Deep Hit Music

  F or those not yet graced by the celestial tones of psych-jazz quartet Melotone, latest and debut single Dances on Tableaus perfectly demonstrates the unique combination of ethereality and groove that weaves its way into their work so often. Though existing for a number of years prior to the release, Dances on Tableaus is the first song to see the light of day for the Brighton-come-Birmingham four piece. The choice to use this particular track as their debut effort is representative of their typical jazz-oriented style and approach, offering an insightful view into the rhythmic and melodic tapestry on which Alec Madley weaves his rich baritone vocals throughout. The Renaissance of ‘jazz-fusion’ - made popular by contemporary artists such as King Krule and Cosmo Pyke - has made it easy for one to dub upcoming artists who throw the odd seventh chord into their composition with this genre classification. However, for a band of such polyethnic and genre-spanning influence such as Mel...

Whilst lockdown proved to be a bleak departure from the world of gigging, touring and general human interaction, there's no denying that the desolate nature of the last two years provided musicians with a vast array of introspectively dark subject matter. The isolated nature of life during this given period undoubtedly shattered the concept of live music, which could have proved fatal for the likes of Luna Rosa. With well over three-hundred UK shows and extensive tours and festival appearances under their belt, the Corby four-piece rely heavily on the ability to perform live in order to connect with an audience and allow for their songs to be received the way they ultimately should be. 'S ociety's so diluted now in the way that people process and consume with streaming' tells front-man and songwriter Rory Mcdade on the matter, 'W hen we write new music we want to be able to go out and gig it because we feel our music translates better when played live.'  Luna Ro...

Upon discovering a new song or album, one is quick to seek out the atmospheric and tonal qualities of said music and automatically pin it to a season. Whilst a specifically bright guitar sound is capable of taking the listener to a sun-drenched dreamscape, a particularly bleak set of notes or a reverb-heavy mix is capable of bringing on the cold melancholia of winter. The subconscious mind decides on which emotion the given piece of music evokes in themselves- hostility, nostalgia, grief, euphoria- and affiliates it with a climate, or a time of year. Songs that provoke feelings of positivity are most commonly associated with the days of summer, those that are affiliated with gloom and dimness are naturally given over to the rain and cold of the autumn and winter months. Then there are those that lie on the outer spectrum of this equation; music that transcends hapiness, sadness, darkness and sunshine altogether, feeding the light into the dark and conceiving a chiaroscuro of individual...

O ff the Wire takes a look at the most captivating new musical releases of the previous month by upcoming acts and bands both within the UK and internationally. In this column we seek to scratch below the surface and draw light on the underground and boundary-pushing alternative artists who's work has roused the attention of ourselves and music fanatics alike.   A round up of April's efforts sees an abundance of exciting LPs and singles that are hot off the press- from the Turkish folk-come-psychedelic sounds of Israel's Satellites to the ambient yet industrial Just Mustard, here are four new musical releases from April 2022 that are a must-hear. Satellites- 'Satellites' (LP) Though only forming two years prior to the release of their astounding debut self-titled LP, Satellites's impeccable unity of trad-Turkish folk and psychedelic pop makes for a sound that appears to have multiple years of practice, writing and experimentation behind it.  As part of Israel...

  Epitomising their sun-drenched Gold Coast surroundings in audible form, Luja Murfi create songs that prove idyllic for lazy, lethargic days in the heat, all the while making room for euphoric moments of sky-scraping bliss that ebb and flow beneath their steady song structures. Their self-titled EP, released at the back end of 2020, perfectly demonstrates their capability to move between different tempos, rhythms and instrumentation not only between songs on the EP but within the tracks themselves, all held down by Luke Johnson's subtle blend of jazz and funk derived percussion.  Luja Murfi's discography thus far incorporates a wide variety of musical influence and genre exploration. While their trademark fusion of easy-listening, soft-rock and psychedelia is of prominence, an all-encapsulating groove that entwines itself throughout the rhythm section is unavoidably detectable, strongly suggesting that this funk and jazz influence is one that is shared amongst ...

  'Spielbergs is about doing whatever we want to do musically' tells Mads Baklien, vocalist and front-man of the Oslo three-piece. 'By the time we started the band and made our first songs, we had already played in bands for many years.' From debut EP 'Distant Star'  to newest works 'Brother of Mine' , both Spielberg's experience as tried and tested musicians shines through- most noticeably now for their care-free attitude when conforming- or failing to conform, rather- to a specific scene or label. He continues,'We have a lot of influences, and maybe not as much musically as philosophically if that makes any sense. We are inspired by bands that do not necessarily belong to a specific scene or genre, but that make whatever kind of songs they want.' It comes as a challenge to pinpoint what it is about Spielberg's material that makes them so distinctive, but one must look no further than the hardcore and post-rock acts of their native, righ...

  Photography-@carlbattamsphoto It is easy to pinpoint the modern renaissance of noise-rock and post-punk bands merely on recurring trends within music. Be it art, music or fashion, what was once attractive and contemporary for the time, and was able to capture the imagination and excitement of a youthful generation is probably able to do the same thirty, forty, fifty years down the line. The common bond between all 'successful' music subcultures is, amongst others, the need to be heard above the voice of authority. However in such dark times, it is only apt that what the likes of the Pistols, Joy Division and The Fall were producing forty-plus years ago has made a resurgence through the likes of contemporary acts like Idles, Fontaines D.C and Shame to name a few. It seems that, through necessity if nothing else, these bands are using noise and energy to promote a positive message during times of political angst and uncertainty. Amongst the various bands falling into this cate...