Monthly Favourites #16

Spring has finally come around and the weather is now much warmer than it was a couple of months ago. It’s also time for another installment in my monthly favourites series – we’re now in the 16th iteration! As always, all the tracks here are from a variety of genres, meaning you should be able to find something that appeals to your music tastes.

Review by Jane Howkins

Photo by Bromsen

Bromsen – We!

Kicking this list off in fine fashion is Bromsen, with the fantastic new tune, We! It’s a gorgeously synth-laden track, reminding me a little of the electronica that became popular about a decade or so ago. The main chord sequence sounds utterly fantastic, as it’s incredibly catchy throughout. The fuzzy guitar chords that appear every so often also add something a little harder, making this track sound rather unique nowadays! The guitars fit well with the beat, as Bromsen sings over the top of the music in a suitable manner.

Social media: Website, Spotify, Youtube, Instagram

Trisha & Thara – Out of the Dark

Massachusetts duo Trisha & Thara have been performing together since grade school, so it’s no surprise that their music is this good! Out of the Dark is a contemporary pop song, although it’s a little different from most of the stuff you usually hear on the radio. It’s actually more of a ballad at times, featuring a pretty piano melody as the main instrumentation underpinning the tune. The vocals are fantastic – you can really feel the emotion contained within them as they sing the melancholic lyrics. If you like your pop on the softer end of the scale, this is for you!

Social media: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Youtube, Instagram, TikTok

The Venus Figurines – Holiday

Australian rock band The Venus Figurines bring a little rock and roll to this list with their amazing new track, Holiday. The production is a bit raw, but this serves the garage rock stylings of the song well. It’s also quite punky at times (especially in terms of the fast beat), making for a true genre-bender of a track! The vocals are a bit harsh at times, but they work exceedingly well with the groovy riffs, adding a grungy quality to the chorus. I can’t wait to hear more from The Venus Figurines in the near future!

Social media: Linktree, Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, Bandcamp, Youtube, Instagram, Songkick

greenhouse – Finally Over

We’ve got another Australian act for you here, in the form of indie band greenhouse, who have recently relaunched their career. Finally Over makes a fantastic entrance for the band – it’s a little heavier than what you might expect from an indie banger, but there’s still a lot of melody here. I actually found myself reminded a lot of the 90s indie and Britpop genres, showing just how far this band’s remit is! The little xylophone flourishes on the chorus add something extra special to this track, showing a band that isn’t afraid to mix things up a bit.

Social media: Website, Facebook, Spotify, Bandcamp, Youtube, Instagram

Sólskin – Lake

British artist Sólskin adds a more folky sound to this list, with her wonderful new release, Lake. The track features several lovely flowing acoustic guitar melodies, weaving in and out of the music in a pretty way. The vocals are stunning, and the way the backing vocals are used to accentuate the lead vocals adds an extra layer of beauty to the tune. There isn’t that much variety, as the song has quite a similar sound throughout, but when it’s this gorgeous, it doesn’t really need much else! You can find the track below.

Social media: Facebook, Spotify, Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Youtube, Instagram

Baywud – Stand By You

We’ve featured Baywud a few times on our site in recent months, so it’s fantastic to be able to share more new music from this wonderful artist. If you’ve already checked Baywud’s music out, you should know what to expect on Stand By You. It’s a folky singer-songwriter song, full of soul and heartfelt emotion throughout. A simplistic acoustic guitar melody provides the main instrumentation, also adding a rhythmic quality to the piece. The vocals are the main focal point though,sounding particularly lovely when set against the backing vocals found on the chorus.

Social media: Website, Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, Soundcloud, Bandcamp, TikTok, Youtube, Instagram

High Libido – Shoot To Kill

Shoot To Kill sounds epic from the very start, opening with a bluesy guitar lick that’s made complete with a distorted tone. The female vocals work fantastically with the music, showing a degree of attitude often missing in modern rock music. They’re incredibly strong, truly soaring over the guitars. The energy never really lets up, keeping your interested piqued throughout this amazing banger of a tune. The track breaks down slightly on the bridge, before the guitars take on a slightly proggy turn, showing that High Libido are clearly a highly proficient band!

Social media: Facebook, Spotify, Instagram

Joyful Forfeit – Under The Ice Again

Pennsylvania-based artist JoyFul Forfeit melds elements of indie, dream-pop, emo and rock together into one ultimate package on his new tune, Under The Ice Again. The track contains a gorgeous array of guitar riffs, weaving in and out of the music in perfect style. The vocals are a little distant sounding under the rest of the music, but they have a really nice sound – they’re also rather high in terms of pitch, adding something more distinctive to the piece. It sounds really beautiful at times, making this a must listen track!

Social media: Facebook, Spotify, Soundcloud, Bandcamp, Youtube, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok

Grace de Gier – Your Name

Pop singer Grace de Gier is also a voting member of the Grammys, showing she truly knows her stuff! Your Name is a little different from most pop songs though, as it features an eerie piano melody as the main instrumental line underpinning this piece. Some fuzzy guitar lines are also added occasionally, creating more of an ambience within the track. Grace has a fantastic voice, changing from a creepy whisper to a soaring belt in the space of a second, showing just how amazing this artist is!

Social media: Website, Facebook, Spotify, Youtube, Instagram

Into The Light – Manuscript

Into The Light is a New York state band made up of members from a variety of other groups, combining their collective talents together on their track, Manuscript. It’s quite a mellow sounding rock song, with a throbbing bassline that carries the tune along in the background. Little guitar motifs break off on the verses, making for one cool atmosphere! The chorus is a little heavier, seeing the guitars come out in full force. The vocals are a bit quiet in the mix, but they still sound really epic – especially on the chorus!

Social media: Instagram, Linktree, Bandcamp, Facebook

Greg Bounce – Friends in Towns

If you like your music on the softer side of things, then Friends in Towns could be the perfect track for you! Greg Bounce has created something truly beautiful on this subtle piece of music. The piano is slow and soft, trickling through the music in a lovely way. A percussive beat is added after a while, but the track is perfect enough as is, without needing a vast slew of instrumentation. Greg also has a nice voice, containing a lot of emotion within his interesting lyrics. See what you think of Friends in Towns below!

Social media: Facebook, Spotify, Instagram

Makeup – All My Friends Are High

All My Friends Are High is one of my favourite tracks on this entire list – it’s an indie rock song with an undeniably catchy sound, particularly with the main chord sequence used. The guitars have a lovely flowing quality as they move through the verses, before they kick in with a heaviness on the chorus, as Makeup’s soulful vocals unfurl over the top. The lyrics are pretty interesting too, drawing the listener in alongside the music. It really is an amazing song, so you need to pay attention to this track!

Social media: Facebook, Spotify, Soundcloud, Youtube, Instagram, TikTok