TRACKS

Image: Ula Lovell

WORDS: JAY MOUSSA-MANN

There’s a bit of something for everyone in this month’s wonderfully diverse tracks selection.

Amelia Coburn dazzles with her latest single Dublin Serenade. What an utterly stunning track! If you’re looking for a song to transport you this folk-jazz track will do it. Amelia never, ever disappoints, but this gem is particularly beautiful. A vocal virtuoso, Amelia dances us round with her familiar ukulele on a lullaby tour through Dublin, over Patrick Jordan’s delicate arrangement.

Elsewhere, founded on warm, sultry guitars the cinematic soft folk rock track Nights is a gentle piece from new creative project ETHR. Comprised of Harri Endersby and Rich Endersby-Marsh, the indie pop duo from Country Durham have created a rich track with their project born out of lockdown. I can imagine this as the soundtrack to an episode of Bloodlines with Harri Endersby’s autumnal tones lyrically winding us through a story.

Coming in strong with a little fury of distorted electric guitars, Motherland’s latest track Starting Blocks journals the breakdown of a relationship. The five-piece rock band’s new little belter is emotional and raw. Trendsetter, from South Shields alt. rockers Envy Motel, merges a head nodding beat, guitar grooves and licks into a loud, heated piece which focuses on how the media and modern-day trends affect narcissistic tendencies.

From heavy indie/hip-hop hybrid EnemyThirty comes Holy Roller, a punky track which evokes feelings of unrest and frustration. With a strong, straight beat and screaming guitars, the North Shields duo combine morale themes with tumultuous melodies to create a unique sound that resonates with the forgotten and the hopeless. Blood Angel by Xaatu is an unexpected piece, combining far-Eastern flutes with unique bold electronic beats and arpeggiated synths. It leaves you in a strange dimension somewhere between falling cherry blossoms and a pounding electric blue light. Every section is slightly different and more surprising then the next. Excellently executed and original.

On Job hails the return of rappers NE Dons, and also features up and coming Newcastle artist RobRez. Dealing with themes of determination and winning against the odds, it carries a strong beat and refreshing poetry. Eager to show their musical versatility, On Job moves away from NE Dons’ usual grime sound and into more traditional UK rap. While soft alt. rock duo Patience bring us Timelapse, a British-flavoured and deeply personal four-track EP. Opening track Passing Moons was written about the vocalist’s personal experience meeting his siblings that he didn’t know existed, for the very first time after 18 years.

Unusual glitching beats, screeching muted guitars and echoey vocals all feature in the EDM track Barcode by Crimewave. who combine late 80s/early 90s shoegaze music with contemporary electronic sounds. Drift away on dreamy pop/psychedelic rock on Ula Lovell’s new single, Cruel Love. The refreshing pop song is full of cool rising bass riffs, bouncing drums and breezy synths all sitting underneath Ula’s light airy vocals. A lovely escapist track with a really catchy tune. Pantherbeat by NOPRISM is an electrifying dance track, which to me feels truly disco. With its throbbing beat, infectious 80s-style synths and strong vocals, this fast-paced song sweeps the listener up, making them want to move with it.

And finally, new single Relax by Newcastle rock quartet Swine Tax is an addictive pop rock track. An ode to Newcastle’s primal club scene, the piece displays punchy lyrics cleverly sung with dexterous bass and drums and intoxicating guitar playing. All in all, a brilliantly performed, dynamic piece of modern rock and roll.

Envy Motel