Music In Time

Wednesday, 13 July 2016

Feature: Elk + Mammoth (13/07/16)

Since forming in 2014, Elk + Mammoth have established a herd of followers, performing signature blend of unpredictable humour, unusual subject matter, and mid-set-on-stage outfit chances at venues all over Melbourne. They've played with artists such as The Pierce Brothers, Slim Jeffries, and Pockets, and gained traction with the release of their single 'Fabric' in 2015. This indie rock four-piece have now released their debut EP, 'Culprit', so we caught up with drummer, Alex, for a Q&A...

General Questions:

1. How old were you when you started getting involved in music and how?

I started taking notice of and singing along to music that my parents had playing around the house from pretty early on. When I began incessantly tapping along, Mum suggested I put that energy to good use and so I started playing drums at 8 years old, starting my first band soon after. The first incarnation of what became Elk + Mammoth formed at high school when we were about 15-16 and jamming in the school’s music rooms at lunch.

2. What is the most inspiring musical performance you’ve ever seen?

The Melbourne band/collective called 30/70 always blow our minds, and their album launch at The Gasometer last year was like entering another world. They’re soulful, have serious groove and an admirable attitude towards music and art. I think it’s good to look up to local artists, not just in terms of musical ability and sound, but also their progress. It can be difficult to know how to tangibly follow and the footsteps of rockstars and famous artists, but you can easily follow local artists and learn from them whilst also supporting them towards bigger things. I guess, in that way that it’s not just inspiring creatively, but pragmatically too.

3. Who have you been listening to lately?
Going back and listening to guys like Charles Mingus and Sun Ra is phenomenal, as is the new stuff from Radiohead and Death Grips as well as Bowie's 'Blackstar'. Aussie bands like The Love Junkies and our good mates in Pockets always get cranked up to 11.

3 Qs for Elk + Mammoth:

1. What is the biggest thing you’ve learnt about the music industry since forming in 2014?
You spend a lot of time sending emails... but also that there is an insane amount of talent in the local scene and a lot of camaraderie, which makes all that time spent emailing worth the effort to play shows, release music and share ideas with the other artists you meet.

2. Which three countries would you most like to tour and why?

The U.S. because there are so many cities with completely different audiences, Spain because I feel like it would have the best after-parties, and Japan because we want to gorge ourselves on all their amazing food and we could say that at least we’re big there.

3. What process did you go through creating ‘Shiver’ and how did it differ to the other tracks on your EP ‘Culprit’?
Shiver is a song we've had for a while, from the early days of Elk + Mammoth. It started with lyrics and a few riffs that Tim had and was slapped together during an acoustic jam in one of our bedrooms so we'd have enough material for a gig. Like a lot of our tracks though, we've pretty much completely overhauled it over the last year or so. Portrait is the only track on the EP that remains mostly as it was originally written, but it is the most recently written track as well.

Random Q:

1. Favourite pizza topping?

Given that the band is mostly vegetarian, I'd say majority rules on that one.

'Culprit EP' Review:
The EP kicks off with 'Culprit', one of my favourite tracks from the release, guitars layered up and a strong bass line pulling them together. It's a laid back track with really neat layers and tight vocals. 'Shiver' starts with stunning electric guitar complimenting the lead vocals, slowly building into a chorus with memorable lyrics and melodies, thrashing drums, a pretty funky bass line. 'Faded' follows on from 'Shiver' well, being generally more upbeat with a regular beat that forces the listener to tap along and melodies that are impossible not to hum along after listening. The release comes to a close with 'Portrait', a mellower track with a steady beat and bass line, dreamy guitar riffs and a chilled back vibe to the whole sound. I really like this EP, it offers varying aspects of indie rock and it's a good one to kick back and chill to in the sun.

Shiver - Elk + Mammoth (link)

Elk & Mammoth's Links:

'Culprit EP' (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/culprit-ep/id1117268839

Website: http://www.elkandmammoth.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elkandmammoth

Twitter: https://twitter.com/elkandmammoth

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/Elk+Mammoth

Thanks for reading!
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Monday, 11 July 2016

Feature: Olivia (11/07/16)

Captivating audiences since the age of 12, Olivia has already accomplished more than most artists twice her age. As one of the top 12 finalists in the 'Our Kids Have Talent' competition, she began building a fanbase early on; her Christmas single 'Christmas For Two' made it into the Top 20 on Canadian radio two years running, garnering her attention from writers and producers in America. 2013 saw her venture out to LA and began working with songwriters and producers, developing a unique sound. Now she releases her debut EP 'Weightless' full of positivity and powerful pop music...

