TRACKS

TANKENGINE - TANKENGINE TANKENGINE TANKENGINE EP

Words: Cameron Wright

After their debut TANKENGINE and its follow up TANKENGINE TANKENGINE, the Newcastle art rock band release their third EP, aptly titled TANKENGINE TANKENGINE TANKENGINE. Opening with a seven-minute behemoth, anchored by a brooding bass and relentless drums, there’s a sense of meditated anarchism that seeps out of the tracks. Splashes of colour spark across the band’s opening statement as it slithers across its run time with a serpentine menace. Without reaching any apex, it isn’t until the second track where the band’s brutalist roots become more prominent. The EP isn’t a stranger to explosions of mania, with the finale becoming an incendiary conclusion to the release. Bookended with the two strongest tracks, TANKENGINE TANKENGINE TANKENGINE showcases a band with staggering potential.

Released: 23.09.22 www.tankengineband.bandcamp.com

CHARLOTTE FORMAN - WATCHING THE BIRDS SING

Words: Cameron Wright

With a gentle rhythm section driving the song from the offset, the punches of guitars and syncopated drum grooves act as the first piece of interest on this new track from Charlotte Forman. When the vocals slide in, there is a real presence held by the Durhambased singer. A full bodied vocal performance eases over the jaunty swing of the track, carrying a relaxed candour throughout which matches the charisma and swagger of the instrumental beautifully. A trumpet strolls in as a welcome addition to the number, and you are left wondering what stopped the artist committing to a fully indulgent brass section, as the track lends itself perfectly to that sunshine-fuelled nostalgia of love, innocence and dance.

Released: 09.09.22 www.charlotteforman.co.uk

SIMON YORK WEST - SOMETHING GOOD

Words: Hope Lynes

The tragic story of George Bailey from It’s A Wonderful Life is beautifully told in a tale with a positive outlook. Something Good wraps up the plot of the movie into a quaint, folky track that feels relatable and honest, with an outlook that could reflect onto anyone listening. Simon York West has created a tender and reflexive track perfectly timed for Autumn. This debut single shows promise for the future of the multi-instrumentalist’s solo project, demonstrating his ability to use a film as inspiration and make a piece of music that is completely unique and humble. The backing soundscape is beautifully produced, as even though the lyrics take forefront in this piece, the beauty of the slow guitars and folk instruments create a meaningful acoustic experience.

Released: 07.09.22 www.facebook.com/simonyorkwest

Image: Taliraw by Oana Clarke-Wills

TALIRAW - EL CAMINO

Words: Matt Young

After years of performing music in her native Czech, accomplished artist, cellist, composer and singer Taliraw relocated to Newcastle, leaving behind her former band and intent on starting again from scratch. Mixing in a range of styles from lo-fi, hip-hop, pop and ambient, she’s keen to tell her stories as authentically and honestly as possible, drawing from musical and cultural sources. El Camino, the lead single from her upcoming English Weather EP, plays out like a dreamy snapshot of the personal frustrations of daily life. Expectations of others, family pressure, rapped refrains on working two jobs, social anxiety, wanting to be free of worry. Despite the reflective lyrics the swirling music builds and uplifts, offering hope, light and that freedom she seeks.

Released: 15.09.22 www.-natalierottrova.cz

BOBBY LATHERON & BETH MILLER - EX

Words: Michael O’Neill

A supreme slab of hi-NRG pop, Ex succeeds at being a pristine slab of sass pop bursting at the seams with personality and wit whilst brilliantly echoing the classic hallmarks of uptempo, double entendre laden funk pop. Like all good pop, it says all it needs to say in a breezy three minutes, but the sheer charm comes from the wit of the (brutally honest) lyrics which are a classicist ode to the freedom of untying oneself from the burden of a shit relationship. Latheron’s super songwriting is brilliantly bolstered with the aid of Beth Miller’s powerhouse vocals, which are served sublimely by Carl Pemberton’s pristine production, resulting in a sugar-coated and addictive slab of sheer wonder.

Released: 02.09.22 www.twitter.com/dreams_bobby

ARCADE SKIES - LID ON A SCREAM

Words: Hope Lynes

The title of this track is pleasantly misleading; instead of putting a lid on anything, the song uses a series of melodies to take the listener in different dimensions minute by minute. The ambient synth of this track takes from the developments of Arcade Skies’ first and second EPs. The artist’s first EP epitomised an 80’s electronic style, whereas the second developed more experimentally, and Lid On A Scream perfectly blends the two styles into a multifunctional piece, one that you could both dance and relax to. Ultimately, this is a well produced track that I would recommend to dance fans and 80’s nostalgics, and is a very versatile piece of production from the local independent producer.

