NARC. COMPILATION ALBUM #16

CELEBRATING OUR 16TH BIRTHDAY, THIS YEAR’S COMPILATION FEATURES AN ABUNDANCE OF NORTH EAST TALENT. DOWNLOAD FOR FREE AT NARCMAGAZINE.BANDCAMP.COM

WORDS: LAURA DOYLE / JAMIE LUNNON / CHRIS MALTBY / STEVE SPITHRAY / ADELLE SUTHERAN / LUKE WALLER

BECCY OWEN – BURIED GIFTS

Buried Gifts is wistful and gentle piano sonata combined with poetic sentiments from this littérateur. Uncomplicated and hauntingly pure, it’s a truly delightful track “about emerging from isolation as well as how ritual and community help us through the tough times”, as the artist explains. (AS) www.beccyowen.bandcamp.com

Image by Victoria Wai

FAYE FANTARROW – NOUGHTIES

If Noughties was written as a bit of fun to trivialise the bad press Gen Zs get, then Sunderland’s Faye Fantarrow hits the nail on the socially aware head. “I wanted Noughties to be a completely fun track; I also wanted all the nostalgic cliches and ironies of Gen Z to be acknowledged and celebrated.” Faye comments. The result is an eminently danceable romp through young adulthood, delightfully embellished with brass and soulful zing. (SS) www.facebook.com/fayefantarrowmusic

GEORGIA MAY – GUESSIN’

Local soulful singer-songwriter Georgia May gifts us with Guessin’, one of the dancier numbers from her album Mood Daze. She explains that the track “encapsulates a very painful experience of cutting ties of a relationship and friendship without closure.” Georgia May seems to pour a piece of herself in to everything she does, and this track is no exception. (CM) www.georgiamay.uk

Image by Keavey Gamwell

HOLLY REES – ENGLISH BAY

Lyrically frisky, using observational descriptions for matters of the heart and attraction, English Bay exhibits elements that parallel the likes of Courtney Barnet and Lucy Dacius, which is no bad thing at all. “One of the things I like playing with in my writing is looking at contradictions,” Holly says. Clever, current and catchy. (AS) www.hollyrees.co.uk

JOE RAMSEY – ANOTHER DAY

“Another Day is about enjoying the simple things in life. Lockdown gave me a creative freedom which I had never had before.” Another Day by Joe Ramsey is, indeed, a joyous celebration of cups of tea, having nowhere to go and nothing to do, all sprinkled with jangly guitar and piano. As Joe says. “I have chosen Another Day as it is by far the happiest song I’ve ever written.” Amen to that. (SS) www.facebook.com/joeramseymusic

KATE BOND - THINKING OF YOU

Chilled-out, laid-back and founded on hypnotisingly groovy bass, illuminated by delicate piano chords, neo-soul singer Kate Bond makes a move towards tranquillity. “The track shows a more vulnerable side to my songwriting and I think is relatable for everyone,” says Kate. Maintaining her palette of daily life-inspired wit, this is perhaps Kate’s most advanced release yet. (LW) www.facebook.com/katebondmusic

JACK FOX – TIMES & PLACES

Times & Places is a tongue in cheek assault on the senses (think Kendrick’s Backstreet Freestyle but for the North East coastline). Bursting with subversively witty lyricism and brimming with personality, Jack Fox is staking his claim as a versatile rapper. “It’s witty and aggressive, with lyrics that are tongue in cheek but still have a strong hip-hop presence.” Jack says. (CM) www.facebook.com/jackfox22

MARKETPLACE – CONDENSED MILK

There is something about the reverb laden chiming guitars on Marketplace’s Condensed Milk that will forever do delightful things to my brain and that is even before singer Evie’s joyful ultra-pop vocals come in juxtaposing the more serious lyrical content of the track, as the band themselves were happy to concur. “Lyrically, it’s mainly about the feeling of being home sick and not being in the best head space somewhere new and unfamiliar to you.” (SS) www.facebook.com/marketplaceband

Image by James Grant

MOTEL CARNATION – SWEET SEPARATION

Motel Carnation’s Sweet Separation is funky, danceable indie with an irresistible lyrical flow which marks it out as worthy of all genres in equal measure. “Musically it’s kind of a smorgasbord of influences – Foals, Jungle and Royal Blood, but a generous sprinkling of our own DNA throughout. The phrase ‘Sweet Separation’ came early on and themes of relief, regret and relapse started to arise.” (SS) www.facebook.com/motelcarnation

MOTHERLAND – BACK TO YOU

Back To You makes steps towards unpacking the trauma of the pandemic by typifying the whirlwind of emotions during this era of uncertainty. “Capturing the lament and hardships of trying to keep a relationship together surrounded by a world that’s in disarray, and how impactful the loss of that love during these times would be. It has a positive message of getting back to those you love the most.” It’s passionate, straight-talking and buttery smooth: all things to look for in a good alt. rock track. (LD) www.facebook.com/motherlandneuk

NE-O – SEVENTEEN

Newcastle’s rising star of rap, NE-O takes a look back on his last five years, a crusade for a better life for himself and his family. “This track always makes me feel proud because it was my first real single after receiving the MOBO funding, and one of my first releases where I really felt comfortable and confident that it was going to succeed,” he says of his Latin-infused grime number. Gripping from the outset, youthful but mature, in Seventeen NE-O tells the tale of how he’s climbed his ladder. (LW) www.facebook.com/neo.dons

NOYOU – DRIVING YOU CRAZY

Sunderland synth-pop sensation noyou’s Driving You Crazy explores the “‘can’t live with them, can’t live without them’ scenario we sometimes find in relationships: the push and pull, to and fro that can sometimes make or break our understanding of each other.” These frustrations are expressed through a borderline joyous indie fuzz soundtrack ideal for anyone suffering from Main Character Syndrome as they go through a relationship’s rough patch. (LD) www.facebook.com/noyoumsc

Image by Jessie Rose

VIIA – FALLING

The story of Viia’s Falling starts with a guy who didn’t know what he wanted, who rejected the singer’s advances in exchange for friendship. “We used a text message that he sent me at the start of the song and turned heartbreak into a dark pop anthem. It was the first song that really gave me my sound.” The result is a modern power ballad for fans of Adele and Florence & The Machine where a pounding piano riff is stacked on some rolling thunder BVs creating the sort of heavy soul foundation upon which Viia builds an imperial vocal. (SS) www.facebook.com/viiamusicofficial

WAVES OF DREAD – STARS

The listening experience on the shoegaze rockers’ track is intoxicating, with the regular drumming of Steven Gordon surging through the tidal instrumental flow and the molten vocals of Nick JH, mulled in a heavy reverb. It is playful and flirty too, as Nick claims: “it’s just a daft love song about drinking red wine on the beach at night.” The atmosphere of wine-drenched serenity is well captured, with the controlled, throbbing build and the strange sense of weighty motion beckoning the summer. (JL) www.facebook.com/wavesofdread