General Questions:

1. How old were you when you started getting involved in music and how?

I always liked singing when I was little and so I started taking vocal lessons at age 11 to see if I would like it, and I was definitely hooked. After a couple months of lessons, I decided to audition for my very first local music competition called 'Our Kids Have Talent'. I remember wanting to do it so badly, but being terrified once I got there and saw the crowd and the stage. I am so glad I got up there and performed, as things really started after that. I started getting local little gigs, and then a friend of my family took a video of one of my performances and sent it to Sony / ATV writer Andrew Allen, who then had me come out and perform with him, and then he and his wife Julia became my managers. The doors really opened from there, and I started flying our to LA to write songs with Andrew Allen and other amazing artists.

2. What is the most inspiring musical performance you've ever seen?

I was recently invited by my friend to catch the Hedley concert in Kelowna, and I loved it. They were amazing live. Sometimes when you go to a concert, you can leave a little disappointed when the live performances don't sound like the recorded music. But Hedley was fantastic and pretty inspiring to see how much they seem to love performing.

3. Who have you been listening to lately?

I feel like my music taste is always changing, and right now I am really into some of the upbeat summer songs that are coming out like JT's 'Can't Stop The Feeling' and Matt Simon's 'Catch & Release'. I am always an Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith fan as well.

3 Qs for Olivia:

1. Which three countries would you most like to tour and why?

Wow great question, as I love to travel and it would be amazing to be able to perform outside of Canada. I guess I would say Australia, the UK, and the US. I have never been to Australia and it is so far away, but I do have fans from there and also a small community of support for some of my music. So it for sure would be cool to go there. I love the UK. I have been to England and Scotland, and I love the people there. I also have some really great fans from the UK that are often tweeting me and commenting on my YouTube page. And lastly, the US. It would be great to road trip through the US. There are so many different places that I have always wanted to go to, like Nashville and New Orleans. Any of it would be an adventure!

2. How important do you think promoting self-love and empowerment is, especially in the world of music?

People listen to music for fun, to get energy, because they are sad, or because they need to be uplifted. I love writing music that can pull you up when you are down. There is nothing better than listening to a song that just makes you feel good and happy, and that reminds you of your value. This industry can be super critical, and there are always those few people who seem to like to share the negative, but for the most part I have found that people are very supportive and there is more good out there than bad. Music should always be something that makes people feel good.

3. Which is your favourite track from your EP 'Weightless' and why does it stand out to you?

I have to say that I really relate to the lyrics in 'Weightless'. When me co-writer Robin and I sat down to write it, we were both talking about those moments in my life when you feel 'weightless', when everything is good, when you feel so light and optimistic, that it just puts a smile on your face. Those are the moments we have to hang on to, that we often have to remind ourselves of. It is a song that just reminds you to let go of the bad, and move forward with the good.

Random Q:

If you could invent a chocolate bar, what would you call it and what would it be made of?

Ha ha! I LOVE chocolate? How about 'Weightless' a delicious, no calorie, guilt-free, all milk chocolate bar! The no regrets candy bar.

'Outshine The Stars' Review:
'Outshine The Stars' is the latest song to be shared as a music video from her debut EP 'Weightless'. At first listen, this is an incredibly catchy pop song, sung by a very talented artist; after a few more listens you pick up on the extremely positive and powerful lyrics, emotion and youthful innocence that shines through. These are all themes that run throughout the rest of 'Weightless' and this song is one of the stand out tracks in my opinion, if you like this one, you'll love the rest of the release too!

Outshine The Stars - Olivia (link)

Olivia's Links:

'Weightless EP' (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/weightless-ep/id1111873757

Website: http://www.oliviamusiclive.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OliviaMusicLive

Twitter: https://twitter.com/oliviamusiclive

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/oliviamusiclive

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/oliviamusiclive

Friday, 8 July 2016

Review: Barn on the Farm 2016 Pt. 2 (03/07/16)

Barn on the Farm, is perfect for finding new up and coming artists that you may not have heard of before, as well as the few new acts from the first two days of the festival, Sunday also pointed me in the direction of some new (and very talented) musicians. Lily Rendle-Moore was one of the artists, with a sound reminiscent of Duffy or Amy Winehouse and stunning acoustic guitar led songs she kicked Sunday off to a great start. Another lesser known act at the festival was sibling duo Ardyn (who you may remember from a recent Spotlight blog post...) They did a brilliant set on the Main Stage and it was great to finally see them perform live.

