Five New Tracks To Cure Your Monday-itis
CHRIS WATTS with Let Go
If a romcom has got you feeling inadequate, Chris Watts has the answer. His new single Let Go is the perfect antidote for love-spawned angst, or just a great soundtrack for all of your daydreaming adventures. The combination of effortlessly cool guitar, restrained percussion, and handclaps creates the ultimate indie-pop tune, with a healthy side-serve of lyrical inspiration: “Get up and get exactly what you came for“. If those words can’t help you leave your worries behind, nothing will.
Look out for the Let Go music video coming very soon.
JUKE JAXON with Memory Man
Indie-soul duo Juke Jaxon’s new single Memory Man is a winner thanks to a classic form, plenty of soul, and the influence of James Blake and Jamie Woon. The simple bass guitar melody and punchy rhythm of the guitar are catchy without overpowering the soulful vocals and subtle harmonies.
The beautifully subdued bridge section is something special, stripping back the instrumentation to its bare bones before the chorus kicks in for the last time with a strong dose of hard-hitting guitar. Memory Man finishes strong, coming full-circle to refocus on the simplicity and strength of the bass guitar melody.
FOUNTAINEER with Still Life
Since claiming Victoria’s triple j Unearthed 2015 crown, indie-rock 4-piece Fountaineer have been busy playing shows around their hometown and pumping out new tracks, including their latest single Still Life.
The track takes a subdued rock ballad (think Simple Minds’ Don’t You (Forget About Me)) and douses it with attention-grabbing electro-pop energy. Lead singer Anthony White’s sultry vocal delivery is deep, dark, and intense, the perfect companion to the brooding bassline.
The instrumentation and vocals start off extraordinarily simple, branching out with subtle harmonies and extra instrumental lines. Thanks to the combination of synth and glistening electric guitar accompanied by a catchy drum rhythm, you might just find it impossible not to get lost in Still Life. Keep this one on your driving playlist and let your inner adventurer take hold.
CAR SEAT HEADREST with Vincent
Car Seat Headrest a.k.a Will Toledo is making a splash with his first release for 2016 Vincent, a song he wrote about the challenges of youth and finding a place in society. Toledo’s personal and empathetic vocal delivery is the perfect vehicle for the song’s lyrical intensity.
“[Vincent] is about shouting to be heard [even though] no one’s saying anything worth listening to. It’s about wanting to leave but not wanting to go home,” he says.
Upbeat drum rhythms and bright, simple guitar melodies offset the darkness, angst, and self-loathing beautifully, transforming a lonely, moody background piece into a great dance track. The song finishes with a passionately sustained end note, a pitch-perfect promise of more to come from this talented young artist.
Vincent is the first single from Car Seat Headrest’s upcoming album ‘Teens Of Denial’ out later this year. If you love The Stokes you’ll definitely dig this track!
HARTS with Peculiar
Melbourne multi-instrumentalist Harts a.k.a Darren Hart has outdone himself with his latest track Peculiar. Mixing a touch of disco, RnB, and pop with a whole lot of jazz he produces something peculiarly brilliant.
The track gets straight down to business with funky drum rhythms, infectious bass guitar riffs, and brassy jazz harmonies. The perfectly-timed rhythms frame Hart’s smooth George Michael-style vocals beautifully, whilst the contrast of his gorgeous falsetto against the rough electric guitar riffs highlights the purity of his voice.
With its simple lyrics and classic melody, the chorus will be running through your mind for hours. Thanks to several repeats of the catchy hook throughout the song, you can’t miss it – and you won’t want to. Peculiar will be released on March 4.
