TRACKS
DAYNA LEADBITTER TIME’S UP Words: Jake Anderson Late last year saw the disbandment of promising North East group, Badmind. But before we could even shed a tear, Dayna Leadbitter has already made her grand return to the North East scene. Time’s Up is a confidently performed debut track, with an R&B inspired vocal performance that flows perfectly with the stomping instrumentation. The groove in particular provides the track with a sense of the grandiose, making Leadbitter’s lyrical statements more impactful. It builds from a monumental sounding loop at the opening of the song, graduating to an attention-grabbing guitar solo. I’d love to see Leadbitter find the limits of her vocals, experimenting with them in the production of future tracks. Released: 01.04.22 www.liinks.co/daynaleadbitter
MICHAEL T OGILVIE THE WEATHER Words: Michael O’Neill An imaginative and perceptive slab of poptimism that goes to task on the all-consuming side effects of an addiction to social media, The Weather is breezy, melodic, direct and as engaging on a cerebral level as it is on the feet. The artist considers the song to be a reminder of the eternal possibility of silver linings even in the darkest of times, with the succinct and poignant lyrics wasting no time in getting straight to the point with confidence and personality, whilst still taking care to craft a convincing narrative and sneak a good hook in too. All in all, it’s an engaging and enthralling piece of songcraft that is as infectious as it is introspective. Released: 01.04.22 www.michaeltogilvie.com
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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)
INDIA ARKIN WHAT YOU CALL HOME Words: Hope Lynes India Arkin brings an angsty lyrical twist to her summery new track What You Call Home. The storyline tells a painfully honest tale of home and growth within a “place like this, cuts off hope”, twisted with a naivety which creates a really interesting and thoughtful listening experience to reflect on. The track is heightened through the beautiful depth to India’s voice, uniquely layered into the soundscape. The backing on this track compliments India perfectly, and takes her singer-songwriter status to a really effective new level as a rockier prospect. This fun song is perfect for summer; light to listen to, yet laced with curious and meaningful lyrical dilemmas. Released: 22.04.22 www.twitter.com/indiaarkin
MELT ENGINE EP Words: Adelle Sutheran Melt are a Newcastle-based trio who describe themselves as grunge and they serve up this little gem of an EP, Engine. It’s not my usual cup of tea, but if these tracks were to come on my playlist, I wouldn’t skip them. There are elements of Rage Against the Machine and Pearl Jam present. I bloody love guitars and this has plenty of that; Recall, is slower in pace and feels more vocal led, while Sweet, for the most part, feels hazy and chill. Violence makes the most of the rhythm section and has plenty going on to keep me occupied and interested, and closer Blu bangs the same drum against the other tracks. I can see this EP being a banger in the mosh pits. Bravo lads. Released: 13.04.22 www.linktr.ee/meltuk
