TRACKS
REVIEWS OF SINGLES AND EPS BY NORTH EAST ARTISTS. WANT YOUR MUSIC FEATURED? EMAIL NARCMEDIA@GMAIL.COM (PLEASE TRY TO GET IN TOUCH 8-6 WEEKS AHEAD OF THE MONTH OF RELEASE)
Image by Harley Kuyck-Cohen BOSOLA HOW SICK I BECAME, RUNNING FROM MYSELF EP Words: Michael O’Neill Throughout its four tracks, How Sick I Became, Running From Myself succeeds at capturing all that is great about melancholy-shot indie without ever collapsing under the weight of itself. On top of a glorious storm of sound, the EP tackles subjects of emotional brevity with an effortlessness that immediately calls to mind the songcraft of Felt, The Go-Betweens and Sire-era The Replacements, whilst wisely avoiding becoming a half-hearted pastiche of that particular school of post-punk. The production is utterly crystalline, serving the intricate melodies and glorious worlds within these songs, allowing the EP to shine as a bold, enthralling, fresh and endlessly-replayable statement of intent from an absolute visionary of a songwriter. Absolutely essential listening. Released: 14.06.21 www.soundcloud.com/bosolauk
ECHO JULIET AFFIRMATION Words: Jay Moussa-Mann Starting with haunting synth pulses and tinkling arpeggios, Affirmation draws you in with mysterious whispers, deep grinding bass and percussion. The track is instantly arresting, building as it goes on. I have been a big fan of Echo Juliet’s music since I first heard a mix in 2020. I always feel like I’m listening to the skill of a classical symphony with everything contemporary and gutsy I love about electronic music. Echo Juliet’s background as producer, DJ and classically-trained pianist sets the stall for her melodic fusion of genres. No surprise then, that Affirmation has been picked up by Wah Wah 45s for release on the first compilation from a new electronic sub-label they are launching called Allison Recordings which showcases up-and-coming producers and music makers. Released: 18.06.21 www.soundcloud.com/echojulietdj
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CACHE-CACHE PANTOMIME Words: Michael O’Neill This marvellous slice of anxious, frenetic neo-soul finds self-described ‘impressionists’ Cache-Cache return with (as they put it) ‘their dressing-up box of musical styles, and melodic palette of multi-coloured riffs in this unseasonal take on a real-life fairy tale’, with the help of jazz vocalist Alice Grace, rapper Ken Masters and flautist Alex Saxon. It’s an utter carnival of sound, which effortlessly shape-shifts from tightly wound Rhodes-driven funk through to complex scuzzy jazz-fusion riffage. The brilliant contrast between Grace’s melodic runs and the frenzied wordsmithery of Masters makes for a delightfully unpredictable trip, with Saxon’s melodies floating effortlessly above it all. In short, it’s the North East’s answer to the Soulquarians, and an utter triumph. Released: 04.06.21 www.cachecache.band
HEATHER FERRIER CIRCLES
Image by Niles Krieger
Words: Kate Murphy This will be unlike anything you’ve heard for a long time. It’s different from the outset, even before you realise it is pure accordion, with not a word spoken. There is something end-of-the-pier about it, not in the sense of flashing and bad magic, but in the rotating colours it creates, like an auditory Ferris wheel, and in the thick swishing feeling it embodies. This swishing is like waves washing in and out on the shore, thickened further by the slowly all-consuming electronic elements that Heather has trippily and delightfully married with it. It seems to build in momentum throughout, and finishes with a brief flourish, the way a clown suddenly ends a juggle. You’ll find yourself snap out of a trance and applaud. www.heatherferriermusic.com
