A while ago I reviewed George’s single ‘Push Back the Sun’, and boy was that impressive. This EP has completely knocked my socks off; almost to the point of speechlessness (or should that be wordlessness?).

So get ready for five tracks of sumptuous lush sound, a journey into the sound of calm. Five songs that impress with an understated, but incredibly wonderful, level of writing and playing. A meditation on gentle joy. A sound that is all about feel and soul.

At this point I have to tell you that, yes, George’s guitar is the standout on the EP tracks. That almost goes without saying. But it needs to be said that while his playing is outstanding. This is no display of guitar pyrotechnics, it’s not show-offy. This is the epitome of quietly impressive.

The music is jazzy, slightly soul-y but also dreamy. It features beautiful horn arrangements, subtle vocals. The joy is in the ensemble playing while at the same time featuring that glorious guitar. I get hints of Miles Davis, George Benson in the mix. I mean who knew that jazzy dream-pop or dreamy jazz would be a thing, much less sound this good.

The EP opens with ‘Why Didn’t You?’ which deceives with it’s opening dream-pop sound until the horns come in with that sweet sweet jazz soul sound. There are gentle vocals – I’m assuming from George. That dreamy slightly warped dreamy guitar picks it’s way carefully through the song. There is the feel of calm, the words ask ‘why didn’t you come up for air’; it’s a mantra.

That sonic feel continues with ‘Reminiscent’ but there’s the addition of more of a soul feel. Wordless female vocals that are oh-so sweet. Slightly more urgent horns that don’t break the feeling because they’re there but not upfront.

‘Remember The Days’ adds in a pop feel that comes and goes. The sweet wordless vocals return with an edge of hip-hop. It swings, in a gentle way, but it swings. The sound is so complex and multi-layered that it reaches sonic overload.

With the closing track – ‘Cornucopia’ – just to blow our minds completely, there’s a returning Spanish guitar that runs through the track; while George’s guitar warps and echoes its way in waves of sound. Which, just to let you know, the Soundcloud waveform display shows; it’s a series of perfect waves. I just don’t have a clue how to describe this, beyond saying it’s incredibly gorgeous.

At the end of the EP I am left with my mind reeling and completely blown. Both by the technical skill and, more importantly, the emotional impact of the four tracks. The whole EP maintains an overall sense of the same feel while the individual tracks do their own thing.

The songs meld sounds from late fifties/early sixties jazz to now into something the likes of which I haven’t held before. Something that sounds retro and of now. Something that is not about fitting into a niche or a genre but is about the joy of making music.

This EP is something else, it’s compelling, magical, beautiful. Get ready to take a trip, a trip into the wonderful musical mind of George Bloomfield.

Echoviolet’s first EP gathers together their previous singles and includes a new track for good measure. This is no bad thing – it let’s you catch up if the band is new to you. I came to the band with the release of the last single. So I too missed out on the previous releases.

The EP’s opening track ‘Hint’ is going to give a hint (I’m sorry. couldn’t resist that) of the band’s sound. It’s alternative rock but with a strong melodic sound. It majors on brilliant playing, a strong vocal and an incredible sense of dynamics. And the guitar work on this song is outstanding. It’s basically a solo the whole way through – providing another melody line. it has something of an 80s; progressive edge to it – not indulgent, big on a tun.

‘Why Can’t I?’ edges up that progressive sound and feel in both sound and lyrics.Mixing alternative rock with something of a hint of folk. I love both the lead and backing vocals on this; they’re a joy. And, as I’ve come to expect, that wonderful guitar makes a comeback – throwing in a kind of 80s’ rock feel at one point and at another something that reminds me of later King Crimson – it’s all searing distortion.

This makes ‘City Of Impunity’ all the more surprising, almost shocking to be honest. What this is a slice of NY Punk influenced rock – that vocal style, stalking basslines, crashing guitars. It’s the city sounds intro that makes this track for me – the icing on the cake. Yet listen closer, the words of this thing are cool, with a sense of threat, of warning. This track is way cool.

‘Falling Light’ is an alt-rock track; it does that quiet/loud thing. But it does it with a tune to die for. A guitar that rocks my world – I positively love that almost classical sounding break towards the end. A drop out section that is somewhat scary. This thing is so damn earwormy it hurts.

And so to ‘End Of What We Knew’. I honestly see no reason to change what I said in my review of this. What we have here is an incredibly catchy, fantastically melodic, rock track. It’s not heavy or hard but it’s definitely rock. There’s an amazing vocal on this track, the vocals are clear and pure. And that voice sings over ever changing sounds. It’s sparse with that swooshing guitar, it’s swelling with huge guitars. At times it sounds futuristic and at times like rock church music. The playing on this track is amazing, wonderful, fantastic. The kicker in the song; a soaring guitar solo that takes off with an incredible power. A solo that no late 70s or 80s progressive melodic rock band would be ashamed of. It’s not flashy, it’s melodic and sophisticated.