Our early afternoon on Sunday consisted of mainly chilling at the Outdoor stage, starting with Pleasure Beach, they reminded me a lot of Noah and the Whale, and I really enjoyed their energy and overall indie sound; it was perfect for the sunny day that we were lucky to have, and even better live. Having heard a lot of good things about Prose but having never listened to them before, we headed to the Main Stage to see them do their thing. Well, let's put it this way, I came home and have since listened to all of their songs a good few times and will definitely be getting their album. They clearly enjoyed what they were performing, they got people singing along and their songs are brilliant written with thought-provoking verses and infectiously memorable choruses. If you like the Streets or Plan B, you'll love Prose.

Home Of The Brave - Prose (link)

Tom Walker was next and his set was definitely a highlight from the whole weekend for me. With a set up similar to Jack Garratt, vocals reminiscent of Gavin James with a bit more punch and an overall sound that left me taken aback and excited to hear more. We had another walk about and enjoyed listening to a couple of songs from Hidden Charms when we gravitated back to the Outdoor Stage.

Sun Goes Down - Tom Walker ft. Kojey Radical (link)

The Amazons were also really great and brought a huge energy to the stage. Frustratingly we only managed to catch the last song and a half of Dan Owen's, but what we did hear was incredible, he was able to show a softer, mellower side to his music and then go all out blues with strong harmonica, guitar and some box, it was quite something!

Little Red Rooster - Dan Owen (link)

Easily one of my biggest highlights from the whole weekend was getting to see Fickle Friends on the main stage. I missed them earlier this year on tour and have been really enjoying their songs 'Swim' and 'Say No More', so was excited to see them for the first time. I think they're now on my list for best bands live, their stage presence and commitment (Jack was ill and still put in 100%) was incredible, and that meant their live set just brought their upbeat indie pop music to life.

Swim - Fickle Friends (link)

Continuing on the indie route and getting a little rockier, we headed back to the Outdoor Stage and enjoyed High Tyde's set. It was clear that everyone else enjoyed it too, there was even a mosh pit, I'm not sure how, but it happened... Eliza and the Bear were on the Main Stage after and of course, we made sure we didn't miss them, it was a good set, and 'Friends' got a loud cheer and singalong.

Wine - High Tyde (link)

When I found out Dagny was performing at Barn on the Farm, I made a mental note to make sure I saw her, having featured Dagny two years ago and still not managing to see her live, I thought this was my perfect opportunity! It was a great set full of upbeat pop songs and she definitely knew how to keep the crowd captive with catchy melodies to hum and dance along to. Next to the Wooden Barn Stage was the mystery act... Hudson Taylor, one live and one on FaceTime (Harry broke his leg...) with guests, Gabrielle Aplin and Hannah Grace. It was a good set, full of well known songs and everyone sang along to 'I Don't Know', which seemed to also get stuck in many people's head as during the evening you could hear it being faintly hummed in most corners of the farm.

Backbeat - Dagny (link)

The evening started becoming mellower and chilled out when Frances took to the Main Stage and completely owned it! She performed my two favourite songs of hers, 'Grow' and 'Don't Worry About Me', as well as her other original songs and very nearly left me with a tear in my eye. It really says something about a musician's music when they leave people speechless and just watching and listening in awe (and silence). Frances has a wonderful talent for telling stories through her music and her whole set was compelling and emotive.

Don't Worry About Me - Frances (link)

We wandered back to the Wooden Barn Stage for my most anticipated sets of the whole weekend. Ry X. The creator of one of my favourite songs 'Berlin' and after promising my friends we'd leave 'when I know what the next song is...' turned into two more, when he performed 'Berlin' and 'Sweat' arguably his best two songs in the middle of his set. The silence that surrounded the Wooden Barn Atage during his stage added to the ethereal atmosphere he created with his stunning music and soundscapes. Definitely a set that will stay with me forever.

