TRACKS
CAT RYAN REX MUNDI
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 Kristoff Photography
Words: Hope Lynes Quaint in its nature, this upbeat song is rooted in laid-back songwriting, dreamt up by songwriter Mary-Anne while visiting her rural family farm with no distractions. This is a happy track that is easy to listen to, yet hard to get out of your head. The Newcastle-based art rock band have perfectly crafted a piece that is artistic in nature, with style and meaning emerging within the two-minute listen. The speed and agility of a greyhound (the titular Rex Mundi) is used as a metaphor for strength and character, with themes of resistance and adopting alternative mindsets prevalent throughout, making for a smart tale of symbolism all wrapped neatly within a quick and quirky song replete with upbeat drums and a fast-paced bassline. Released: 06.05.22 www.facebook.com/catryan17
MAIUS MOLLIS THE TIDE TURNED
Image by Ellen Walker
Words: Tom Astley Maius Mollis’s stunning new track The Tide Turned offers a contemporary folk sound of brilliant colours. The centrepiece is a vocal which demands multiple listens to uncover lyrics that are poetic and guarded, telling a story both familiar and unique. The accompanying track is a lesson in restraint. From the modest guitar that adds feeling without intruding, to cymbals that add tone without constraining the track into strict tempo. Having set such a foundation, the pay-off when the drums flicker fully into the mix, replete with grounding bass, feels immense. Even here in release, there is a sense of holding back information, a barely audible spoken word Dictaphone voice in the right ear murmuring something to someone. Quietly golden. Released: 20.05.22 www.soundcloud.com/maiusmollis
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KULPA RIGHT HERE Words: Jake Anderson Kulpa made their debut this year, and their second single already shows the promising future the band have. ‘Short but sweet’ was the phrase spinning round my head after my initial listen, although I wouldn’t quite call the instrumentation of Right Here sweet… The track features a deeply layered alt. rock soundscape, with elements of metal. The listener is assaulted by dominant drums and dynamic guitar riffs immediately, which are overpowering yet pleasant. The prominence of these instruments does hide the vocals back in the mix, which is a shame when so much care was placed into the lyrics. Easily the highlight, the track culminates at the peak, only to unleash a seductive guitar solo to cap off the track, leaving a perfect final impression. Released: 06.05.22 www.linktr.ee/kulpaofficial
CHRIS KELLY BETTER DAYS Words: Luke Waller A soft-hearted ode to moving forwards into brighter times by singersongwriter Chris Kelly – although decidedly optimistic in its hope-tinged tunes, lyrics and backbeat-stabbing guitar, there is something bittersweet and perhaps sadly nostalgic hidden away underneath. The emotion involved in the track’s composition is almost more audible than any single part of it in isolation – this is championed by the moment the song breaks into the chorus like a heavy but relieved sigh. Kelly has been gigging and recording now for almost a decade, and has played as a solo artist since 2016, with an ever-expanding back catalogue since then. His greatest influences are clearly heard in this latest single: a Traveling Wilburys palette applied to a Sam Fender-esque canvas. Released: 06.05.22 www.linktr.ee/chriskellygtr