Closer ‘Come Back Home’ opens up with strummed acoustic, and in an almost creeping way becomes a wonderful big rock ballad – a tune that is oh-so swoony. Lovely touches of melodic guitar. Clever backing vocals. Lovely drop backs to acoustic guitar, an almost solo voice. A perfectly played guitar solo that burns your soul. Beautiful.

Echoviolet are a band that do their own thing, unafraid to throw all sorts of things into their music. Some of these things may not be fashionable but who cares when it results in music this good. And what shines through is that this is a band who have all the musical tools they need; the playing, the vocals, are outstanding.

And these are great songs put together so well. With a great sense of melody, never flashy for the sake of flashiness – which I’m sure they could do, and it would be wonderful – but with a sense of restraint which makes these songs quietly and brilliantly impressive. The range of the songs on the EP show a band who are no one trick pony – there’s variation but the sense that they come from the same band is there.

This EP is a bloody joy, people. Can’t recommendation this highly enough.

Stream/download: https://ffm.to/its_just_begun_ep

CPSD are one of my favourite bands, naaah that’s too big of a list. Start again. CPSD are one of my favourite bands that I have a tendency to gush about. A fairly long list but shorter than my favourite bands list. More specifically they are also one of my favourite bands to see live. Live they take my breath away.

‘Down Came A Spider’ is heavy, way heavy. Heavy in what I’m going to describe as an alternative rock way. Although CPSD are never that easy to pin down – listen hard and you’ll hear a hint of heavy blues and a touch of electronica.

The track creeps in on a spooky intro before bursting into hard heavy guitar. Vocals over drums and strange electronica sounds alternate with riffage to the max. And then there’s a surprise, something that comes from nowhere, a chanted section. Before it bursts into guitar that sears.

The playing – and you’d expect this if you’ve ever seen or heard the band – is spellbindingly wonderful. The guitar burns, the bass is just wonderful and the drumming is cleverly sparse. The vocal is fantastic – coming with an edge of sinister and great sense of melody.

But there’s more, not only does this kick arse musically but it does that lyrically. The song is ‘an observational commentary of current affairs, and the handling of them by governing bodies. Specifically written following the storm surrounding Brexit, and becoming more prophetic by the day as the Coronavirus Pandemic unfolded, A energy, gritty take on politicians and how they manipulate voters’.

Kick-arse rock AND politics. a ferocious combination. ‘Down Came A Spider’ rocks, it rocks hard. I am totally blown away by this release.

As you might have realised, as much as I like complex or riff heavy or .. (I’m sure you know what I mean), I love a song with a great tune. And if there’s one band who guarantees a song with a great tune it’s Sandra’s Wedding.

‘Aretha Franklin’ is musically both funky and rocky – but not necessarily at the same time – and kinda poppy. And while it may have a great tune it also has some frankly out-there guitar. What this makes it genre-wise I have not the slightest idea but on the other hand it doesn’t really matter; great music is great music. Let’s call a unique but wonderful mix.

The other thing you can be guaranteed of with the band is a good lyric; and we can tick that off as a yes. The song appears to be about a sad alone person drowning their sorrows while listening to Aretha Franklin. It’s not about her at all, she features as part of the scenario. You get me?

The playing, as I’ve already hinted at, is absolutely amazing – apart from the guitar the bass playing is a dream. The vocals are fab. There’s nothing to criticise here.

Great musically, great words; do you need anything else? Nope, thought not.

The info

“We wanted to create a single that was entirely its’ own beast, its’ own atmosphere and a unique feeling compared to other records we have made. We just wanted to have some fun, basically… We got the hammers out and went to town.” – Luke Harrison, Drums.

“The Aretha Franklin angle came purely from having an opening line, once you listen you realise that Aretha Franklin really doesn’t have any feature or bearing on the track itself… It’s just a way you could set a scene in a bit of a different way. We always liked the idea of having a track named after someone too, so it’s nice that we’ve managed to organically get to a point where that’s happened.” – Jonny Hughes, Guitar.

‘Morning Dew’ is Moonray’s first release on Monomyth Records. The track is taken from a wider body of work made as part of a commission by Brighter Sound in Manchester. An EP – ‘Veritas’ – will follow on 20th May. So consider this a teaser for that.

It falls somewhere in the realm of experimental electronica and ambient electronic music. I say somewhere because it’s difficult to pin down. It has, to my admittedly somewhat older ears, hints of The Cocteau Twins – in that there are vocals but these can really be considered to be another layer of sound rather than a traditional vocal even though there are words. But, perhaps strangely you might think (you’d be wrong) it also has hints of music you might hear in a (Christian) church and of something you might hear if you’re the sort of person who enjoys a ‘sound bath’.

It is, as you might have guessed from the above, spiritual and meditative. It is music to submerge yourself in. Listening to it you can’t help but feel calmed, wrapped in gorgeous sound that washes over you and around you in beautiful waves. And, because it is so wonderfully layered and complex it takes the whole of your mind to get the most from it; you are transported away from the cares of the everyday and stresses of life.