Released: 02.09.22 www.facebook.com/arcadeskies

ALEX JAMES - TELL ME

Words: Jake Anderson

Tell Me is the newest single from one of the North East’s most inspirational performers. The band don’t release often, but the alt. rockers always make themselves known when they do. Driven by a catchy hook, Tell Me features thundering riffs and heavy drums that would no doubt sound incredible live. And while the chorus is quite infectious, the writing can at times come off a bit cheesy and anthemic, which some of us will like and gravitate towards, but it never detracts from the quality of the instrumentation being presented. Frontperson Alex James explains that music helps him live a high quality life with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, and hopes his success will encourage others with disabilities to express themselves through music.

Released: 02.09.22 www.facebook.com/itsmealexjames

SALSOLA - HEARTBREAKER

Words: Jake Anderson

Teessiders Salsola blur the lines between genres on Heartbreaker. Warm with its sonics, the single oozes with a good-time summer vibe, featuring a luscious soul-inspired vocal performance that glides over a groove-driven indie pop instrumental, which is easily the strongest aspect of the track. The prominence of the vocals ties everything together and is what kept me returning for repeated listens. Each instrument pops as it should, with my favourite moments being the relaxed momentum of the drums and the strong presence of guitar during the final stretch. It’s a fresh sound for the North East scene, brewing together multiple sonic avenues and resulting in a band that have comfortably found their sound. Check them out at The Green Room, Stockton on Friday 16th September.

Released: 16.09.22 www.salsola.bandcamp.com

CHARTS & GRAPHS - INTRUDER ALERT

Words: Tom Astley

Charts & Graphs cite 80s luminaries Gang of Four and Talking Heads as influences on new track Intruder Alert, and there is certainly some of that knowing musicality in this new track, featuring a real earworm of a just-slightly overdriven guitar riff and a bass line pummelling in its simplicity. In the slightly more angular chorus, which on the second repetition gives some really nice chordal colour, the song really comes into its own. There is more than a flavour of late-noughties indie sound here too, the slight crack and lo-fi distortion in the lead vocals bringing to mind The Strokes/ The Hives style production. Catch them live in their support of Jesus Jones at the Cluny on Wednesday 7th Sept.

Released: 09.09.22 www.chartsandgraphs.bandcamp.com

RITUALS - SHOW ME THE SIGNS EP

Words: Michael O’Neill

High-flying modern metallers Rituals return with their long-anticipated sophomore release, fresh from the huge burst of acclaim that followed their debut, Awake. Even on first listen, it becomes abundantly clear why that aforementioned release afforded them support and acclaim from Kerrang!, Metal Hammer and Powerplay, with the pulverising blend of riffs, dynamics and power coalescing to result in one hell of a trip. The brief length of the EP shows a very clear respect for quality over quantity, with the likes of lead single In Devastation providing a brilliant showcase for the quartet’s strengths. They consider this release to be the purest distillation of their evolution as songwriters, and it radiates through every hammer-on.

Released: 02.09.22 www.facebook.com/ritualsukmusic

SLOWLIGHT QUARTET - FULL BEAM, ALAN

Words: Matt Young

Jazz funk. To some those words may strike fear, akin to hearing your doctor saying ‘malignant tumour’. But listen closely, Slowlight Quartet have added synths. Returning after a long hiatus the North East formed quartet spread around the globe in 2017 but have recently reignited their love of playing together and find themselves inspired musically by Snarky Puppy or Vels Trio. This instrumental shines with synth and bass riffs, with brass stab reminders of 80s pop bands swirling around and providing a backdrop for the drums and soloists to add their own colour, before a hazy cinematic outro collapses everything. There are some uneven moments in the mix but it’s an interesting reintroduction for the band as they seek to carve out their own niche.

Released: 30.09.22 www.facebook.com/theslowlightquartet

JAMES LEONARD HEWITSON - SIDEWAYS

Words: Tom Astley

Hewitson writes of new track Sideways that it is about ‘being detached from society during the pandemic’, a familiar foundation for so much introspective art in the last couple of years. So its really rewarding to hear Hewitson’s take on this theme incorporate euphoric synth pad sounds, dancing 16ths on the hi-hat and tumbling toms. There’s an unavoidably 80s pomp in some of the synth sounds, the laid-back vocals a little Human League, the intriguing chord pattern in the verse a little ABC. I’d even go as far as to say – especially in the breakdown chorus poetic-heartfelt lyrics about love, and wispy female backing vocals – there’s even a shade of Prefab Sprout, which is a comparison I do not throw about lightly.

Released: 01.09.22 www.jamesleonardhewitson.bandcamp.com