Sweat - Ry X (link)

To bring Barn on the Farm 2016 to a close, who else but Jack Garratt?! An incredible hour and 15 minutes of inspiring and atmospherically intense music. Nothing will quite beat feeling the bass in your chest and singing along at the top of your lungs and dancing your heart out to this year's most promising musician. Even when his technology faulted, he carried on as if nothing happened and covered S Club 7, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, and his infamous mash up of Justin Timberlake and Craig David, later also covering Spice Girls after realising everyone he'd covered the wrong 90's/00's pop group... It was a fun, energetic, atmospheric experience and I think Jack summed up his thank you speech pretty well, not only is it Josh and the Barn on the Farm organisers, volunteers and musicians that make it the best independent festival, it's the family of music lovers that go year in and year out.

Wednesday, 6 July 2016

Review: Barn on the Farm 2016 Pt. 1 (02/07/16)

Barn on the Farm is an independent and intimate folk-orientated music festival, held in several barns on Over Farm, Gloucestershire. Created in 2010 as a small venture, driven by a passion for decent, new music; now in it's sixth year, it's gained a reputation as a place you will see the next big thing whilst meeting people with the same passion for music. With names like Ed Sheeran, Ben Howard, Nina Nesbitt and Bastille taking to the stage in previous years, there's only one place this fantastic festival is heading and that's to even bigger audiences and awards. Joshua Sanger and the rest of his Barn on the Farm family are brilliant, friendly and should be thanked and congratulated on creating such a welcoming festival, full of brilliant live music and moments.

This year we managed to get tickets for the intimate Friday, which added to the whole Barn on the Farm experience. Highlights included Jade Bird, Aaron Rowe, Plested, Barns Courtney, a stripped back set from Amber Run and the secret headliners, Bear's Den. (The other acts unfortunately we missed in between food and drink breaks, but from what we heard - they were great too!)

Saturday went off to a good start as we got to see Joseph, one of my favourite folk bands, I knew they were going to be a trio that would be great live, but I didn't realise quite how great they were actually going to be. My two friends and I were left standing speechless and goosebumps, their tight harmonies, phenomenal songwriting, stage presence and personalities created a half hour set that I won't ever forget.

White Flag - Joseph (link)

We walked about a bit and really took in our surroundings, waking up a little more and grabbing some food from The Den for breakfast (which was very tasty). We sat at the Outdoor Stage for a few of Will Joseph Cook's song, he definitely woke everyone up with his brilliant pop tunes and got people dancing. However, I was keen to see Mahalia in the Wooden Barn, so headed there and got to see her perform the one song I knew, 'Back Up Plan', a cleverly written song with spoken word verses and a catchy chorus. Her set seemed to go down really well with others too and understandably so, she's an act to be watched!

Back Up Plan - Mahalia (link)

We headed down to the Main Stage to chill to Samm Henshaw's soulful pop, it was great to see (and hear) new music from him, in addition to the songs I fell in love with the last time I saw him at Barn on the Farm last year. Isaac Gracie and Ady Suleiman performed at the same time, so made sure to see half of each set, both did a fantastic job attracting audiences, Isaac's stunning electric guitar led songs and emotive and raw lyrics brought to life with his wonderful vocals, and Ady's upbeat and incredibly catchy reggae, pop songs.

Running Away - Ady Suleiman (link)

JP Cooper was on the Main Stage this year and as I'd seen him (and enjoyed his music) last year, I thought I'd go see him again. As always, he did a fantastic job and performed a mixed set of older songs that people knew and newer songs, more recently released. Unfortunately I didn't get to see his whole set, but what I did see, I thoroughly enjoyed. We left early to go get a good spot in the Wooden Barn for Ryan Keen's set, and it was worth it! It was my second time seeing Ryan live and I'm pretty sure he did the same set (which definitely wasn't a bad thing), however he also got Gavin James up on stage with him and they covered 'Royals', originally by Lorde, really really well; their voices complimented each other well along with Ryan's unique playing style and Leroy on percussion.

Skin And Bones - Ryan Keen (link)

Another clash between acts that we wanted to see, Billie Marten and Clean Cut Kid. We enjoyed the first few songs of Billie's but as we'd seen her the previous year, and were becoming pleasantly sleepy, we decided to go check out Clean Cut Kid's set. Their upbeat indie pop got everyone dancing and singing along, and as the first time listening to them live, I added them to my list of bands to listen to when I got home. I particularly enjoyed 'Vitamin C' and their new single 'We Used To Be In Love'...