The way this is put together and produced is just so right. The waves of sound mesh perfectly. The wonderful vocals – by Victoria Murray – are haunting and evocative; slowly becoming louder and quieter as the track progresses. Vocal lines are intertwined.

Sit yourself down, dim the lights and listen to this on repeat; it is the most beautiful experience. Can’t wait for the EP.

The info

‘Morning Dew’ is Moonray’s debut track on Monomyth and is taken from a wider body of work commissioned by Brighter Sound in Manchester. The upcoming experimental ambient EP ‘Viriditas’ deals with inner growth and spirituality. The global pandemic has prompted a great deal of soul searching and an abundance of downtime, time to pause, study and participate in rituals connecting with nature and the cycles that many of us have disconnected from within the hectic paced lives we had led previously.

Moonray has read a great deal and connected with history, religion, spirituality and philosophy. She says ‘I have read a lot about the goddess and connected with my routes and ancestors. This piece represents that growth and finalises the EP on a high note. Meaning that from any dark place, you will always emerge much stronger and back into the light’.

I am, and I apologise, late in getting this review out. But this is such a fab release I just had to get a review out there.

‘Day 42’ is, as you might have guessed, a song about the experiences and effects of lockdown.

What you might not guess is that, seemingly in contradiction to the tone of the song’s subject, is that this is set to something bouncy and funky. Think Tom Tom Club or a funky Talking Heads. Musically it’s horribly addictive, and it grabs you by the arms and drags you up to dance. I mean yep there’s this denser more rocky section towards the end but that just drives you to frenetic movement.

The build to that heavy frenetic section tells the story of the gradual effects of lockdown – from enjoying the novelty to being overwhelmed.

As is normal with the band this thing has words that are brilliant. They tell a story, they convey feelings, they evoke emotions. They tell a universal and personal story.

Martha says ‘Day 42 was definitely inspired by the magical year that was 2020! Lyrically, it just sets the tone of where my mental health was at, pretty bleak. I wrote the song in April 2020 and everyday just felt like it was on repeat’.

As with a lot of the music made during lockdown. The band took to unusual production methods. Martha explains ‘The writing / production process was actually really interesting, as I spent most of lockdown working on my production skills and this was one of the first songs I produced by myself. A lot of the sounds are from around my flat – tapping on a glass bottle, water from a tap – that kind of thing. Just anything I could get my hands on. I then sent the basis of the track to Sam and Tom and we worked on it over zoom together. They both invested in a few mics and we all recorded our parts at home. We then sent the project to our good pal Lotte of Luna Pines who’s production we love. She added a few textures and mixed the track for us. I’m really happy with the sound as it captures a period of time for me’.

A lot of music about the lockdown has passed through LSF Towers; what’s interesting is that everyone approaches it differently. I love the approach The Elephant Trees have taken. This, people, a must listen.

This single is taken from Come Play With Me’s ‘Side By Side’ compilation album.
Available on 12″ ecomix vinyl: https://cpwm.awesomedistro.com/products/694225-cpwm206-side-by-side-lp-compilation-album-ecomix-vinyl

‘Side By Side’ showcases some of the best new music from women, people of marginalised genders and LGBTQIA+ artists based in Yorkshire. It’s a 12 track celebration on one 12″ piece of wax, an exciting, eclectic and awesome mix of great tunes! Limited to just 500 copies of ecomix vinyl.

Another release from that home of great music, the mighty Monomyth Records; this time from Flat Moon a Leeds based band who recently signed to the label.

This my friends is a journey through sound, a technicolour sonic trip. It’s all about mood, and bending your mind. Taking you places, good good places.

Quite how in the hell you describe this beyond ‘just bloody fantastic maaannnn’ is difficult. It’s a kaleidoscope of dreamy lounge pop, jazz, soul, psychedelic pop, psychedelic funk (think pfunk, think Sly & The Family Stone). An incredible display of great playing. All done with an eye (ear?) for a great tune, a fine fine way with musical dynamics, a groove to die for.

If this was all it did, this would be fabulous but there’s more. A lead vocal that drifts from louche cabaret stylings to a hot funk vocal. Backing vocals that melt your heart. Layers of sound that you could easily happily drown in.

It has some connections with say the dreamy jazz stylings of George Bloomfield (another fine Leeds Artist) and what I’ve come to describe as Nu-Psych Soul. But this is all taken to another level, a level beyond.

The band say ‘Demise’ is our best tune to date, and is an excellent display of the genre fluidity we strive for in our music. The song starts with an air of mystique and melancholy, with pensive lyricism, before erupting into a segment of molten hot funk. Classic Flat Moon. From the bleak empty streets, to the front row at a gig, ‘Demise’ is not only a musical journey, but a near biblical experience’.

I couldn’t possibly disagree.

This, my dear friends, is, and I say this because I am somewhat at a loss for words, fucking fantastic. A must listen, An instant classic. A must add for your music collection. A joyous, glorious trip through sound.