I’ve completed a few round-up reviews recently, in which I’ve focused on music from different parts of the world. However, I’ve somehow overlooked British music, so I thought it was high time I shared some of the fantastic underground British artists out there with the world. All the artists on this list are based in one of the four countries making up the United Kingdom – as always, a full playlist can be found at the bottom.
Review by Jane Howkins
Picture by Indigo Daydream
Indigo Daydream – Room On My Cloud
First up is dream pop artist Indigo Daydream, with his new song, Room On My Cloud. The first thing that hit me about this track was the way in which the vocals are used – several effects are used to layer the vocals over each other, crafting a unique sound. Little piano trickles play in the background, following the main note sequence created by the vocals, sounding beautiful throughout. It won’t be for everyone, but those who like their music a little different should check this out.
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Son Of Cabe – Happy
Son Of Cabe are an indie pop duo based in Guildford, who have recently released a fabulous new song titled Happy. The track is rather catchy, having a mainstream pop sound that’s simply infectious. The vocals are full of emotion and soul, being one of the main draws of this amazing tune. The little guitar melodies that run through the piece add a modern rock vibe, bridging the gap between the pop and rock genres well. If you like your indie a little softer, this is the song for you!
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Intercontinen7al – War’s the Noise
We’ve featured Intercontinen7al before, so when I heard their new song War’s the Noise, I jumped at the chance to include it here! It’s a bit of a slow burner, as the gorgeous guitar melodies collide with the drums and bass to produce a stunning piece of music. The vocals are amazing as ever, adding a lovely sense of melody to the piece, drawing your attention straight away. If you’ve not checked these guys out yet, this is the perfect chance!
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BlueMelt – Glass Towers
Glass Towers is a track for those who like their music a little heavier, seeing BlueMelt mixing together elements of lots of different rock and metal genres. The guitars are particularly impressive, showing both melody and technicality, with some amazing solos. It’s an instrumental track, but the music is stunning enough to stand on its own two feet, so don’t let that put you off! The solo towards the end is particularly stunning to listen to!
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Daniele Alan-Carter – 2am
Daniele Alan-Carter is actually an Italian singer-songwriter, but he’s based in the UK, so is well deserving of being in this list. 2am is a beautiful piece of music, featuring a gorgeous piano melody that underpins Daniele’s soft vocal style perfectly. The vocals ooze emotion, sounding incredibly heartfelt throughout the piece. It’s quite a slow song, but that only helps to make it sound more beautiful – check it out for yourselves below!
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Neil Taylor – We All Hurt Inside
Neil Taylor is a British artist creating rock music with a vintage flavour, as displayed in We All Hurt Inside. The track features chugging riffs and huge drum beats, adding a cool rhythm to the music. Neil’s vocals have that classic 80s rock sound, fitting the genre perfectly. Despite the heaviness of the song, it’s also quite melodic, creating a nice mix of sounds on this awesome rock and roll song.
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Alex Kate – Lost In You
Lost In You takes thing down a notch, with this track being more of an alt-pop song, also having elements of the indie-folk music. Alex Kate has a fantastic voice, drawing the listener into her captivating world instantly. The guitar lines have a nice rhythm, working well with the percussion and the piano chords thrown in every so often. It’s quite dreamy at times, adding another stylistic element to this catchy tune.
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The Warrens – Can You Hear Me
Can You Hear Me is the second track to be released by The Warrens, making it seem all the more impressive, considering how new the band are! It’s a pop-rock song with a steady rhythm, pushing the song along to its satisfying conclusion. The guitar melodies are really pretty, seeing the vocals following them nicely. It’s catchy, yet it never sounds too mainstream, which is definitely a plus to me! These guys are definitely headed for the bigtime!
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narcissus – once a thief…
once a thief… is another old school sounding song, this time based within the hip-hop genre. As well as the classic hip-hop elements, narcissus’ music also has elements of electronica and rock, with groovy guitar licks working well with the funky rhythm to make something that sounds utterly unique. Recorded spoken vocals are used within the track, as synths appear every so often to overlay the guitars. This track is unlike anything else I’ve ever heard before!
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Serena Kaos – Live Again
Live Again sounds beautiful from the start, featuring a haunting synth chord sequence, as Serena Kaos’ vocals match the notes perfectly. The sound of waves lapping at the shore are also present, tailing off as the song properly kicks in. A slow guitar melody appears, alongside some quirky percussion, as Serena’s vocals drift through this dreamy number. This has got to be one of my favourite songs of the year so far, it’s that good.
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Francesca Guerra – Can’t Stop The Rain
Francesca Guerra is an independent artist based between London and Rome, producing catchy pop songs with a sad bent, such as Can’t Stop The Rain. The music is quite minimalist at times, although there’s more going on there than first appears, meaning you’ll need to listen to this several times over to fully grasp everything. The style of the track allows the vocals to stand out, alongside the pretty guitar motifs that underpin the song alongside the bubbling percussion.
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Dani Slovak – Hold Out
Hold Out is more of a mainstream pop song, although it isn’t without its charm, working its way inside your head instantly! Dani Slovak has produced a charming genre-bending piece of music here, as his emotive vocals weave in and out of the music. I also felt there was something of an 80s quality about the song, particularly with the way the synths and drums are used here. The chorus also has that anthemic quality that I love!
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Egotist – I Worry Too Much
I Worry Too Much is another pop song, but it also has quite an arty quality about it, making it sound very different to most of the other pop out there! It’s great to hear a group like Egotist doing something a little different! The track builds up over the verses, seeing spidery guitar lines and a tribal drum beat provide a backbone to the track, pushing the vocals to the forefront of the music. This helps to raise the tension up, building up towards the haunting end.
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Forgotten Garden – Memoriam
We’ve featured Forgotten Garden before, so it’s great to be able to share more new music from this amazing indie band! Memoriam is the title of their new track, featuring a flowing guitar style, which sounds awesome when placed next to the high-pitched female vocals. The main guitar melody continues throughout the track, without there being much to separate the verses from each other, but it really draws you into Forgotten Garden’s world!
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