We Used To Be In Love - Clean Cut Kid (link)

The Farm Band, Hudson Taylor, Gabrielle Aplin, Hannah Grace and Joe Keogh (from Amber Run), came together to perform a collection of their own songs. Their chemistry as a group shone through their performance and it was clear they were really enjoying it up on stage. A fair selection of songs from each acts releases, an incredible a cappella arrangement of 'I Found' and a cover of 'With A Little Help From My Friends', which of course ended with the whole Barn on the Farm family singing along and feeling an almighty togetherness.

A clash of acts sets hit again, this time between Dan Croll and Gavin James, and again we decided to make the most of both sets, starting with Gavin James and his incredibly soulful acoustic songs (including a fantastic cover of Wonderful World' that went into his original 'Say Hello', which was another goosebumps moment from the weekend). On the way to the Main Stage, we saw a few songs of Dan Croll's set, full of fantastic alternative pop tracks built upon great riffs, beats and Dan's vocals.

What A Wonderful World / Say Hello - Gavin James (link)

After trying to see Jose Vanders and Ant West as their previous projects live for a fair few years, I was incredibly excited to see Oh Wonder headline the Saturday of Barn on the Farm, and was not disappointed. They did a phenomenal set, comprised of tracks from their album, including a stunning stripped back version of their track 'Midnight Moon' and a brilliant cover of Beyonce's 'Crazy In Love'. They had everyone dancing and singing along and created an incredible atmosphere that will stay with me for quite some time. I'm so pleased I finally got to see them live, and for it to be at Barn on the Farm just added to the moment.

Lose It - Oh Wonder (link)

Part 2 (Sunday's write up) is here: http://musicintimeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/review-barn-on-farm-2016-pt-2-030716.html

Monday, 4 July 2016

Feature: Evering (04/07/16)

The inheritance of an old piano sparked new Scottish act Evering's first collaboration. From this inception, the duo of Chris Yendell and Dawn Coulshed have created a folk sound influenced by man into something that is their own. Their debut self-released EP 'Running Circles' received plays from BBC Introducing and Radio X's Dave Rowntree. This duo want to take you on a journey with a reflective yet 'seize the day' motive, so have no fear in joining them!

General Questions:

1. How old were you when you started getting involved in music and how?

We both started playing from a young age, with Dawn being involved in a more traditional Scottish music as well as the 'obligatory' high school rock band. Both of us were lucky enough to be exposed to lots of music from an early age and that's where the hunger to write and create came from.

2. What is the most inspiring musical performance you've ever seen?
Dawn: I saw Laura Marling just the other day and was blown away by her incredible vocals and strong presence.
Chris: I once got to watch the Cinematic Orchestra play alongside a full orchestra in the Royal Albert Hall. It was one of those moments where the whole two hour set seems to pass in a split second. Absolutely mesmerising.

3. Who have you been listening to lately?
We're into a lot of different music, anything from Lianne La Havas through to Californian funk band Vulfpeck. The thing that grabs us is just good quality music. Hopefully this wide influence allows us to pull ideas from a wide range of listening material in order to keep our own sound fresh and interesting.

3 Qs for Evering:

1. How did you become 'Evering'?
Soon after we had started playing music together, we landed this magazine interview and film session appointment. The only issue was that we didn't even have a name yet! There's a street called Evering Road and Chris was lugging kit up and down it that week for a studio session. Soon enough the suggestion was made and we adopted our name.

2. What inspires you lyrically and who influences you musically?
Lyrically, there's a lot of personal material in our songs but there's also a lot of observational writing, often focused on substantial (at least to us) things in life that go un-noticed. Musically, there's a lot of slight alterations on standard chords that allow us to create the right mood to go with the story of the song, maybe this is also a by-product of our diverse music collections.

3. Which song on your EP 'Running Circles' did you most enjoy creating and why?
Probably 'Titanic'. It's only got four instruments in it but it feels almost orchestral towards the end. It was a lot of fun creating this big crescendo and there was certainly no holding back on the end vocal for this one!

