February - Cassia at Chapel 3rd February - Idle Ross at Verve Bar 4th February - Baby Strange at Jumpin' Jacks 5th February - HAUS at Brudenell Social Club 6th February - VUUR at The Wardrobe 7th February -Red Rum Club, Lending Room 8th February - No Teeth at The Head of Steam 9th February - Crywank at Temple of Boom 10th February - Honey Arcade at Key Club 11th February - Spring King at Brudenell Social Club 12th February - Peach Pit at Headrow House 13th February - Avalanche Party at the Polar Bear 14th February - Julien Barbagello at Hyde Park Book Club 15th February - Joe Kelly at Ver...

This week Northern Exposure announced their shortlisted 20 bands for the INMusic Festival slot in Croatia. To win the competition and play alongside the likes of Queens of the Stone Age and Nick Cage & The Bad seeds, the twenty bands have to impress a team of independent industry professionals.  The top six will be announced on Monday 15th January. The bands will then have to play a show at Sheffield Hallam Union on February 10th, where the final winner will be announced. THE RECEIVERS Newcomers The Receivers have had an impressive debut year, releasing their debut EP, getting singed to Alya Records and earning themselves a loyal fan base across Yorkshire. Their sound is characterised by ferocious guitar riffs, relentless percussion and infectiously catchy choruses.  FALSE HEADS Known for their gutsy brand of post-punk guitar rock, FALSE HEADS are one of the hottest bands on the independent circuit at the moment. Their sound is loud and gutsy fre...

Kazoopa Festival hits Leeds city center this Saturday, showcasing the best up-and-coming bands and artists from across the country. Here are my top picks for the day. The Wholls - The Lending Room 21:30 Avalanche Party - The Lending Room 8:30 Naked Six - The Packhorse 14:30 Berries - Verve Pabst Blue Ribbon Stage 18:30 The Jackobins - The Lending Room 15:30 Carnation - Milo 21:00 Glass Peaks The Lending Room 16:30 Atlanta House- The Lending Room 14:30   Liberty Ship - Verve Pabst Blue Ribbon Stage 22:30 Mint - Oporto 16:30 Kiziah and the Kings - Milo 18:00   Breed - The Packhorse 17:00 Sheafs - The Lending Room 19:30 Spinn - Verve Pabst Blue Ribbon 16:30 Sons - The Packhorse 18:00 Louie James - Bad Apples 18:45 FOLLOW SOUNDS OF AN ECCENTRIC FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM

Newcastle post-indie group Static Blue return with not one, but two new singles: 'Rabbit Hole' and 'Tarra'. The two singles are due to be released on 5th December, and will be launched at their headline show at Little Buildings on December 9th. The first track 'Rabbit Hole' opens with a charmingly nostalgic guitar riff, before introducing a disco drum beat and hazy, daydream vocals, creating a post-indie and disco hybrid. It's a lot more reserved then their previous singles, which have grittier (and occasionally camp) undertones. The ambient harmonies and lilting vocals work well together to produce a really pretty tonality and the group have the solid foundations for adding an ethereal, tranquil side to their music. The track could have been elevated if the bass line was more pronounced - there's some really delicious riffs but we only get a little nibble of its flavour. Also the screaming in the final chorus is a bit distracting and spoi...

Local musicians and artists paired up with the mental health charity Mind , to raise money and promote awareness of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The event took place at the Corn Exchange and showcased work from local artists and live sets from eight acts. Mind describes SAD as: "a form of depression that people experience at a particular time of year or during a particular season. It is a recognised mental health disorder... If you experience SAF, the change in seasons will have a much greater effect on your mood and energy levels, and lead to symptoms of depression that may have a significant impact on your day-to-day life." Click here for more information.   The iconic building was decorated with an array of fairy lights, vines, flowers, tapestries and grass blocks, bringing spring back into the colder months. Inside the arches of the building there was virtual reality games and a mindfulness workshop. The event was organised by Ben Schrodel and Daniel Parke...