Random Q:

If you could play a show anywhere, where would it be and why?
We'd love to play in the Wilton's Music Hall in London. It's one of the oldest music halls in the UK and it's an absolutely stunning venue. If we're thinking out of the box here though, imagine a show in the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. It looks incredible and we can only imagine what the acoustics would be like there!

'Have No Fear' Review:
Their latest single 'Have No Fear' is a little more upbeat than the songs on Evering's debut EP 'Running Circles' and reminds me slightly of Newton Faulkner. The guitar and piano compliment each other perfectly, as do Chris and Dawn's vocals, working together to create a stunning sound overall. This song is a fantastic and shows Evering's talent both musically and lyrically.

Have No Fear - Evering (link)

See Evering Live:

22nd July: Sunflower Pub, Belfast

24th July: Campbell's Tavern, Headford, Ireland

3rd August: Tooting Tram & Social, London

29th August: The Old Queen's Head, London

Evering's Links:

'Running Circles EP' (iTunes): https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/running-circles-ep/id989860453

Website: http://www.everingmusic.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/everingmusic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Everingmusic

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/Everingmusic

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/everingmusic

Friday, 1 July 2016

12 Albums of 2016. Pt. 1 (01/07/16)

Here's the first half of '12 Albums of 2016', including all of our favourite albums from 2016 so far, it's full of fantastic releases from a variety of musicians and genres. As always, albums are in release date order and all download links can be found near the end of the blog post! Enjoy, and be sure to let us know your favourite albums from this year so far!

Not To Disappear - Daughter
Release Date: 15th January
Genre: Alternative Pop / Indie Folk
Tracks: 10
Chart Performance: #17 (UK Albums)
Singles: Doing The Right Thing / Numbers / How

I'm a big fan of Daughter, and have been for the past few years. It had been three years since their previous album release and a part of me was apprehensive about the overall sound they were going to create for this new one. However, they managed to surpass themselves and create an ethereal soundscape that flows throughout the whole album. Opening with 'New Ways', with a heavy focus on electric guitar, haunting vocals and resonating steady rhythms. 'No Care' is faster paced (and perfect for running to) and has a catchy chorus backed by a track that is impossible not to move along to. The album closes with 'Made Of Stone', which sits comfortably in my top three favourite Daughter songs behind 'Youth' and 'Medicine'. It's lullaby qualities allow the listener to truly get lost in the ambient sound and sleepy vocals of Elena; this is a wonderful album from start to finish.

New Ways (live) - Daughter (link)

Tell Me It's Real - Seafret

Release Date: 29th January

Genre: Indie Pop / Folk

Tracks: 13 | 16 (Deluxe)

Singles: Give Me Something / Oceans / Atlantis / Be There / Wildfire

It took me a while to sit down and really listen to this album, and as soon as I did, I regretted not treating my ears to it sooner. The first couple of songs I'd heard from this release were 'Wildfire' and 'Oceans', both of which I fell in love with and got stuck in my head on a frequent basis. Then I listened to the album and fell in love with the other 14 tracks, in particular 'To The Sea' which features Rosie Carney. The combination of Harry's wonderful guitar playing and Jack's beautiful vocals bringing their perfectly written story like lyrics to life makes it a great debut release, I'm excited to see what the future holds for Seafret!

Oceans - Seafret (link)

Everything This Way - Walking On Cars

Release Date: 29th January

Genre: Indie Rock

Tracks: 12

Chart Performance: #1 (Irish Albums) | #26 (UK Albums)

Singles: Catch Me If You Can / Two Stones / Tick Tock / Hand In Hand / Always Be With You / Speeding Cars

Easily one of my most played albums from this year so far. Even though I was a little later than most to enjoy this release, it has stuck with me throughout these first six month of the year, and that will continue far into the future. It's a stunning blend of well written lyrics, brilliantly layered piano, guitars, drums and great harmonies. 'Catch Me If You Can' has a strong beat throughout, powerful lyrics and an incredibly catchy chorus. Easily my favourite track from the album and one of my favourite songs from the year, is 'Tick Tock', there's just something about it that really resonated with me and it got stuck in my head, and there it has stayed! 'Flying High Falling Low' is a slower track that's brought to life with stunning piano, strings and powerful vocals built together around honest and emotive lyrics to create a genuinely beautiful song.