 Kazoopa Festival returns Leeds city center next Saturday. I caught up with NAKED SIX , SONS, Louie James and  GLASS PEAKS to talk about how they were feeling about their upcoming performances and why inner-city festivals are invaluable to up-and-coming-artists. Music by GLASS PEAKS READ HOW THE JACKOBINS ARE FEELING ABOUT KAZOOPA FOLLOW SOUNDS OF AN ECCENTRIC FACEBOOK TWITTER INSTAGRAM CHECK OUT MY KAZOOPA PLAYLIST

Newcastle rapper J Smirk has been nominated for the 'Best of British Best Unsigned Male' award at the Unsigned Music Awards. Despite only emerging on the scene a year ago, J Smirk has gone from strength to strength, building an explosive set list, accumulating radio plays and supporting  DJ Yella and   N.W.A on their 'Straight Outta Compton' tour at the O2 Academy. J Smirk said: "It's an honour to be nominated, one of the hard things about being independent is gaining that recognition we all need to push on, so it's incredible to see the credit we all deserve." The U.M.A's launched in 2012 and they strive to showcase the Best of British Talent. Past winner  Molly Smitten-Dowes  went on to represent GB at the Eurovision song contest in 2014. J Smirk has also been entered into the 'Critics Choice Award', which will be judged by You Me at Six guitarist Max Helyer, BBC Introducing radio presenter Dave Gilyeat and Louise ...

Photograph by: Ant Adams Kent based indie group Glass Peaks return with their latest single: 'Hold me Closer'. Since forming in 2016, the group have been causing a stir up and down the country, collecting countless radio plays, exploding onto the festival scene and their last single 'I'm Okay ' earned them a spot on the 'Viral Top 50' and Spotify's 'Indie List'. The track opens with an alluring guitar riff, heightened by a blanket of echoing synth, before welcoming suave vocals, engulfing the listener into an indie-pop daydream. Engaging harmonies are woven throughout the song, providing it with a gorgeous depth and full bodied, yet catchy sound. This is complimented by the well controlled vocals, which highlight how much detail has gone into the harmonies. The vocals and guitar riffs are a perfectly balanced see-saw of rhythms, bass lines and apparent technical flair, which gives the song a complexity that many catchy indie tracks ...

Kicking the night off was alt-rock trio Blesh, filling Tyne Bar with their grunge meets Mac DeMarco sound. The group enlivened the crowd with their upbeat tunes and witty banter. Unfortunately, one of front man Reece Monaghan's guitar strings snapped mid set, causing him to run around the venue to find a guitar he could borrow. However the group carried on, welcoming local legend Cameron Cutts to the stage for a freestyle rap cameo. Even with their technical difficulties, it's apparent that Blesh  are very talented musicians with a great stage presence and will undoubtedly do well in the local music scene. The main support of the night was indie rock five-piece Hazels. I've seen this group play many times and they have improved each time, delivering a more slick and polished performance. Their sound is catchy and loud enough to create a great atmosphere without compromising on interesting melodies and engaging choruses. The two tracks that really stood out was ...

I caught up with Seb Clarke, a singer-songwriter and synth player in indie-rock group Arcadia, discussing everything from vintage gaming to Jimi Hendrix to desert islands. Summarise your sound with one word. Hmm, one word? I guess the one word would have to be 'me'. I guess my sound isn’t that distinctive, like; it’d be difficult to put into a genre. Can I have a sentence? Bringing the old into the new. I’m  young and I suppose you could say I’m bringing together a lot of influences from older bands into the music I create. Which artists and/or experiences have fuelled you love of music? I think the biggest artist to fuel my love for music would definitely have to be Jimi Hendrix. He was my very first love, from a very young age, and I would love to say I share his passion for music and for playing. Hendrix heavily influences my guitar-playing style; from the way I play chords to the way I play solos and the scales and techniques that I use. I take influence f...

Indie gigs have changed. Gone are the days when you danced or bopped along to the likes of Swim Deep  or Peace , indie kids want to mosh. Hence the birth of Cult Lust,  a ferocious fusion of fuzzy guitar and relentless percussion,that creates a heavy lo-fi sound. It's called skuz-pop - don't worry, I had to do google it too! Just imagine a band who's primary concern is making loud, gritty, grungy tunes. Despite only forming a few weeks ago, the band have already produced a two track demo; promoted via their active and bountiful social networking platforms. Both tracks are fairly lengthy (approx 10 mins combined), meaning the group are already a third of the way to having a live set under their belt. It's a really candid and raw recording, giving you insight into their practice sessions. This is best represented by the second track 'headf*ck' being opened by their front man saying "anyway, here's wonderwall" before exploding asking his fellow ...