Speeding Cars - Walking On Cars (link)

Eliza and the Bear - Eliza and the Bear

Release Date: 16th February

Genre: Indie Rock

Tracks: 11 | 15 (Deluxe)

Singles: Make It On My Own / It Gets Cold

Eliza and the Bear started making music for fun, and that really shines through from the core of this album. I've seen these guys live a few times now and every single time has been an experience, two of the performances were at festivals and one was on their recent UK tour. Every time they have performed 'Friends' and the crowd has joined in with the anthemic chorus. The first song of theirs I ever heard, 'Brother's Boat', was a while back now; t was one of those songs I heard and instantly shared with everyone I knew. Again, it's a track with a brilliant chorus, as well as layered piano, guitars, bass and beats and harmonies. 'Talk' however is my favourite song of theirs. It features on the deluxe version of the album and whilst it's been bulked out a bit, the original idea and core is still very much there.

Friends - Eliza and the Bear (link)

Phase - Jack Garratt

Release Date: 19th February

Genre: Indie Pop / Electronica

Tracks: 12 | 19 (Deluxe)

Chart Performance: #13 (UK Albums)

Singles: The Love You're Given / Chemical / Weathered / Breathe Life / Worry / Surprise Yourself

This is probably one of the most talked about albums across the UK and music industry by this years most exciting artist. I'm pretty sure the first song of Jack's I came across was 'Worry' and instantly knew he was going to make it big. Soon after, he released another EP, then became an 'overnight success', this his debut album and I think it's definitely going to be followed up by even more brilliant music. He manages to create fantastic bass and synth led tracks like 'Surprise Yourself' and 'Fire', whilst writing incredibly emotive and honest lyrics and stories into each song. I've shared how much I enjoy Jack's music a lot on this blog and have run out of adjectives to describe it with now. I've also had the pleasure of seeing him live twice and both times was left speechless and in awe of how inspirational and talented he is.

Fire (live)- Jack Garratt (link)

i like it when you sleep for you are so beautiful yet so unaware of it - The 1975

Release Date: 26th February

Genre: Indie Pop / Rock

Tracks: 17

Chart Performance: #1 (UK Albums) | #1 (US Billboard 200)

Singles: Love Me / UGH! / Somebody Else / The Sound / A Change Of Heart

I'm not going to lie - this album took me a while to get into. In comparison to their previous album, I loved it the first time I listened, however this release, it took me a good seven or eight listens. That's not to say it's a bad album at all - I think it's just moved away from their debut album and they've evolved their sound and there's definitely a stronger focus on electronic 80s music influencing it. Which is definitely apparent in their single 'Love Me', which I have grown to love and get stuck in my head on many occasions. 'This Must My Dream' is a highlight song on the album for me, as it's a little closer to their debut album material (but not too close) and has a really neat sax solo in it, which I've always rated The 1975 for, as well as it's catchiness. It would be wrong not to mention 'Nana', a stunning and emotive song, that really shows they're not just 'an indie pop / rock band', it's raw and stripped back compared to the other tracks and is one of my favourite songs at the minute.

Love Me - The 1975 (link)

Telluric - Matt Corby

Release Date: 11th March

Genre: Alternative / Acoustic Neo - Soul

Tracks: 11 | 13 (iTunes)

Singles: Monday

I've been a big fan of Matt Corby's heavenly vocals and stunning acoustic songs for a long time now and when I found out he was releasing his debut album this year I was excited. Whilst the release wasn't really anywhere near what I was expecting, it's still a brilliant release! When Matt released 'Monday' as the lead single it was apparent Matt was still going to be creating songs that showcased his wonderful vocals. However my two favourite songs from the release 'Belly Side Up' and 'Knife Edge' take a more neo-soul and jazzy turn and it's a welcome one. The steady rhythms throughout, groovy guitars and bass lines just make it an album to really sit back and chill out to; which ultimately is what Matt's music is all about.

Monday - Matt Corby (link)

Lemonade - Beyonce

Release Date: 23rd April

Genre: R&B

Tracks: 12 (+ film)

Chart Performance: #1 (UK Albums) | #1 (US Billboard 200)

Singles: Sorry

This album only just made it on here, and to be honest, I have only listened to a few of the songs so far, but what I've heard, I have really liked - so that meant it qualified. This release is different to Beyonce's previous ones, as it features more artists, writers and influences, meaning her sound has evolved. 'Hold Up' was the first song I heard from the album, and instantly thought 'I need to listen to this album', it was definitely Beyonce's trademark kind of song, with empowering lyrics, an incredibly catchy chorus (that instantly got stuck in my head) and it had everyone talking. As you'll find out a little later on in this post, I'm a big fan of James Blake, so 'Forward' is (obviously) a highlight from this album for me. It also meant that Beyonce also included a slower track on this album, and I've always enjoyed her slower, ballad like tracks more than others, so it was a natural favourite. 'Formation' is my other highlight, an incredibly empowering song and a Beyonce anthem. .. (please note the video linked below is the music video for her lead single from the album, it's controversial, but c'mon it's Beyonce!)

Sorry - Beyonce (link)

Carry - Joy Oladokun

Release Date: 29th April

Genre: Acoustic Soul

Tracks: 10

Singles: Shelter

I received an email early April with Joy's press release attached and 'Shelter' linked to listen to. The first time I listened to the track I instantly knew I wanted to run a feature on Joy and this album. The rawness and emotion that shone through in this fantastically written song just got stuck in my head. Another song I really enjoyed for it's gentle powerfulness with stunning piano, strings and raw and wonderful vocals is 'Poison'. 'Bread & Wine' is a little different to the two songs previously mentioned, as it's a little faster paced, grittier and darker, with an incredible electric guitar solo. I enjoy every single song on this album every single time I listen to it and I really wish it received the love and attention it deserves from more people; so if you like what you hear below please go give the rest of the album a listen too :)

Poison (acoustic) - Joy Oladokun (link)

The Colour In Anything - James Blake

Release Date: 6th May

Genre: Alternative / Ambient Pop

Tracks: 17

Chart Performance: #13 (UK Albums)

Singles: Modern Soul / Timeless

James dropped this album with not a lot of warning and the world of music went round in a bit of a James Blake hurricane. Once I heard the album, I realised that the excitement was 103% justified! It's good old James Blake ambient pop with many injections of soul throughout. 'f.o.r.e.v.e.r' is a stunning piano led song that's full of emotive songwriting. James teamed up with Bon Iver for this release which is every dream pop follower's dream... 'I Need A Fire' is a beautiful soundscape brought to life by James and Justin Vernon's wonderful vocals, it has a soulful vibe throughout with a funky backing track underlining the overall song. Another favourite from the album is the lead single 'Modern Soul' it encapsulates what the whole release is all about perfectly and summarises where James Blake's music is at right now, powerful, ambient soundscapes with emotive lyrics sung by James' wonderful vocals.

I Need A Forest Fire ft. Bon Iver - James Blake (link)

Dawn - Ry X

Release Date: 6th May

Genre: Electronica Soul / Folk

Tracks: 12

Singles: Berlin / Sweat

I've been a follower of Ry X's music for what seems like ages now, but was surprised when I found out his new album, was actually his debut album. If you're looking for an album to really chill out to or fall asleep to, this is the one for you! It features one of my all time favourite songs 'Berlin', truly stunning vocals presenting poetic lyrics against a wonderful soundscape of guitars and synths. This is a creation that carries on throughout the album, two highlights for me are 'Howling' and 'Sweat'. If you're into really soul filled electronica and like beautiful harmonies and vocals (James Blake / Matt Corby etc.) you're bound to fall in love with this album...

Sweat - Ry X (link)

The Adventures of the 90's Kid - Polly Money

Release Date: 13th May

Genre: Pop

Tracks: 6

Singles: It Would Be Ok

Yes, I know this is an EP, however it's a release that I believe is one of the best from this year so far, and definitely deserved a spot in this blog post, so here it is! Full of fantastic upbeat, pop tracks this EP is perfect for every summer playlist. Starting off with '5'5', drawing the listener in to the catchy melodies and chorus (which be warned, will likely get stuck in your head). It's a brilliantly crafted track with sounds echoing the lyrics and the lyrics echoing every 90's kids childhood. The lead single 'It Would Be Ok' is definitely the most memorable from the EP, with Justin Timberlake style riffs and beats running throughout. However, 'Jimmy's Got A Gun' is currently my favourite from the release, starting with electric guitar, and growing into an incredibly catch track. The EP's a good un, and if you were born in the 90's (or enjoyed the music in the 90's - you're bound to love this from start to finish!)